Oscar set to take award
IT WOULD be a huge surprise if leading Cheltenham Festival candidate Finian’s Oscar cannot round off his Neptune Novices’ Hurdle preparation with victory at Exeter.
The five-year-old was a point to point winner in Ireland last October before selling for #250,000 the following month and joining Colin Tizzard’s burgeoning team.
With a price tag like that, plenty was expected as Finian’s Oscar made his hurdles bow in December and he lived up to his billing as he strolled home by seven lengths at Hereford.
Switched to Grade One company and dropped back to two miles next time, he made short work of his Tolworth rivals and achieved a rating of 149, which puts him head and shoulders above the others in the Free Bet At 188Bet Novices’ Hurdle, with an 8lb penalty nowhere near enough to stop him.
While Finian’s Oscar should do the business for Tizzard, Tea For Two can
further puncture the reputation of the handler’s high-class French recruit Alary.
He disappointed massively on his British bow at Haydock and it could well pay to support Nick Williams’ Tea For Two as he takes him on in the 188bet.co.uk Graduation Chase.
Last seen when scrapping it out for the minor placings in the King George, Tea For Two has not managed to recapture the form that saw him triumph at Grade One level last term. It is far too early to be writing him off though, and this race can provide a nice confidence boost on the way to a spring festival somewhere.
Harry Topper found the Welsh National too big an ask on his return from injury but he should be able to stake more of a claim in the veterans’ chase, while Impulsive Star can continue on the upward curve with victory in the Pertemps qualifier.
Quick Grabim is a fascinating challenger from Ireland in the closing bumper having made quite an impression when winning at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
Trainer Robbie McNamara was talking in Grade One terms following that victory and this event should prove a decent test of those aspirations.
More low-key fare is on offer at Sedgefield but Donald McCain can strike with both Gray Day in the Betfred Novices’ Hurdle and Heaven Scent in the mares’ handicap hurdle.
Leopardstown hosts a fantastic card featuring four Grade One heats and as the championship battle between Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins really begins to heat up, it may be the first-named who takes the key event of the day, the Stan James Irish Gold Cup.
Elliott runs two, but preference is for Empire Of Dirt who put up an impressive weight-carrying performance to win the Troytown on what has been his only start of the campaign back in November.