RACING:IF THERE is a genuine Cheltenham Gold Cup contender trained in Ireland this season then it continues to resolutely hide its light under a bushel as Synchronised pummelled the home team into submission during yesterday's Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.
Beforehand there were hopes that maybe both the favourite Quito De La Roque and Rubi Light could stake claims to take on Kauto Star in March.
But their failure to cope with Jonjo O’Neill’s former Welsh National winner suggests tackling a legend like Kauto might be a futile exercise.
Synchronised was making his first Grade One start after a late call by owner JP McManus to skip another tilt at Tuesday’s Welsh National and travel to Dublin instead.
Well backed into 8 to 1, Synchronised’s reputation as a mere staying handicapper looked seriously askew as even a less than frantic pace couldn’t prevent Tony McCoy poking his nose up the inside of Rubi Light on the turn-in and McManus’s home-bred sprinted right away on the run-in to put the Irish stayers firmly in their place.
“We were hoping the ground would be a bit softer as he is very brave and stays well,” McManus said afterwards, while his racing manager Frank Berry added: “He gets the trip and he jumps. He’ll get an entry in the Gold Cup. He had a hard enough race there and more than likely will go straight to Cheltenham.”
Bookmakers slapped 10 to 1 Gold Cup quotes on Synchronised but McCoy appeared to sum up the general view when reporting: “I don’t think Kauto Star or Long Run will be crapping it!”
There certainly appeared to be no stamina excuse for Rubi Light and trainer Rob Hennessy said: “He definitely stays. Coming down to the last he looked like he’d finish third. We’ll consider either the Hennessy or the Red Mills at Gowran for him.”
An eventual Gold Cup attempt could be on Last Instalment’s agenda in the long term after Philip Fenton’s novice made it three from three over fences with a resounding victory in the Grade One Topaz Fort Leney Novice Chase.
Davy Russell’s decision to pick First Lieutenant from the Gigginstown trio in the race backfired as Brian O’Connell partnered the quick-jumping Last Instalment to a six length win.
“I was surprised Davy opted for the other one but I knew he had great confidence in our fella. I suppose the drying ground worried him but the horse coped with it very well,” Fenton said.
Last Instalment’s RSA Chase odds were generally halved to 8 to 1 and he could return to Leopardstown in February for the Dr PJ Moriarty Chase.
Voler La Vedette holds an entry in today’s Grade One feature but is unlikely to start after appearing yesterday in the Grade Two three- mile Woodies Christmas Hurdle and overwhelming the odds-on favourite Mourad.
