Tag: Djakadam

Thyestes Chase Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Cheltenham trials will be coming thick and fast in the coming weeks and Gowran Park could provide some pointers on Thursday. The feature race is the Thyestes Chase, won last year by subsequent Gold Cup runner-up On His Own.

Willie Mullins tries to follow up with the lightly-raced Djakadam, a disappointing favourite in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November. The gelding won the Grade 2 Killiney Novices’ Chase at Leopardstown last season but fell four from home in the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

He travelled nicely into contention at Newbury but weakened quickly in the straight. He could prove to be well handicapped off a mark of 145 but this will be a real test of stamina in the heavy ground. Considering his lack of jumping experience, I am prepared to look elsewhere for the winner.

Gallant Oscar looks to have been aimed at this by Tony Martin, having been kept over hurdles so far this season. He was quietly fancied for the Irish National in April but parted company with Davy Condon at the thirteenth. Better value may be the French import, Sadler’sflaure, trained by Jessica Harrington.

It is impossible to compare French and Irish form but he was four times a winner in his native country and ran well when chasing home Grand Jesture at Punchestown last month. That was only his second run since joining Harrington and he could be ready to run a big race on Thursday.

Goonyella ran in the Welsh National and the Irish National last season and likes it when the mud is flying. He was not disgraced behind Living Next Door last time out while The Job Is Right also ran well in that race. He came out and won at Punchestown but this will be three races in quick succession.

Earlier in the day, Monksland can book his place in the World Hurdle field by winning the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle. The eight-year-old was having his first race for two years when third to Lieutenant Colonel at Leopardstown last month and holds Dedigout, Zaidpour and Briar Hill on that form.

Noel Meade’s gelding was third to Simonsig in the Neptune and won the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2012 before injury intervened. He was as short as 5-1 for the World Hurdle after that and is a proven winner in heavy ground. With normal improvement, he should confirm the form with Briar Hill who was not that impressive last season in his prep races before falling at the festival. His future may lie over fences and Monksland can get back on the winning trail here.

Monksland 2.15 Gowran Park @6-4 Paddy Power

Sadler’sflaure 3.15 Gowran Park @8-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Hennessy Gold Cup Preview

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The Hennessy Gold Cup is fast approaching and has attracted several potential Gold Cup horses.

Last year we were celebrating a 14-1 ante-post winning tip with Nicky Henderson’s Triolo D’Alene. His season fell apart a little after that and it will be interesting to see if he makes his seasonal debut here. Henderson is more likely to rely on Hadrian’s Approach who departed early on last year but ended the season winning the Bet365 Gold Cup (formerly the Whitbread) at Sandown.

I had previously thought that his jumping didn’t stand up in big fields but there was nothing wrong with it at the Esher track. On the downside, he is up 7lbs and arrives here without the benefit of a previous run. Philip Hobbs had an unbelievable three days at Cheltenham’s Open meeting and pins his hopes on Fingal Bay.

I’ve always got the greatest respect for horses that can carry big weights in the festival handicaps but he has only ever raced twice over fences. He was a fair second on his debut before running out after continuously jumping to his left at Exeter. He reverted successfully to hurdles last season but this an enormous task for an inexperienced chaser. The same applies to Irish hope Djakadam who fell at the festival on his third start over fences and has not been seen since. Time may show that he is well handicapped here but he hasn’t done enough over fences to justify his current price in a race like this.

Ireland has a poor record in this race but Gordon Elliott’s Don Cossack would be an interesting contender after wins at Punchestown and Down Royal. He only had two to beat in the Grade 2 Powers Irish Whiskey Chase last time but did it well.

Paul Nicholls has won this twice as a jockey and three times as a trainer. He could saddle Rocky Creek and last week’s Cheltenham winner Sam Winner. Rocky Creek finished second last year and is up 5lbs but ran a cracker when runner-up to Road To Riches at Down Royal last time. Nicholls is aiming him at the Grand National in which he finished fifth last year.

Although plenty of horses have won this without a prep race, I usually like confirmation that the horse is fit and well and Many Clouds fits the bill. Oliver Sherwood was bitterly disappointed when he was brought down in the RSA Chase and it would have been interesting to see whether he could have beaten O’Faolains Boy. He reappeared at Carlisle and won impressively with the handicapper raising him 7lbs as a result.

The RSA Chase has been a great guide to the Hennessy Gold Cup in recent seasons and runner-up Smad Place has to be worthy of consideration. Alan King has already declared his intention to go here without a prep race and it would be difficult to ignore his chances if you fancy Many Clouds. He has only had four races over fences but has winning form at Newbury. With doubts about Djakadam and Fingal Bay, I’m going each-way on Many Clouds and Smad Place.

Many Clouds @17-2 Betway

Smad Place @10-1 Ladbrokes, Bet365

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Punchestown Tuesday Preview

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The Punchestown Festival keeps National Hunt fans entertained this week with a host of Cheltenham and Aintree horses on show. Following festival form can be a recipe for disaster at this stage of the season as Punchestown but it is hard to get away from it tomorrow.

The feature race is the Champion Chase which looks wide open. Module and Somersby were no match for Sire De Grugy at the festival and will probably dominate the market. Module needed every yard of the two miles at Newbury in heavy ground to peg back Dodging Bullets and again looked short of pace at Cheltenham. His best form is over two and a half miles, although he is very closely matched with Somersby on Exeter form.

Hidden Cyclone has been on the go all winter and has been running well. He certainly wouldn’t be winning out of turn if he were to win here. I’m just favouring David Pipe’s Ballynagour here at an each-way price. He won at the festival with any amount in hand and ran a fair race at Aintree. He looked as though he would win between the last two but was outstayed after the last.

The RSA Chase form took a knock at Aintree with a disappointing run from O’Faolains Boy but I’d be inclined to put a rule through it. Four of those involved in that race turn out again for the Novice Champion Chase tomorrow including the third Morning Assembly and fourth Ballycasey. Interestingly, Ruby Walsh has chosen to ride Djakadam who fell in the JLT Novices’ Chase when still in contention.

It is difficult to make a comparison between that race and the RSA, but Walsh clearly feels Djakadam will be a force over this trip and that just about tips the balance. Walsh should certainly be on the score-sheet in the Champion Novice Hurdle with Faugheen who was one of the most impressive winners of festival week. He drops back half a mile here but was always racing keenly that day and should not be inconvenienced.

Sgt Reckless stayed on to be fourth at Cheltenham and then finished runner-up to Josses Hill. He didn’t seem to find as much off the bridle as seemed likely and Faugheen should have his measure.

Faugheen 4.20 Punchestown at 8-11 Ladbrokes

Ballynagour 5.30 Punchestown at 17-2 888Sport

Djakadam 6.40 Punchestown at 11-4 Paddy Power