The Powers Gold Cup returns this year with a new name and
the 2015 Ryanair Novices Steeplechase boasts a lot more class than last year’s
renewal did, when four runners went to post and only two finished the race,
with Mozoltov unseating Davy Russell and Ballycasey falling when leading two
out, leaving the race open for victory from Rebel Fitz.
With Fairyhouse’s Easter festival taking place just before
the Punchestown festival last year, this year’s meeting is attracting a lot
more of the big Irish National Hunt stars. Vautour will disappointingly, if somewhat unsurprisingly,
not be running despite having been left in the race until the final
declarations – Punchestown is the assumed target for him this season.
 |
| Apache Stronghold beat Valseur Lido on his last two starts |
Apache Stronghold has chased home Vautour twice, on his
final start over hurdles at last year’s Punchestown festival and again in the
JLT last month. I’ve thought for a long time that better ground could be key
for this horse and he certainly looked well on good ground on that occasion. He
won the Grade 1 Flogas Novices Chase on Hennessy day at Leopardstown in
February, beating Valseur Lido and The Tullow Tank in the process, on yielding
ground and I would definitely think that he’s at his best without too much of a
cut underfoot.
The opposite could be said for the horse which finished 3rd
behind Vautour and Apache Stronghold in the JLT – Valseur Lido beat Apache
Stronghold by 8 lengths in November on soft ground but Noel Meade’s charge reversed the form in the Flogas Novice
Chase at Leopardstown in February, and continued his dominance over the Mullins
6yo in the JLT. On good ground, I would expect Apache Stronghold to beat
Valseur Lido for the third time, but with the conditions still testing at
Fairyhouse, I can certainly see this form being reversed – Valseur Lido has won
on all five starts on yielding to soft or worse but has never won on yielding
or better.
The really interesting horse in the field has to be another
Mullins contender, though, in Gitane Du Berlais. After winning a few races in
Ireland (including a Grade 3 here) Gitane Du Berlais was taken to Sandown for
the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices Chase and won very impressively from Irish
Saint, who subsequently won the Pendil
Novices Chase at Kempton and finished 4th in the JLT, so the form
looks strong. Gitane Du Berlais hasn’t been seen up against these horses
before, with Mullins avoiding the normal stops on the Irish novice chasing
circuit in favour of some less obvious targets in Ireland, England and France.
 |
| Gitane Du Berlais has been campaigned very interestingly |
While Apache Stronghold and Valseur Lido were battling out
for 2nd behind Vautour up the gruelling Cheltenham hill, Gitane Du
Berlais waltzed to victory in a grade 3 hurdle at Auteil. Mullins has opted to
avoid the tough challenges that these other horses have faced and you would
have to think that this has been a long-term target. Perhaps more
significantly, Gitane Du Berlais receives all of the allowances – she carries
over a stone less than the rest of the field.
Gilgamboa was very promising on his first two starts over
fences, winning both times, and followed this up by finishing 3rd
(of three) behind Clarcam and Un De Sceaux in the Irish Arkle. This seemed a
respectable run at the time considering the opposition, but his next start at
Limerick was a terrible display and bore stark contrast to the early promise he
had shown. Enda Bolger will be hoping to get him back on track today.
Mouse Morris saddles Smashing. He was 7th in the
Arkle, but 2nd when Un De Sceaux won here in December and a decent 3rd
behind Don Poli and Wounded Warrior at Gowran the previous month.
 |
| The Tullow Tank hasn't taken to chasing very well |
The Tullow Tank has been beaten by plenty of these in the
past – he was 5th when Valseur Lido won over this course and
distance in November with Apache Stronghold in front of him, 6th of
7 when Apache Stronghold was 2nd in the Topaz Novice Chase at
Leopardstown in December and 4th behind Apache Stronghold and
Valseur Lido in the Flogas Novices Chase. Of course, if he was to return to the
form and talent he displayed over hurdles then he would be a big player in this
afternoon’s event, but it looks unlikely based on what we’ve seen from him over
fences.
Gilt Shadow was well beaten by Blood Cotil last time out at
Naas in a beginners chase on soft ground which he should have liked. Noble
Emperor fell last time out in March in a Grade 3 at Naas but had been running
well over fences prior to that slip-up, 2nd in a Grade 2 at Navan in
February. Today’s opposition will present a tougher task.
Azorian completes the field – he hasn’t been quite as good
over fences as he was over hurdles but his last start was probably his best
when 3rd at Naas last month. He finished behind The Tullow Tank here
last November on fairly decent ground over a similar trip so will need to reverse
that form.
Summary
Boringly, I think the market has this one right. I had been
hoping that the bookmakers might be overlooking Gitane Du Berlais with more
high-profile runners competing but it was not to be. She has been aimed at
this, her Sandown form appears to be rock solid and her weight allowances could
make all the difference – she looks the one to be on ahead of the JLT 2nd
and 3rd, whose finishing order could well be reversed on softer
ground.
Gilgamboa should be in the mix if (and it’s a big if) he can prove that
his Limerick run was a once-off, while Azorian and The Tullow Tank would have
to return to their hurdling form to be in the mix. Gilt Shadow looks an
unlikely winner while there’s plenty to like about Noble Emperor but he’ll need
to step up to the plate in Grade 1 company. Smashing will also have to improve.
SELECTION: GITANE DU
BERLAIS 2/1
No comments:
Post a Comment