Janika set to defy top weight

Janika can carry top weight to victory in the Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase, the fifth race on day three of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival. Carrying the familiar colours of owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, he has had just two runs since arriving from France but there was plenty to be taken from both efforts.

Runner-up to the mercurial but undoubtedly talented Hell’s Kitchen on his first start for Nicky Henderson, he ran even better when touched off by one of today’s rivals, Siruh Du Lac, at this track in late January. On the more recent occasion he raced too keenly for his own good but still had the ability to mount a challenge in the straight. He hit the front on the run-in but was just touched off in the run to the line.