DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
FRIDAY MARCH 13
A bigger field than anticipated for the Triumph (1.20) but in truth, there looks to be quite a bit of deadwood in its midst and it is highly unlikely we will get a 100-1 winner, as there was last year.
Willie Mullins has been the main man as far as this event in concerned in recent times and he looks to have a strong hand in the shape of PROACTIF and SELMA DE VARY.
The former has taken over as JP McManus’ leading light due to the recent setback to ante-post favourite Narcisco Has, but even with his vaunted stable mate in the race, the son of Masked Marvel had serious claims in his own right.
The speed figure he posted when making a successful Irish debut at Fairyhouse suggested he is easily up to championship level and his performance needed marking up on account of the fact he was pestered for the lead throughout the first mile and a half.
Clearly a strong stayer at the trip on the evidence of that display, this powerful gallop has all the attributes needed for a race of this nature.
Stable mate Selma De Vary was less wound up for her debut given the way she was ridden in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown but the fact she looked dangerous heading down to the last hurdle before making a bad mistake at an inopportune moment indicates she could be top class.
A smooth traveller who should, therefore, be well suited by a strongly run affair, it is safe to assume she will be all the better for that initial experience.
PROACTIF – 1-point win@4-1
SELMA DE VARY – 1-point win@4-1
After an abysmal turnout for this race last year, it is good to see the County Hurdle (2.00) with its usual maximum field and there are several among the 24-strong field who could easily prove way ahead of their current ratings.
SINNATRA definitely has the look of a well-handicapped horse based on his profile and it would come as no surprise to see him go close in his bid to provide the Skelton’s with another winner in this race.
The form of his effort when runner-up to Act Of Innocence at Newbury earlier in the season looks strong based on how his conqueror performed in the Turners and he wasn’t disgraced in The Sydney Banks when trying to make all over 2m3f against his old rival.
A stroll around Warwick recently meant he got the requisite fifth run to qualify for this handicap and he has the cruising speed to work his way through the pack to hold every chance on the long run to the last.
Of the rest, it would come as no surprise to the ever-consistent WILFUL go well here and his defeat of Alexei in a hot handicap at Ascot earlier in the campaign got an almighty boost in the Champion Hurdle.
His stable struck with Johnnywho earlier in the week and decent ground suits him best.
SINNATRA – 1-point win@6-1
WILFUL – ½ point each-way@14-1 (six places)
The Mares Chase (2.40) revolves around Dinoblue being in the same form as last season and if that turns out to be the case, she might prove to be a class apart.
On the downside, she is prone to the odd error and Panic Attack is easily good enough to capitalise of any gifts sent her way.
Even at the age of 10, she looks as though she is actually still improving and we know this brilliant jumper operates around the track.
The Albert Bartlett (3.20) has its usual mixture of potential improvers among the 22 set to go to post but THEDEVILUNO easy brings the best three-mile form to the party courtesy of his win in the River Don and it will take a good one to lower his colours if in the same form.
The way he travelled throughout that well-run affair on Town Moor marked him down as a horse with a big engine and the speed he posted backed up that view.
In the care of a trainer who has had a couple of near misses in recent times with Sandor Clegane and Last Exhibition, Paul Nolan’s inmate makes plenty of each-way appeal with most firms offering four places.
THEDEVILUNO – 1-point each-way@11-2 (five places)
Even taking into account Fact To File not running here in favour of the Ryanair, the Gold Cup (4.00) still has a wide-open feel.
In short, there are so many closely matched and it will all boil down to who makes fewest mistakes on the day.
A large blanket separated the front four in the King George and while a case can be made for Gaelic Warrior and The Jukebox Man, the overriding impression was Jango Baie was the best horse in the race in terms of pure ability.
The fact he managed to finish so close despite giving away valuable ground at several of his fences – most notably the first two – is testimony to his attitude and with the strong possibility the gallop over this stiff 3m2f will be less hectic, Nicky Henderson’s can get into a much better rhythm.
Grey Dawning fluffed his lines in the Cotswold chance but even so, he failed to dampen the spirits of his connections, who were seemingly more than happy of giving up a 50k pot in favour of fine-tuning his Gold Cup bid.
If avoiding the odd mistake that can creep into game late, he has the ability to back his performance when winning the Betfair Chase. Expect a more positive ride.
The rule changes mean there isn’t any sneaky Grade 1 horses running in the concluding Martin Pipe (5.20) coming off the back of just two or three hurdle runs and, as a result, the race lacks the usual quality in previous years.
There is a decent chance, therefore, it could go the way of something more exposed than typical and the one who fits that bill is EAST INDIA EXPRESS.
Nicky Henderson’s inmate has endured a rather truncated season but he did run a good deal better than in previous starts in a hot handicap at Windsor last time out and he looks to be coming right just as he did this time last year.
Had he not got shuffled back on the home turn and bungled the last at the Surrey venue, he might well have prevailed but it was another useful speed figure to add to the one he produced in this race last year, when he fared best of the prominent racers.
EAST INDIA EXPRESS – ½ point each-way@10-1 (five places)