A Plus Tard

Gold Cup

Al Boum Photo is the standard-setter in the Gold Cup. He has had the same preparation this year as the one that he had last year – Savills Chase at Tramore, straight to the Gold Cup – and the year before, and he looked at least as good this year as he looked last year in winning at Tramore on New Year’s Day.

That said, there is a chance that A Plus Tard is progressive enough now to get up to Al Boum Photo’s level or beyond. A seriously impressive winner of the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival over two and a half miles, the Cheveley Park Stud horse finished a close-up third behind Min in the Ryanair Chase last year. He didn’t appear to travel with his usual verve that day, and he shaped as if he could do even better over a longer trip.

Sure enough, Henry de Bromhead’s horse stepped up in trip for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last time, and he put up a career-best performance. He had to stay too, he had to finish off his race for Darragh O’Keeffe, up the hill to get up and catch Kemboy. And he was so strong at the line, he left the impression that another two and a half furlongs would be no bother.

He probably has to improve again if he is going to beat Al Boum Photo, Champ, Santini and his stable companion Minella Indo, but there is every chance that he will. He is only seven and he is unexposed at the Gold Cup trip. He goes well at the Cheltenham Festival and, with Rachael Blackmore on board, he could run a big race.

Fakir D’Oudairies

Ryanair Chase

Fakir D’Oudairies’ target has yet to be confirmed, he still has the Champion Chase option, but he could be a big player in the Ryanair Chase if he takes his chance in that race.

Fourth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as a four-year-old, and winner of the Drinmore Chase over two and a half miles last season as a novice chaser, he ran a big race in the Arkle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival to finish second to Put The Kettle On. He finished 18 lengths clear of the third horse Rouge Vif that day and, if he hadn’t made a significant mistake at the second last fence, he might have got even closer to the winner.

He stepped up to three miles for the first time for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December, and he travelled well through his race for a long way before he appeared to reach the bottom of his stamina reserves at the third last fence. He weakened from there, and Mark Walsh wisely pulled him up after the second last fence.

Dropped to two miles and one and a half furlongs for the Dublin Chase last time, J.P. McManus’ horse ran a fine race to finish second to Chacun Pour Soi, finishing seven lengths clear of Notebook in third.

He shaped that day as if a step back up to two and a half miles would suit. On his only run over the intermediate trip, he won the Drinmore Chase. We know that he goes well at Cheltenham and, in a highly competitive Ryanair Chase, he looks over-priced.

Abacadabras

Champion Hurdle

The Champion Hurdle is all about the mares Honeysuckle and Epatante but the value of the race, from a betting perspective, could be Abacadabras.

The Gigginstown House horse put up a monster performance in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last year to go down by just a head to Shishkin. He was left in front earlier than ideal that day and, even after he was headed by Shishkin, he was fighting back again inside the final 25 yards, and he pulled 11 lengths clear of the third horse, Chantry House.

He won a messy Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November, and he was well beaten in the Matheson Hurdle at Christmas, but a lot of the yard’s horses underperformed at Christmas.

Honeysuckle beat him by 10 lengths in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time, but that was still a step back in the right direction, he had Sharjah and Saint Roi well behind him, and he didn’t have any horse to tow him into the race behind Honeysuckle. He had to try to bridge the gap himself.

With Goshen and Not So Sleepy and Aspire Tower in the Champion line-up, there should be serious pace on, and that should suit Abacadabras. He should get the fast pace and the tow into the race that suits him well. We know that he goes well at Cheltenham and the ground on Tuesday could be even better than the soft ground that he encountered on the opening day of the Festival last year. He could out-run his odds by a fair way.

Royal Kahala

Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle

The Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle run at Fairyhouse last month has been won in the past by Laurina and Limini, who both went on to win the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, and by Honeysuckle, who would have been a short-priced favourite for the Cheltenham race had she not been ruled out.

The first two places in this year’s renewal were filled by Roseys Hollow and Royal Kahala, and both could be big players at Cheltenham.

Roseys Hollow was very good in winning the race. Under a superb ground-saving ride by Mark Walsh, Jonathan Sweeney’s mare showed a nice turn of foot to hit the front at the second last flight, and she kept on well to repel Royal Kahala’s late challenge.

Verve

Peter Fahey’s mare didn’t travel with her customary verve that day, Kevin Sexton was just a little busier on her than he usually is, but she showed her tenacity in keeping on as well as she did to take second place, a length and a half in front of the talented Gauloise in third.

Royal Kahala was conceding 4lb to Roseys Hollow at Fairyhouse, but at Cheltenham she will be receiving 5lb, and that may be enough of a differential to allow her make up the two lengths by which she was beaten at Fairyhouse.

It could be another good tussle between the pair of them, and Hook Up and Gauloise come into it too, but Royal Kahala’s potent turn of foot could be the deciding factor.

Quilixios

Triumph Hurdle

The Triumph Hurdle talk has been dominated by Zanahiyr and Tritonic of late, but Quilixios could represent the value against the pair of them.

The Cheveley Park Stud’s horse is unbeaten in four runs over hurdles, one in France and three in Ireland.

DOWN ROYAL

An easy winner on his Irish debut at Punchestown in October, he looked even better in winning the juveniles’ hurdle at Down Royal’s big meeting in October, a race that has been won in the past by Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen and by Triumph Hurdle runner-up Mega Fortune.

Given a nice break after that, Quilixios returned in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival, and he again ran out an impressive winner in a good time. That race is often a really good pointer to the Triumph Hurdle. In the last 10 years, Countrywide Flame, Our Conor, Tiger Roll, Ivanovich Gorbatov and Farclas have all gone on from that race to win the Triumph Hurdle.

Given that that was Quilixios’ first race in over three months and just his fourth race ever, there is every chance that he will come on for it. It probably wasn’t the plan to leave him off for so long given he was an intended runner in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow over Christmas, before Covid restrictions prevented him travelling over. There could be even better to come from him at Cheltenham.