Thursday looks set to be an excellent day for Irish trainer Noel Meade, who can plunder two Grade 1's this afternoon with Apache Stronghold (1.30) and Monksland (3.20) both fancied under regular pilot Paul Carberry. The former has been nothing but progressive over fences, building on the promise shown last term as a novice hurdler. The selection won a G2 contest at Navan before returning from a break to run well at both the Fairyhouse and Punchestown festivals and chasing home Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Vautour at the latter. Fences were always going to be the making of him however and he has sparkled since reverting to the larger obstacles, yet to finish out of the frame on all four starts. He was out-stayed by subsequent RSA Chase winner Don Poli at Leopardstown over Christmas but bounced back to reverse the form with Willie Mullins' Valseur Lido at the same track last month. Two and a half miles seems to be his trip and he looks set to better the Gigginstown rival once more, along with his stablemate Vautour and best of the English Ptit Zig.
Monksland is a horse with a similar profile, having been impressive in his novice hurdle days, chasing home Simonsig in the Neptune Novices' Hurdle at the Festival in 2012. The precocious 8-y-o ended his second season hurdling prematurely after suffering an injury later that year however returned from an absence of nearly two years to finish an excellent third in Ireland over Christmas. He bettered that performance when narrowly beaten on ground softer than ideal last time out at Gowran Park however the winner has scored subsequently and Monksland remains one of a handful of unexposed individuals and fancied to better his odds of around the 14/1 mark. The form of last year's race has worked out terribly and the likes of At Fishers Cross, Zarkandar and Reve de Sivola would have to be opposed however David Pipe's Un Temps Pour Tout and Nicky Henderson's Whisper remain unexposed and are fascinating runners entering relatively unchartered territory.
In the handicaps, Edeymi is an understandable favourite for the Pertemps after an eye-catching run last time out at Musselburgh however Unique de Cotte (2.05) looks a David Pipe quintessential handicap plot and can score under Tom Scudamore. The selection landed a gamble at the track earlier in the season - getting his head in front despite running as green as grass throughout. He ran poorly on his next start on ground softer than ideal at Newbury, but bounced back to land a similar touch from Evan Wililams' promising Padge last month at Ascot. A 20lb rise at the weights for both successes may look harsh from the handicapper however he may not have got to grips with him yet and is still potentially well-treated.
Attaglance (4.00) and Clondaw Knight (4.40) can take the two handicap chases on the card for the northern based yards of Malcolm Jefferson and the Lucinda Russell yards respectively. The former have bounced back to form this spring in style, with five winners from thirteen runners since the turn of March. The selection has been first and second on his two prior runs at the festival and was unlucky loser last year when chasing home Present View. He can gain scant consolation from a 4lb higher mark.
Clondaw Knight has been progressive in Handicap Chases in the north and was just unlucky to bump into once last time out at Ascot. The selection chased home Caroles Destrier, landing a gamble for Neil Mulolland and Barry Geraghty with winner going up a further 10lb in the handicap thereafter. The selection traded odds-on in-running before being done by a turn of foot late on however can make amends and is excellent each-way value with plenty of bookmakers betting the race to five places.
The Don looks a cut above the field in the Ryanair if, and it's a big if, he can translate his form going right-handed in small fields however the race looks a potential minefield and I'll be watching, rather than betting, on this rare occasion.
1.30 Apache Stronghold (Nap)
2.05 Unique De Cotte (Ew)
3.20 Monksland (Ew)
4.00 Attaglance (Ew)
4.40 Clondaw Knight (Ew)
No comments:
Post a Comment