Thursday 13th March 2025
1.20: Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
The first race of the day on Thursday is the Mares Novice Hurdle which is a Grade 2 affair that’s contested over two miles and a furlong. I’ve come down on the Willie Mullins trained Karoline Banbou here who sports the silks of JP McManus. She was a Grade 3 bumper winner when trained in France and also placed in a Grade 1 bumper on her final start whilst in France. She was surprisingly beaten on her stable debut on Irish shores by a useful stablemate in Baby Kate, however, made amends at the next time of asking by winning comfortably at Fairyhouse last month. I think she has the potential to be a very useful mare, and she’s shown already she’s got plenty of ability.
Karoline Banbou – 8/1 (Each-Way)
2.00: Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
Next up we have the 2.00 and this is the Jack Richards Novice’s Handicap Chase which is a Grade 2 handicap over two miles and four and a half furlongs. I’ve gone for Answer To Kayf in this competitive affair who’s an Irish raider for Terence O’Brien. He was behind a couple of very smart Mullins horses in Impaire Et Passe and Lecky Watson in his first two outings over fences, however, asserted his authority on his third and most recent start over fences when winning by twelve lengths at Naas back in January. He had some very solid form over hurdles, including at Cheltenham, when finishing fourth on the Martin Pipe last year and two and three-quarters of a length behind Better Days Ahead. If he progresses from his last run, he could have a big say in this.
Answer To Kayf – 12/1 (Each-Way)
2.40: Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle:
It’s more competitive handicap action at 2.40 with the Pertemps Final taking centre-stage, which is a Premier Handicap Hurdle that’s ridden over three miles. I’ve once again tried my hand with two selections at double-figure prices, and the first is D Art D Art for the Thomas Cooper yard. He comes into the race in good form this term with three runs in competitive handicaps where he’s yet to be out of the frame, winning at Punchestown back in October and most recently he was narrowly denied a neck by Shallow River at Carlisle back in December. He’s been given a few months off since then and I think he could prove to be a player here off his mark of 136.
The other one I’m going to take a chance on is Patter Merchant who sports the Gigginstown silks for Gordon Elliott. He contested some hot graded novice hurdles at the start of the campaign behind the likes of Bleu De Vassy and The Yellow Clay, but has since found his feet within competitive handicaps, finishing fifth of twenty-six behind Perceval Legallois at the Dubin Racing Festival back in February before finishing fourth of nineteen at Naas last month. This has likely been the target and he could have a bit up his sleeve off just three pounds higher than last time.
D Art D Art – 12/1 (Each-Way)
Patter Merchant – 16/1 (Each-Way)
3.20: Ryanair Chase
We move back up in Grade at 3.20 with the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase that’s contested over two miles and four and a half furlongs. There’s a whole host of them at the top of the betting that could blow this race away, none more so than the current favourite Fact To File, however, I’ve tried to take them on with one at a big price in Jungle Boogie for Henry De Bromhead. He’s remarkably lightly-raced for an eleven-year-old having only had seven starts to his name, of which five he’s won. He was sixth in the Gold Cup last year and was last seen when winning a Class 2 event at Ascot back in December when beating Fil Dor by eight lengths. I think he’s a talented horse, and if any of the big guns fail to fire, I think he could run a big race at a big price if he runs up to the level of his Gold Cup run where he was going well for a long way before a bad mistake three out.
Jungle Boogie – 12/1 (Each-Way)
4.00: Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle:
The feature race on Thursday comes in the form of the Grade 1 Stayers Hurdle which is ridden over a distance of three miles. I find it hard to see past last year’s winner here in Teahupoo who currently heads the betting for Gordon Elliott. He’s followed the same path as last with just the one run which came in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse in December, he didn’t manage to win this time around as he found that Lossiemouth had too much pace, but I still believe that he’ll be very tough to beat. He generally goes very well when coming into the race fresh and it’s hard to see what beats him here if he’s at the same level as last year.
I have tried an each-way play in the race though as an alternative to the short-priced favourite, and I’ve taken a chance on Bob Olinger who’s also owned by Robcour. He’s unbeaten at Cheltenham with three starts and three victories and it was only last year when he was getting narrowly denied by a nose at Aintree in Grade 1 company behind Impaire Et Passe. I think that he still possesses a lot of ability and showed this when travelling well for a long way when finishing second behind Home By The Lee the last time out at Leopardstown in the Grade 1 Savills Hurdle. Three miles possibly stretches him, but there are a lot worse 33/1 shots out there.
Teahupoo – 11/8 (Win)
Bob Olinger – 33/1 (Each-Way)
4.40: TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase:
We’re back into competitive handicap company at 4.40 with the TrusATrader Plate which is a Premier Handicap Chase that’s contested over two miles and four and a half furlongs. I’ve decided to take a tentative chance on Ginny’s Destiny in this who represents the team of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. He’s not shown much this term, however, he progressed markedly last term and was second and a couple of lengths behind Grey Dawning at last year’s festival in the Turners before following up with another second in Grade 1 company at Aintree behind Il Etait Temps. He’s now just a couple of pounds higher than his last success which came over course and distance in January of 2024 and he’s certainly got enough ability to be competitive here.
Ginny’s Destiny – 16/1 (Each-Way)
5.20: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase:
Signing us off on Thursday will be the Kim Muir which is a Class 2 handicap chase for amateur jockeys over three miles and two furlongs. The first of my two picks here comes in the form of Midnight Our Fred who’s an Irish challenger for John Flavin. He’s developed into a very consistent chaser as of late, having never been out of the top three in his last six outings with a couple of those runs coming at this track. Most recently, he finished second of twenty-seven in the extremely competitive Listed Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown back in December and he’s been raised just four pounds here, which is lenient from the UK handicapper. I think that he’s a big player here.
My second selection in the contest comes in the form of Sa Majeste who represents the all-conquering team of Willie Mullins. He was well-fancied for the Coral Cup at last year’s festival but failed to fire, however, he’s found his feet this term over fences having won two of his four starts, which include his most recent run which came at Fairyhouse back in February. I think that he’s a horse that still has a fair amount of potential and I believe that there is a big pot in him at some point down the line. He’s also another that the handicapper has been fairly lenient on, giving him a five pound rise for his Fairyhouse victory and I think that gives him a chance here.
Midnight Our Fred – 8/1 (Each-Way)
Sa Majeste – 8/1 (Each-Way)
