“not quite classy enough”
It’s about being the best handicapped in a given year. Having more class is fine as long as the horse can give the weight away. Corach was up against classier horses the year he won, he only had 10 stone 5 i think. Johnnywho is 10 stone 4.
He had a wind op prior to Cheltenham as he made a noise when disappointing the time before, so perhaps that is what has helped him the most.