The third day of the Cheltenham Festival looks to be another good one for the Irish, with strong chances in both of the day's main events - the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers Hurdle.
Here we look at the best of the action and try to find a couple of winners.
1.30 JLT Novices’ Chase
This is far from a vintage edition, albeit quite intriguing, and history could be realised as Shattered Love bids to become the first winner of the race of the fairer sex. She had Monalee and Rathvinden among the opposition when she won at Leopardstown at Christmas; both failed to complete, but may have struggled to beat her anyway. An exceptionally powerful mare, she can dictate and will hardly be easily passed.
Finian’s Oscar merits a saver, perhaps. Cheekpieces are added, while he has had a wind operation since his last run. A Grade One winner over hurdles – something of a rarity in the JLT this year – chasing has been a disaster, but it is early days. Speaking at the RTÉ Game On preview, Robbie Power called his jumping "cowardly", so there are doubts still.
Invitation Only’s Dublin Racing Festival form has been boosted by Monalee, if not by Dounikos; he is not out of it.
Selection: Shattered Love 17-2
2.10 Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle
As usual, in these high-profile handicaps, there’s a McManus-owned plot or two. He has an excellent record in this race and, while a case could be made for any of his runners, Glenloe gets the nod.
He has had just eight starts in his career for Gordon Elliott, taking the eye when third in a qualifier in December, and his form in beating Call The Taxie last season reads well, as does his subsequent second to Oscar Knight.
Who Dares Wins, despite being by Jeremy, stays so well on the Flat you'd expect him to be improving at this distance, but one wonders how much he will apprciate the likely rain.
Selection: Glenloe 8-1
2.50 Ryanair Chase
"Un De Sceaux is surely vulnerable unless rain comes from somewhere, and the potential pace burn-up with him and the 2015 winner Uxizandre makes this a race to relish," wrote the analyst in our preview 12 months ago.
Funnily enough, Un De Sceaux is probably best on heavy ground but at this distance it may actually tax his stamina. He is an incredible performer, the "Iron Horse" as his trainer may call him, and this is hardly a vintage Ryanair, with such a small field and some significant defections.
I feel that he was all out to win it last year and will find it hard to hold on here. I quite like Cloudy Dream at the prices.
Last year’s Arkle runner-up represents Ruth Jefferson. She decided not to run Waiting Patiently, who may well have won the race, but she has a decent deputy and this excellent jumper, who relishes an ease, does not seem to get three miles. This race could be perfect, and he is double figures in the betting.
Selection: Cloudy Dream 12-1
3.30 Sun Bets Stayers Hurdle
I backed Supasundae for this quite some time ago, mainly on the basis that he was certain to be aimed at the race and it did not look especially strong. Everything was going to plan until the ground went heavy. He is much more effective on spring ground and looks sadly opposable.
Given how short Unowhatimeanharry was 12 months ago in this race when not disgraced, it is easy to make a case for the subsequent Punchestown winner, though this season has not been especially encouraging.
With more rain on the way, it is difficult to get away from the doughty Sam Spinner. This hardy, progressive front-runner brushed L’Ami Serge aside in their prep when the latter moved threateningly; he is six years of age and has more and more to give. He can dictate and pull out more.
Penhill won last term's Albert Bartlett, after which he seemed a bit unlucky in defeat at Punchestown, but it would be some performance to beat these, notwithstanding he has a fair bit to find even at his best. Then again, Willie Mullins trains him.
Selection: Sam Spinner 4-1
4.10 Brown Advisory Plate
The Storyteller recalls the story of last year when he was a massive fancy for the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle, only to sustain an injury just over a week before the Festival. He is on a retrieval mission here, and rates a strong contender, but he was rated too high for the novice handicap and taking on more experienced sorts here is not easy.
King's Socks is only six but he is not actually a novice – he chased as a nipper in France – and his form there included a really eye-catching second to Footpad in a Grade One four-year-old hurdle two summers ago. He looked as if he was only warming up when third to Ryanair fancy Modus at Kempton, and there is nothing surprising about his popularity for this event: the stable won this three times in eight years.
Movewiththetimes, like the Storyteller, was a novice fancied to win at the Festival hurdling last term (Supreme) only to sustain a late injury. However, his jumping is a major concern.
Selection: King's Socks 8-1
4.50 Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle
Willie Mullins won the first running of this with Limini and the second with Lets Dance. He should make it three from three, Laurina the most confident bet of the entire week.
"She looks special. If ever there is a Cheltenham mares’ chase it’ll be for her. She looks really good. She ran in Tramore because the race suited and won since in a winners’ race. She is top-class. I’ve no ground worry with her," Mullins said pre-Cheltenham.
Any doubt about Laurina was removed when the rain came, so conditions will be similar enough to what she faced when routing some smart sorts at Punchestown. Maria’s Benefit is a grand mare but has faced nothing of her calibre and, with the big field, there must be a concern she will get jabbed at up front.
Salsaretta is worth keeping an eye on, having been well-touted, but surely she cannot beat her stablemate, who seems nailed on.
Selection: Laurina 4-6
5.30 Kim Muir Handicap Chase
It is rare that a maiden is well-fancied in this race two years running but Galway trainer Pat Kelly is no sop to convention. The ground is probably not exactly what Mall Dini – who ran strong in this last year – would be best on, but he may get away with it under Patrick Mullins in first-occasion blinkers.
On Racing Post ratings, Mall Dini's joint-best performances hurdling were his maiden win and his Pertemps win, on very contrasting ground, and he should be primed for this. So will Squouateur, who has had a wind operation since his last run, but he looks short enough in the wagering. Captain Buck's clearly has to improve but he is only six and jumps well. Paul Nicholls, his trainer, could do with a winner.
Selection: Mall Dini 6-1
