A thrilling race in prospect with many top-class performers coming here in good form chasing the huge prize fund of €165,000. Heading the betting is Imperial Commander, who won the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in great style, and Notre Pere, who routed the field on his way to Welsh National success. Further down sees previous Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition plus some horses who have disappointing this season, namely Albertas Run and Air Force One.
Imperial Commander has had a nice break since winning the Ryanair at Cheltenham and looks sure to go well for Nigel Twiston-Davies and Paddy Brennan. He looked a star in the making when winning the Paddy Power Gold at Cheltenham's November meeting but he improved on that performance when he won at the Festival, where he showed a determined attitude to hold off the renewed challenge of Voy Por Ustedes, who has since gone on to land the Melling Chase at Aintree. He has a couple of slight reservations hanging over him being that out of his six career wins, only one has come away from Cheltenham. He obviously loves the undulations of that course and may find it difficult to reproduce that form to this different track. Also, it must be said that all of his wins have come over distances of 2m 4f and it remains to be seen whether he will stay this extended trip. The ground will be in his favour and he looks sure to give his running. If he stays the trip and wins, he will become a live contender for next season's Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Notre Pere is worthy of a place at the top of the betting after his gutsy win in the Welsh National and then running high-class Neptune Collonges close at Leopardstown. He missed this year's Gold Cup through injury and he does have fitness issues surrounding him but there is no doubt that he is a thorough stayer who will appreciate this very soft ground. His win in the Welsh National at Chepstow brought him to the limelight as an upcoming staying chaser and many believed he would overturn Neptune Collonges in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in February but he struggled to keep pace with Paul Nicholls' classy grey. It was unfortunate for him to pick up an injury before Cheltenham but trainer Jim Dreaper did not want to rush him back. Today looks a good place to start off and he will stay all day under jockey Andrew Lynch. One slight niggle about Notre Pere is that he is not very quick and that may leave him vulnerable to something with a bit more speed if it becomes a tussle up the home straight. He looks sure to go close in this company and like Imperial Commander, could well state his claim for next year's showpiece event if he goes close here.
War Of Attrition is arguably the class horse in the line-up having won this race three years ago, just weeks after his success in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Having been off with injury for nearly two years, he made a pleasing reappearance at the start of this season when he beat Kicking King by 19 lengths at this venue and went on to continue his comeback by notching another win two weeks later. Trainer Mouse Morris decided to let him take his chance in the Punchestown Chase in December but he was simply outpaced by Noland and finished a seven-length third. Only his last start, he ran a disappointing race in the Lexus Chase behind Exotic Dancer when relatively well fancied. He has been given a good break since that and as a horse who often goes best fresh, he could be ready to run big race under Davy Russell. He is getting no younger at the age of 10 but he is a classy individual who could well trouble the first two in the betting.
Albertas Run has been bitterly disappointing this season having shown so much potential last season when winning the RSA at Cheltenham over this distance. After running no sort of race in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, he made his way to Kempton and found himself up against Kauto Star in the King George. He ran well above expectations that day and ran on into second, which prompted many to expect better later on in the season. However, he struggled to land a blow in the Gold Cup in March and went onto to struggle in the Totesport Bowl at Aintree. It is fair to say there is nothing of the class of Kauto Star in the line-up but he must put his best foot forward if he is to beat some in-form rivals. He is much better on good ground so this soft ground will be against him and he has had four very tough races this season and it will somewhat of a surprise if he is to win this under Champion jockey Tony McCoy.
Air Force One is another who has had a hard season but he could go well for Charlie Mann and Noel Fehily. He is a course and distance winner, winning the Champion Novice Chase in impressive fashion here last season. Fehily let his mount bowl along in front that day and the horse was able to get into a nice rhythm before clearing away to a wide-margin success. He has not adopted those tactics since and if he is allowed to go on, he may well be able to repeat those antics. He began the season with real promise at Ascot and found only Madison De Berlais too good in the Hennessy Gold Cup. He was well fancied by connections that day and cruised through the race only to be beaten three lengths by David Pipe's charge, who has since gone on to have a remarkable season in which he has beaten the mighty Denman twice. Air Force One then went on to run poorly in the King George, due to pulled back muscles, and then ran below-par in the Gold Cup. He was another who struggled to land a blow in the Totesport Bowl and must improve on those poor runs if he is to feature here. The soft ground should not inconvience him and if allowed to make the running like last year then he could make the frame.
Roll Along is a horse who is best when fresh, as seen when beating Air Force One at the beginning of November. He ran a cracker to finish sixth in the Gold Cup but there must be a doubt that all of his best form has come when he has a good break between his races. It has only been six weeks since his last run and that has to be a worry. However, he does go well on soft ground and is an assured jumper who should run his race under Graham Lee. Schindlers Hunt could go well at a price having run two blinders in succession. The first was behind Imperial Commander in the Ryanair and the next behind Voy Por Ustedes in the Melling Chase at Aintree, and with trainer/jockey combination of Dessie Hughes and Paddy Flood having a big-race winner here yesterday, he looks sure to run with credit. However, he has had two very hard races in recent weeks and he may feel the effects of those here. He is an admirable sort who will enjoy the soft ground and but is up in trip here, leaving him with a slight doubt.
Selections - 1st - Air Force One, 2nd - Notre Pere, 3rd - War Of Attrition.
Result - 1st - Notre Pere, 15/8 fav, 2nd - Schlinders Hunt, 16/1, 3rd - Scotirish, 12/1.
A superb performance by an outstanding staying chaser in the shape of Notre Pere, which saw him destory his rivals in what turned out to be a real slog. He looked unlucky to miss out on the Gold Cup through injury as he looked an interesting runner but he gained deserved compensation here and has since been given a general 12/1 quote for next year's big race. He was always in front rank under his accomplished jockey and he took up the running four fences from home. He jumped big and bold throughout and when he kicked on, no-one could get near him as he ground out a brilliant 10-length victory. Schindlers Hunt ran another gallant race in second as he stayed on from a long way back and if he is in the same form next season, he looks sure to win a big race. Scotsirish was another who ran on and gave Ruby Walsh a good ride. There were a few disappointments in the race, none more so than Imperial Commander. He simply didn't stay this longer trip and is a much better horse over middle-distances. He looks sure to fight to retain his Ryanair Crown next year. Air Force One attempted to make the running under Noel Fehily but he didn't jump well enough and was found out at the end. He was eventually pulled up, as was Albertas Run, who ran another poor race for connections, even though the ground was far too soft for him. War Of Attrition weakened very quickly and may have wanted better ground, however, this old star does deserve to retire now. Roll Along went well for a long way before weakening late on, suggesting he should only be backed when given a long break between his races.
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