Have A Proper Pont

I've long said that the Champion Chase is the race I'm most looking forward to at this Festival, and the presence of the attacking Mail de Bievre could set the race up to produce the huge performance which has long been in the offing from Sprinter Sacre. Let's hope we see fireworks.

The odds on the Henderson machine are prohibitive, however, and those looking for a banker will get better returns from the exciting Pont Alexandre. Hugely impressive when sauntering away with a Grade 1 hurdle at Navan in December, popping the bubble of Don Cossack in the process, he looked even better under a penalty at Leopardstown the following month, injecting a sharp burst of pace which had his rivals beaten off in strides. The bare form makes him a narrow pick from The New One, but it's the untapped potential of Willie Mullins' gelding which marks him as an outstanding bet. He's barely turned a hair in beating good horses, and the notion posited in places that these have been tactical affairs is wide of the mark. He has all the gears, and can prove a cut above today's rivals.

The New One will be popular after Ackertac's big run yesterday helped allay fears over the form of Nigel Twiston-Davies' yard. I've always liked him, but there is a feeling he's shown all he can do in this sphere, and he'll need to find a bit extra if he's to win what looks a strong Neptune, in which both Taquin de Seuil and Rule The World have also been touted by their connections. The former is much shorter than his bare form merits, though, and the one who worries me most is Rule The World, who left Minsk (and Champagne Fever) for dead on his latest outing, and is hard to dismiss with confidence. He'll do well to get the better of Pont Alexandre, though, and the German bred can complete a double at the meeting for Rich Ricci.  

The RSA is an intriguing contest in which it looks possible to oppose Unioniste on ground which looks no worse than good to soft, especially with his defeat of Hadrian's Approach at Newbury failing to impress. Boston Bob will be popular, but took an age to pick up before winning the P J Moriarty at Leopardstown, and he got too much credit for that win. Both Lord Windermere and Lyreen Legend shaped better for much of that contest, and are arguably overpriced. The one I like is Lyreen Legend, who jumped really well there, leading over the last but overhauled on the long drag to the line. He didn't go down without a fight, and his positioning on the inner and at the head of affairs were probably against him given how that race was run. He's probably not a Gold Cup contender, and has never been one to garner much attention, but he's thoroughly professional, and while he fell when going well at Leopardstown over Christmas, has looked an assured jumper. That's a comment which can't be applied to Hadrian's Approach, while the exciting Goulanes comes here with just one chase outing, which is almost unheard of in such a contest. With cracks in his main rivals, Lyreen Legend looks a solid win and place bet.

The Coral Cup (16:00) is the big betting event, and both Abbey Lane and Pendra look strong contenders, but are priced accordingly. I think it may be worth casting a few bob in the direction of Barbatos, though. Ian Williams' grey had really solid form as a novice last year, when only Simonsig and Fingal Bay stopped him remaining unbeaten. He handles this track very well, and his form looks even better with the benefit of hindsight. Patently in need of the run on his return here in January behind Mr Watson, he was notably looked after, and while the injury which kept him off the track for over a year is always a cloud over him, he remains a horse of some potential over hurdles. Williams is well capable of laying one out, and while a fuller campaign would have helped answer a couple of questions, they potential pay-off makes the associated risk worthwhile.

Elsewhere, I was tempted by Back In Focus in the 4-miler, but he's looked a mudlark in his career to date (one run on good ground was a poor one), and that's enough to put me off. The Sprinter Sacre/Sizing Europe exacta in the Champion Chase looks solid, but it's possible that one ridden purely for a place, perhaps Wishfull Thinking, may spoil the party, while The Fred Winter has more plots than a soap-writers convention. It's been mentioned elsewhere that Sizing Tennessee is overpriced in the bumper as he appears the Mullins third string. That's a salient point, and the ride has always been Andrew Lynch's, so the fact that Ruby is on Briar Hill shouldn't put punters off.

Cheltenham Recommendations:

Back Pont Alexandre in the 14:05 @ [2.58] (NAP)

Back Lyreen Legend win and place in the 14:40 @ [13.5] and [4.0] (NB)

Back Barbatos in the 16:00 @ [25.0]