the favourites to avoid, including Galopin Des Champs
Embassy Gardens – National Hunt Chase
There’s little doubt that Embassy Gardens is potentially tailor-made for the extreme test the National Hunt Chase offers, most impressive when winning both his starts over fences so far, but quite whether he’s done enough to justify being as short as 2/1 for the final race of Day One is very much debatable.
Embassy Gardens is better than he could show over hurdles, but the fact remains that his form in that discipline was still some way inferior to several of those behind him in the betting for this, whilst it remains concerning that he essentially bombed out on each of his two previous starts the top level.
With the likes of Corbetts Cross, Salvadore Ziggy and Broadway Boy all very likely opponents, Embassy Gardens now looks one to oppose at current odds.
Minella Indo – Cross Country Chase
It’s not hard to see why Minella Indo heads the market for this year’s Cross Country Chase, a former Gold Cup winner having just his second start in this discipline, but prices around the 15/8 mark look cramped given the potential opposition.
Henry de Bromhead’s veteran took well to the unique test when fourth to Latenightpass back in December, but with a couple of runs under his belt, it was a touch disappointing he couldn’t see things out as well as a big move on the home turn promised.
He’s obviously entitled to improve for that experience, though it’s not like consistency has been a forte of his in recent seasons and he still needs to prove he retains enough ability to trouble the Gordon Elliott-trained trio of Galvin, Delta Works and Coko Beach.
Essentially, he looks a very opposable favourite.
Dinoblue – Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase
Unsurprisingly, it’s a pair of Willie Mullins-trained runners that head the market for a race he’s won two of the three previous renewals of, with last year’s Grand Annual runner-up Dinoblue a shade of odds on with several firms. However, there are reasons to think she’s worth opposing at such prohibitive odds.
Firstly, her form is not all that superior to that of her stable Allegorie De Vassy and that rival has proved on several occasions that she stays this far. Contrastingly, Dinoblue has had just the one previous start at the trip and, though a never-nearer fourth in a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse, there are still some reservations about her truly relishing the stiff test at the trip this is likely to represent.
Throw in a couple of thriving sorts who are relative unknown quantities at the highest level in the shape of Limerick Lace and Brides Hill, and this begins to look quite a bit more competitive than the current betting suggests.
Galopin des Champs – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
Perhaps the trickiest of the quartet to justify opposing. Last year’s winner having bounced back from an underwhelming reappearance with back-to-back Grade 1 successes at Leopardstown, comfortably reversing Punchestown form with Fast or Slow when the pair met last time.
That said, his jumping wasn’t nearly so polished as it had been at the Christmas meeting and, when taking into account his errors at Punchestown and the early scares he had in last year’s Gold Cup, that area is something of a concern when faced with taking the even-money generally available about his chances this time around.
Granted it’s hardly a vintage renewal, but Fastorslow still provides viable opposition having already beaten him twice in the past, whilst Shishkin would more than likely have won the King George had he stood up and, on his best form/behaviour, would have a serious shout of upsetting the favourite.
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
