Our racing expert continues the festive period with eight tips from Leopardstown, Limerick and Chepstow.
13:10 Leopardstown
As we saw here yesterday, Henry De Bromhead has his team in excellent shape for this four-day meeting so, despite the obvious claims of the very smart Chacun Pour Soi in the line-up, A PLUS TARD (best price 7-1) is fancied keep up the good work for the Knockeen handler.
A top-class novice campaign last season was rewarded with a tremendous victory in the Close Brothers Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and he failed in his bid to repeat the dose in Grade 1 company on his final start at Punchestown, the three-mile trip was a legitimate excuse for his defeat. Back over a more suitable distance for seasonal comeback, the son of Kapgarde just found the match fit Ballyoisin a little too hot to handle on the day, but at the same time, he kept on well enough on the run-in to suggest another bright campaign is on the cards. Yet to be out of the frame in all 11 starts, that superb record doesn’t look likely to be broken when you weigh up all the pros and cos of his profile and if all is not rosy in the garden of the favourite on the day, the five-year-old has rates as the chief beneficiary.
14:00 Limerick
Fury Road has already confirmed himself as one of the best staying novices’ of the season so far and is likely to prove hard to beat, but there’s also lots to like about WELL SET UP’s (best price 7-1) game and she makes much more appeal at the morning odds in both the with and without the favourite markets.
No match for the on-song Listen Dear here back in October, Mark Fahey’s mare has improved quite significantly since and her latest victory over a smart field at Cork recently means she thoroughly deserves a crack at this better grade. A strong stayer at the trip who also handles heavy ground and today’s track well (runner-up on both previous visits), the daughter of Gold Well looks the one most likely to trouble the favourite on all known form.
14:20 Leopardstown
MOON OVER GERMANY (NAP) (best price 7-1) is better known for his exploits over fences in recent times, but let’s not forget he has some useful form over hurdles and he’s fancied to take advantage of a mark 15lb lower than his current chase assessment.
Winner of last season’s Red Rum Chase at Aintree, Henry De Bromhead’s gelding has performed to a fairly high standard on all three starts this term and with the latest of those efforts highlighted by the victory of stable mate Notebook here yesterday, he clearly arrives here in decent shape. Although only 11th of 19 in the 2016 Galway Hurdle when last seen over the smaller obstacles, it’s worth pointing out that the eight-year-old chestnut had strong placed Grade 2 form behind the likes of Sutton Place and Ball D’Arc earlier in the same season and a repeat of either of those two performances would surely give him a great chance in a race of this nature.
14:50 Chepstow
Elegant Escape is a must for any shortlist in his bid to back up last year’s victory in this stamina test, but he may have a bit on his plate trying to repel the two young upstarts in the shape of NOW MCGINTY (best price 5-1) and TRUCKERS LODGE (best price 12-1).
The former has pretty much had this race as a target ever since beating subsequent Ladbroke Chase winner, De Rasher Counter, over today’s course last January and connections looked to have timed matters to a nicety judged on his light campaign since. Only just outrun close home by the potentially top-class Santini off level weights in a conditions contest at Sandown on his seasonal return, the son of Stowaway showed that he’s capable of mixing it against the very best outside of handicap company, but now returning to this sphere off what looks a fair mark compared to the level of achievement that day, he’s likely to prove a strong contender providing he gets into a good early rhythm.
The latter is a similar type in the sense he’s yet to be fully exposed in a race of this nature and following a game course victory over fences two months ago, Paul Nicholls’ gelding is fancied to give a bold account. Off the bridle some way out at the Welsh venue, the son of Westerner showed plenty of stamina and tenacity in equal measures to get the better of a small, but select field, and with the overall speed figure and final lap sectionals revealing he’d turned in a performance of some merit, it’s easy to see why his canny handler has kept him under wraps ever since in order to keep him fresh for his biggest test.
14:55 Leopardstown
The colours of JP McManus have visited the winner’s enclosure in this race on a regular occurrence and there’s every chance that two of his main representatives here, NO COMMENT (best price 9-1) and FITZHENRY (best price 10-1) will carry the flag for the famous green and white silks with great distinction.
The former looks to have been prepared with this big pot in mind, highlighted by the fact he ran over two miles at Newbury last time out, and considering he’s used to tackling distances of a least a mile further on a regular basis in the past, he did extremely well under the circumstances to finish so close to specialists at the trip such as Magic Saint and Bun Doran. Likely to be seen in a much better light here this afternoon, the son of Kayf Tara looks sure to go well off a mark of 136 with a clear round.
The latter was a gallant third in this race last year so it would be foolish to ignore his obvious claims. Starting his season off with a good effort in a competitive handicap hurdle at Galway back in October, his preparations look to have been time to perfection following his excellent performance in the Troytown Handicap at Navan last time out and it’s easy to see him bang on the premises providing he can plot a smooth passage.
