DAY THREE PREVIEW:NOT EVEN Michael O'Leary at his bolshiest best could turn a buck out of logically arguing against Voy Por Ustedes being a stand-out prospect to win today's Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
Quite simply, the Alan King- trained star doesn’t have a chink in his armour when it comes to credentials for the €238,000 Grade One highlight.
Of course in a 10-runner race with two miles and five furlongs worth of fences to cope with, only the more excitable will talk of a “certainty”, but logically there is little point looking elsewhere.
Certainly on form, his opposition are struggling. This, after all, is a horse that beat Master Minded by 18 lengths at Aintree last season. He comes here in form, having destroyed Gwanako by 14 lengths at Ascot last month and there is also a Cheltenham pedigree to die for. In 2006 Voy Por Ustedes landed the Arkle here and 12 months later picked up the two-mile Champion Chase before hardly being disgraced when runner-up to Master Minded in his title-retention attempt last year.
Any doubts about him getting the trip were blown away by a third in the King George at three miles and by looking better than ever over a furlong further than he goes today on his last start.
Ex-Arkle winner Tidal Bay’s best form would see him as a viable danger, but he has been out of sorts to date this season.
Last year’s winner Our Vic is back for more, but it looks a better race this year, while Imperial Commander could be one to consider for the placings at his very best. Schindlers Hunt looks the best of the Irish pair but with Voy Por Ustedes in the race, place prospects look the best outlook for him too.
Timmy Murphy can team up with former employer Paul Nicholls in the opening Jewson Novices Handicap Chase to win on Chapoturgeon. The horse is owned by the former champion owner David Johnson who retains Murphy and they teamed up to score at Doncaster in January when Chapoturgeon put in an encouragingly display of jumping.
Tranquil Sea could be the best of the Irish if sharpened up from his run behind Cooldine at Leopardstown. Naiad Du Misselot won the Coral Cup here last year but his jumping technique has looked flawed. Chapoturgeon is preferred.
Jumping shouldn’t be a problem either for Ping Pong Sivola in the Freddie Williams Festival Plate, a race shrewd trainer Venetia Williams has chosen over others for this progressive mare.
Ping Pong Sivola won over the course and distance earlier this season and followed up with success at Bangor. She is at the bottom end of the handicap today, just 1lb wrong, and although her best form is on heavy ground, she did little wrong the one time she was tried on good at Huntingdon.
Four Irish-trained horses start in the three-mile Pertemps Final with the weights topped by the impressive Leopardstown qualifier, P’tit Fute. The former Galway GPT winner has been hit hard by the English handicapper but could still figure prominently.
Green Mile is at the other end of the handicap for Ruby Walsh while Don’t Push It will be a prominent local hope. He has been a frustrating horse to follow though and preference is for the Philip Hobbs-trained Ballydub. Rhys Flint has been the claiming find of the season in the UK and his claim could be invaluable to a horse that has been mixing it with the likes of Big Buck’s and Punchestowns.
Nicky Henderson has a fine record in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir and Shouldhavehadthat has the look of a horse that has been kept specifically for this task.
His attitude was commendable at Newbury in December when fighting his way to victory and his amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen – who rode Tricky Trickster to a win yesterday – is one of Britain’s best. Butler’s Cabin is a contender as well while Tony Martin fields both Aggie’s Lad and the former Paddy Power Chase winner, Newbay Prop.
