The Good Times Festival kicks off today with the two-mile Howden Insurance Brokers Mares’ Novice Hurdle, with the Cheltenham disappointment Dinoblue heading the market at 2/1. The five-day event is an absolute belter, with big prize money on offer, as the jumps season wraps to a close. Day one features three grade ones, with the first being the two-mile Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle at 4:15.
2m½f (2m100y) Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1): 4:15pm
The all-conquering Sir Gerhard heads the market at 8/11 following his impressive win in the Ballymore at Cheltenham. He won by three and half lengths that day over Three Stripe Life, in what was a slog fest on the waterlogged track. The form is also boosted by Three Stripe Life’s five length win in the grade one Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. This is a drop back in trip and over a faster track, but he looks the one to beat here and it’s hard to oppose the Cheveley Park Stud product.
My old buddy Dysart Dynamo is second in the market at 7/4 following his fall at Cheltenham in the Supreme. How close would he have stayed to Constitution Hill had he stood up the third last? I guess we’ll never know but he did look to be travelling well enough after a loose start. He has course form in Punchestown in the Moscow Flyer in January and two-mile has been his trip so far in his short career. He is relatively fresh, and I like him to bounce back here and put it up to Sir Gerhard. He is my selection at the prices.
Mighty Potter is next at 9/1 and you couldn’t argue against anyone having an E/W punt on him. Scratch a line through his Cheltenham run and he too has beaten Three Stripe Life. Jack Kennedy saddles him today and will hopefully do enough to put him contention rounding the home bend.
2m William Hill Champion Chase (Grade 1): 5:25
The 2022 Champion Chaser heads the market at 8/11 following his win over Shishkin and Co. in the wind and rain in Prestbury Park on the 16th March. Paul Townend once again saddles Energumene and will look to get another one over on Chacun Pour Soi and Patrick Mullins in this 2m contest. The Cheltenham Champion Chase obviously fell apart with Shishkin pulling up and Chacun unseating Patrick, but it is hard to fault Energumene’s performance too much. He could have stayed stronger up the hill maybe, put the track was more like a swimming pool than a racetrack on the Wednesday of Cheltenham. He is the worthy favourite, but Chacun Pour Soi is a different beast on home soil.
As mentioned, Patrick Mullins saddles Chacun Pour Soi in the grade one two-mile contest. Backers of him at Cheltenham would have obviously been gutted when he unseated Patty Mullins at the fifth last, especially with Shishkin out of the race by then. Chacun will look to redeem himself here and he certainly has a chance. He won this race last year by 5 1/2 lengths over Allaho and 24 1/2 lengths over Nube Negra. That performance is no joke, but he is a year older this time around. This should be a cracking contest, but I am going to side with the younger superstar and take Energumene.
3m½f (3m60y) Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1): 6:35
This race is a very interesting proposition indeed. Bob Olinger is currently atop the market with a price of 11/8, with the Willie Mullins trained Capadanno following in second at 3/1. Fury Road is 6/1, Millers Bank 15/2, Lifetime Ambition 9/1, Beacon Edge at 14/1 and Ballyshannon at 40/1. You could make a case for most in this as there is mix of consistency throughout. Bob Olinger took home the 2m4f Turners at Cheltenham but had been destroyed by Galopin Des Champs until he started munching grass at the last. Bob looked dead and buried crossing the finishing line but to be fair, he was Galopin-ed into submission by the Willie Mullins’ trained superstar. Bob does have form over Capadanno, beating him by 4 ¾ lengths at Punchestown in January, but the step up in trip might suit the latter’s jumping better.
Fury Road looked much better at Aintree earlier in the month, finishing 5L behind Ahoy Senor in the 3m Mildway Novices Chase. L’Homme Presse and Bravemansgame were disappointing that day, but Fury Road still showed up. Is it too quick a turnaround for this, only time will tell.
Miller’s Bank looks very interesting for this contest. Two runs since a wind surgery, with a second in a grade two at Kempton and a first in a grade one novices’ chase at Aintree. The eight-year-old won impressively in Aintree, beating War Lord by 10 lengths. It is a quick turnaround and a longer trip but he seems to be the one here on an upward trajectory and the 15/2 price is a bonus. I’m going to stick with Bob Olinger, but Miller’s Bank wouldn’t be a bad E/W shout.
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