Tag: Road To Riches

Punchestown Festival – Wednesday Preview

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The National Hunt festival at Punchestown continues on Wednesday with three Grade 1 events on another top quality card.

The 4.55 race is a novice hurdle over three miles with the Willie Mullins-trained Shaneshill stepping up in trip from two and a half. He had enough speed to chase home the impressive Douvan in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and that horse underlined the form with a dominant display here on Tuesday.

Shaneshill was barely out of a hack canter to win at Fairyhouse last time out and he races as though the trip will suit him. The Albert Bartlett looked like a real slog at Prestbury Park and third home No More Heroes represents the form here. I just wonder if that hard race may have taken its toll while Mullins also saddles festival winner Killultagh Vic under Paul Townend. Thistlecrack is over from the UK after winning gamely at Aintree but Shaneshill may have too much class for him.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup form comes under scrutiny in the Punchestown equivalent at 5.30. I tipped Djakadam at 16-1 for Cheltenham and he ran a mighty race in second, not quite having enough to peg back all-the-way winner Coneygree. He had previously sluiced through the mud to win at Gowran Park and any further rain will help his prospects here.

Road To Riches was not far behind him at Cheltenham and is entitled to respect, as is easy Liverpool winner Don Cossack. He won by an impressive 26 lengths at Aintree but the race was marred by the fatal fall of Balder Succes. Ballynagour stuck to his guns when closing to within a head of Silviniaco Conti at Aintree but this is a more testing track and his best form is at two and a half miles.

The third and final Grade 1 of the day is the Champion Bumper at 6.05. Several of these ran in the Cheltenham bumper with Modus faring best in second. That was a tremendous run but I am convinced that Supasundae will be better if he can be restrained in the early stages. He eventually finished sixth after being up with the pace for a long way and could be a decent bet in a tricky contest. As usual, Willie Mullins is mob-handed with five runners with Bellshill probably his best chance.

Shaneshill 4.55 @@7-4 William Hill

Djakadam 5.30 @11-4 William Hill

Supasundae 6.05 @12-1 Ladbrokes

Cheltenham blog – Coneygree wins Gold Cup

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Coneygree became the first novice chaser to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup since Captain Christy when making all the running to beat Djakadam and Road To Riches.

Betcirca followers still held out hopes for 16-1 ante-post advice Djakadam jumping the last but Ruby Walsh’s mount could not quite get to the leader. Trainer Mark Bradstock discussed the options with connections before deciding to go for the Gold Cup in preference to the RSA Chase earlier in the week.

The son of Karinga Bay had won all three races over fences since returning from a long-term injury in November. He was due to race at Plumpton in November but was withdrawn on veterinary advice at the start. He was quickly re-routed to Newbury where he was opposed by the Paul Nicholls-trained Saphir Du Rheu. That rival unseated Sam Twiston-Davies at the seventh fence and Coneygree went on to beat Dell’ Arca by a length and a half.

He followed up by winning the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton but the race was marred by four of the seven runners failing to complete the course. Bradstock decided to test him against established chasers the Denman Chase at Newbury last month. He made all the running to beat Houblon Des Obeaux and Unioniste by seven lengths and three and a half lengths.

That persuaded connections to go for the big one and the rain arrived just in time in the Cotswolds. Coneygree was bred by the late Lord Oaksey and is a half-brother to former Hennessy Gold Cup winner Carruthers. Jockey Nico De Boinville was having his first ride in the race and rode his first festival winner only last year on Whisper for Nicky Henderson.

Coneygree is a top price 10-1 for next year’s Gold Cup with runner-up Djakadam as high as 16-1 with Coral. Don Poli and Vautour are both available at 6-1 after their impressive victories at the festival this week. Road To Riches is 25-1, the same price as today’s beaten favourite Silviniaco Conti.

Djakadam is only a six-year-old, although the French-bred horses do tend to peak at a younger age. He is as short as 8-1 elsewhere so, if you fancy him, the 16-1 should be snapped up quickly.

On The Fringe (tipped at 8-1) won the Foxhunter Chase to end a run of three seconds on the day for Betcirca after Top Notch (16-1), Djakadam (16-1) and Sort It Out (14-1).

Djakadam @16-1 Coral – 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup

Lexus Chase Preview

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The Grade 1 Lexus Chase is the feature event at Leopardstown on Sunday, assuming it survives the threat of freezing fog.

In the absence of any obvious rising stars in the three-mile chasing division, this race could well have be a good guide to the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March. Reigning champion Lord Windermere clashes with 2013 winner Bobs Worth, an impressive winner here a year ago.

When Bobs Worth scooted clear of First Lieutenant with Lord Windermere toiling behind in seventh, it seemed difficult to imagine the placings being reversed at the festival. There remains an element of mystery about the closing stages of the Gold Cup as Lord Windermere and On His Own (also taking part on Sunday) swept past Silviniaco Conti and Bobs Worth. Trainer Jim Culloty feels that the ground is the key to his horse so there has to be a doubt about him producing his best with the ground heavy.

Bobs Worth has not raced since and Nicky Henderson has freely admitted that his horses are all better for a run this season. On His Own has failed to reproduce that Cheltenham form, being beaten a total of 171 lengths in his two starts since. First Lieutenant has never quite shown that he has the stamina for a test in this sort of ground and a more likely candidate is Boston Bob.

He was a remote third on his seasonal reappearance but ran much better last time to chase home the race-fit Don Cossack at Punchestown. Lord Windermere was just half a length behind in third with Texas Jack fourth. Boston Bob has won on all types of ground and should be fit enough to do himself justice.

Sam Winner is admirably tough and has already won at Cheltenham and Aintree this winter. His battling effort to beat The Druids Nephew under a big weight entitles him to take his chance but he looked just short of top grade last season. He was a respectable fifth in the RSA Chase having chased home Smad Place at Newbury in heavy ground.

Carlingford Lough was sixth at Cheltenham and won at Punchestown in April. He is tough and consistent and could be in the money under Tony McCoy if he is sharp enough on his first run of the season. Road To Riches slammed Rocky Creek by eleven lengths in November and is progressive.

He holds several of these on that form including Boston Bob who has the best part of thirty lengths to make up. The bookmakers were divided on the merits of that race with there being a suspicion that the winner had slipped the field. We will know more about his Gold Cup prospects after Sunday’s race.

Boston Bob @5-1 William Hill