Steve Ryder Sunday Racing Tips

Gordon Elliott has won three of the last four renewals of this race and he holds a strong hand again this year with both Mighty Potter and Three Stripe Life (best priced at 15/4). Preference goes to the latter who made an impressive winning debut in a bumper at Navan last season before finishing 4th in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. The form of that race, as always, is working out well with Elle Est Belle (3rd), Super Six (5th), Grangee (6th) and I Like To Move It (9th) all winning over hurdles already this season and Three Stripe Life himself won over this course and distance on his hurdling debut 26 days ago. 

The stable should know where they stand with the favourite My Mate Mozzie who beat Chemical Energy comfortably at Navan in a Grade 3 and I feel Three Stripe Life can win this with Davy Russell staying loyal to the five-year-old. 

This looks an open renewal of the Drinmore Novice Chase this season and I think the early season experience over fences for Cape Gentleman (best priced at 9/2) can result in him winning this Grade 1. The Emmet Mullins trained five-year-old finished 3rd in the Galway Hurdle earlier this year before making a winning chasing debut at Punchestown in October defeating the solid yardstick Buddy Rich.

Cape Gentleman then won a Grade 3 2m4f Novice Chase at Cork on his next start where he defeated subsequent Troytown winner Run Wild Fred by 14 lengths with the reopposing Bleu Berry further back in 3rd. He looked outpaced last time in a Grade 2 Novice Chase over 2m behind Riviere D’Etel who was receiving all the allowances and this step back up to 2m4f will definitely suit him better. 

Defeating the unbeaten Honeysuckle is obviously going to prove a difficult task but I feel that the market is underestimating the chances of Stormy Ireland (best priced at 22/1) hitting the frame in this race. She won both of her starts last season since re-joining Willie Mullins including in a Grade 2 over this course and distance in April. 

Stormy Ireland then went on to defeat top-class mares Concertista and Minella Melody in a Grade 1 at Punchestown by seven lengths and this good ground should suit her better than a lot of her rivals.