I have had worse starts to the week, with Chianti Classico the star of the show in the Ultima and the Gordon Elliott trio of Firefox, Found A Fifty and Irish Point all placed.
The atmosphere was very low-key yesterday, the crowd was down and it didn’t really feel like Champion Hurdle day. I expect today and tomorrow, traditionally the quietest day, will be similar and the weather has had a real impact.
I was out on the gallops early yesterday and it is the wettest I have ever seen it here. A member of the ground staff told me that if the cross-country race had been scheduled last week it would not have been run as large parts of the infield have been flooded for weeks.
There will be an inspection this morning and if not raceable the Glenfarclas Chase will be moved to Friday.
Bearing that in mind this is still my favourite day of the racing year as it really has something for everyone, even if the fields are small in a couple of the early races.
Assuming all the hype about Ballyburn is justified he will win the opening race, the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle, easily. Not a race for me at the prices and I will watch it from the stands and wait for better punting opportunities later on in the day.
Another Willie Mullins runner in Fact Or File has been hyped up too following his win at Leopardstown last month. He is about even-money in the second, and again is not for me. Taking short prices in novice chases has been the road to the poor house for many a punter in the past and I have no intention of knocking on that particular door for a while yet.
I will have a few quid on Monty’s Star here at around 8/1. He is trained by Henry De Bromhead, who was very sweet on his chances when interviewed by Nick Luck on Sunday.
Stay Away Fay, who won the Albert Bartlett last year, has been well punted here too, so Fact Or File will need to be as good as some people on the preview circuit think he is to win this.
The big race, the Champion Chase, features the first and second in last year’s Arkle in El Fabiolo and Jonbon, as well as the Arkle winner of two years ago, Edwardstone.
Jonbon jumped like an elephant on stilts last time out at Cheltenham and is easily discounted on that score while El Fabiolo also tries to take at least one fence home with him. He too can be opposed and my preference at a price is Edwardstone, who was impressive last time out when he forced the pace and led all the way. He is the best jumper of the principal contenders and can make this count.
Elliott is mob-handed in the cross-country race. This is a bit like the grandparents’ race at school sportsday, full of old-timers who will finish in their own time. Former Gold Cup winner Minela Indo heads the market but is too short, and I like Coko Beach who loves heavy ground and will be staying on when many have waved the white flag.
The other three races are all crackers. The Coral Cup is the most competitive handicap hurdle of the season, so look for bookies offering extra place terms as there will be 26 runners.
I will be having a few quid each-way on Might I and Built By Ballymore as we will be looking for six places. The latter is trained by Martin Brassil who has had two horses finish second in this and is maybe due a change of luck.
The Grand Annual features one of my main fancies of the week, Harper’s Brook. He is trained by Ben Pauling who had the first two home in a big handicap at Sandown on Saturday. The fast pace will suit him and if his jumping holds up he will surely be in the frame at the very least.
That leaves the Champion Bumper, one of the most open in years, to conclude the card.
There is no clear favourite now but that will change in the run-up to the race as the racecourse rumour mill goes into overdrive.
Reports of horses catching pigeons at home will abound as they did before Romeo Coolio made his racecourse debut at Fairyhouse in January. He was a shorter price to win today’s race before he even ran than he is now. He won that day but was far from impressive and obviously not as good as his homework suggested he was.
I prefer to keep my eyes open and ears shut for races like this and have a few quid on whatever looks best in the paddock.
A friend of mine has an alternative strategy in bumpers and he simply backs what “the greatest”, Patrick Mullins, rides. That is Jasmin de Vaux today,
Each to their own I suppose.
Happy punting
Archie
