Seventeen fences over 2 miles 5 furlongs constitutes the challenge of the Ryanair Chase, a race which has divided opinions since its inception in 2005 as one of a number of new races introduced with the move to a 4 day festival. "Racing Purists" argued it was a stop gap race for horses who were either too slow for the Champion Chase but lacking the stamina for the Gold Cup, and that it would reduce the number of participants in the 2 more established contests. But I maintain that there is a huge chasm between the speedy, slick jumping of the 2 mile championship and the gruelling test of the blue riband, and this race fills that gap admirably. Only 1 horse has won the Ryanair Chase twice, Trevor Hemmings' wonderful Albertas Run in 2010-2011, but the race has seen some memorable performance down the years with the likes of Un de Sceaux, Vautout and Cue Card putting in tremendous equine performances. The race also marked the final, emotional, heart-warming festival triumph for the legend AP McCoy on Uxizandre. The 2019 renewal has attracted 44 initial entries, with the highest official rating belonging to Waiting Patiently on 170, followed by several horses in the 165-170 bracket. Current favourite in most layers books is Min at a general 5/1 (some 6/1 in places) and he looks a worthy favourite based on a combination of form, rating and likelihood to run. My slight concern is that he has yet to win at Cheltenham (beaten by Altior in both the Supreme and the Arkle so excuses there) and a general tendency to find one or two too good at the highest level (won a weak renewal of the John Durkan on seasonal debut). Some firms have Waiting Patiently at 5/1 NRNB and there are sufficient doubts around his participation that I would want the NRNB concession. But the price doesn't attract me, he has never run at Cheltenham with the trainer (and her father previously) having voiced concerns about the suitability of the undulations around Prestbury Park. Munir and Soude have both Footpad and Top Notch entered, I could envisage Top Notch running and Footpad going Champion Chase, whilst Paul Nicholls has both Politologue and Cyrname towards the head of the betting. Politologue must hold a major chance here but the 12/1 available with Hills is likely to be available on the day, given how competitive the race is likely to be. With the current doubt around who will run and much of the value already squeezed out of the market, this looks like another race where I will place a bet on the day of the race, not before.
Nice work with the previews Odddog. I thought Waiting Patiently was potentially big at 7/1 but the stable don't seem to know what they are doing with him. I felt the King George was a bad choice for a comeback race. Several of these contenders could face off with Altior over 2 miles but it's surely likely most will feel more comfortable in this race. At the other end of the distance scale Road To Respect and Frodon are potential Gold Cup runners. Frodon is favourite for the Cotswold Chase on Saturday and he is as low as 7/1 for the Ryanair. Much will depend how he performs at the weekend. If he patently doesn't stay the distance it is surely folly to go the Gold Cup route, in which case 16/1 with Ladbrokes for the Ryanair would look huge. I note Paddy Power are 7/2 on Min but elsewhere he is 6/1. I saw Lydia Hislop making a case for Min in the Champion Chase but he would have to face a 2/5 Fav in Altior there. Perhaps a trailblazing Un De Sceaux may be the one deemed to have the best chance of updating Altior and Paddy Power are keeping Min shorter than other firms for the Ryanair. With so many multiple entered horses, it seems to me that races will cut up to a certain extent and it's likely to be the Champion Chase that suffers most. For that reason 7/2 Min makes no appeal to me. Fox Norton is as low as 10/1 for the Ryanair but that seems terrible value given that he has only won once at the trip with the other seven wins all being at around 2 miles. He was also off for more than a year before running behind Altior and the bouncy castle may come into play. Frodon is tempting at 12/1 NRNB in my opinion.
This race is a right ol puzzle. 2 milers avoiding Altior and stayers who aren't quite up to the Gold Cup trip yet. Last year's winner Balko Des Flos is available at decent odds (16/1 or 10/1 NRNB). He won it pretty well last year and I'd be surprised if they went up in trip with him. I really like Waiting Patiently but I have also read all the negative Cheltenham comments from the trainer re the Cheltenham undulations so I'd be surprised if he is seen at the Festival. I'd pick 2 out against the field ew. Shattered Love (12/1 NRNB) if it's soft. She won the JLT in fine style last year and has run well enough this year. If it is good to soft or better I'd definitely give an ew chance to Snow Falcon (20/1 NRNB).
brian hughes was really concerned about WP jumping a downhill fence,due to his racing style , surely they wouldn’t risk such a horse in such a race at this track , there is good alternatives a month later at the flat aintree track ?
If he turns up as surely if the going is good or good to soft and it's a scorcher of a day I don't see him running. When will we see this horse again? I get having to look after horses bit it feels to me that this fella is being wrapped up in cotton wool a little too much. He s in danger of having no season at all. The same could be said of Presenting Percy..his preparation is in danger of ruining his chance of Cheltenham gold cup glory..
There has to be a chance of snow for sure. A couple of meetings are off today. I still recall The Thinker winning the Gold Cup after a blizzard, with my old pal Ridley Lamb on board. The jockey always sounded like an incontinent young sheep but it was somewhat surreal to see them racing at what looked like a location in the Tundra. The Super Long Range weather forecast for Cheltenham shows the minimum temperature for March being 5 degrees C and there is next to no rain forecast for the first two weeks of March. The third week in March is the one with the most likelihood of rain. Obviously it's in the realms of Nostradamus predicting that far in advance but if Met Check are correct it will be the Saturday before the rain comes and Presenting Percy fans may need to recruit Big Chief Seven Casinos to perform a raindance.
Confirming what most of us already knew really - Waiting Patiently will not run at Cheltenham. https://www.racingpost.com/news/che...-patiently-to-miss-cheltenham-festival/369010
Just watching back the latter parts of the Betfair preview evening from last night and Gary O'Brien makes an interesting point on Footpad - he may will run without hind shoes here after injuring himself twice when over-reaching this season. If (and I know its a big if) this sees him back to the pomp of his novice campaign then he is a serious player here. Having said that his current price of 3/1 is shocking so let's see what price on the day of the race.
Tout Est Permis will not run here. https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/ryanair-bid-likely-for-road/159428
