Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Ho to have last laugh in Ryanair
Favourite can light it up to emulate Embers
1.20
ENVOI ALLEN is chasing’s new superstar and he is unopposable in the Marsh Novices’ Chase. Unbeaten in three races over fences, he made light work of the opposition in a Grade 3 at Punchestown last time out. Switched to the all-conquering Henry de Bromhead stable, he is expected to be a Gold Cup contender in a year’s time.
SELECTION: ENVOI ALLEN 1.55
IMPERIAL ALCAZAR has the Pertemps Final in his sights after an impressive success at Warwick for Fergal O’brien (above).
Add in stablemate
ASK DILLON, who also appeals from his mark.
He is better than he has shown this season and is fancied to outrun his odds for a stable that has regular winners at the track.
SELECTIONS: IMPERIAL ALCAZAR, ASK DILLON
2.30
ALLAHO can deliver the goods in the Ryanair Chase. Willie Mullins’ runner is at his best trip as jockey Rachael Blackmore bids for another winner. In what is a competitive renewal, a second selection is advised in the shape of the Kim Bailey-trained IMPERIAL AURA. SELECTIONS: ALLAHO, IMPERIAL AURA
3.05
SIRE DU BERLAIS is a dual Festival winner and can make the grade here at the highest level. Plenty of runners go to post for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and he should relish a fast pace.
SELECTION: SIRE DU BERLAIS 3.40 MISTER WHITAKER
is primed for a big run in the Paddy Power Plate.
Back on his favoured ground, he was third in this off 2lb higher last year. He has been lightly raced since and should give Jonathan Burke a great spin.
SELECTION: MISTER WHITAKER
4.15
Take THE GLANCING QUEEN to come home in front in the finale.
She boasts a win at the track and has taken well to hurdling. Royal Kahala looks the best of the Irish.
SELECTION: THE GLANCING QUEEN PLACEPOT PLAN: 4 lines at £1.50 = £6
THE Emma Lavelle-trained Paisley Park can emulate Crimson Embers and Inglis Drever by regaining the stayers’ crown in today’s Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle.
If you ignore the favourite’s seventh behind Lisnagar Oscar 12 months ago (put down to a reportedly one-off heart problem), Paisley Park’s credentials are rock-solid. And his chief threat over recent weeks, Thyme Hill, is absent.
A three-time course and distance winner, he has won the Cleeve Hurdle twice and powered up the hill to beat Sam Spinner in this event two years ago before losing as odds-on favourite last year.
This season, he was outpointed by Thyme Hill at Newbury before turning the tables on that rival in the Long Walk at Ascot in December – the race he won before his 2019 success here.
If he produces his best today, he’ll be very tough to beat.
Last year’s victor Lisnagar Oscar also features, plus seven Irish contenders. That group is spearheaded by Sire Du Berlais, a dual-winner of the Pertemps Final here, trying Grade 1 company for the second time, having filled third spot behind progressive, all-the-way winner Flooring Porter and stablecompanion The Storyteller in the
Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
All three are in the field again today but it’s difficult to be confident about which of them will emerge best.
Although beaten by Beacon Edge (in the field again) at Navan last time, Fury Road, a close third to monkfish in the Albert Bartlett last year, has each-way claims.
Earlier, the Willie Mullins-trained Min, a five-time Grade 1 winner, will defend his Ryanair Chase crown, but comes into the race on a far from satisfactory run behind Chacun Pour Soi in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase.
Winner of the Durkan on his seasonal debut, his jumping fell apart
and Drever in the Stayers Hurdle
last time but, if back to his best, will set the standard.
But, for each-way value, I prefer another of the Closutton trio in the field, Melon – a four-timer runner-up at the festival, including two Champion Hurdles and a narrow defeat in the Marsh last year.
An excellent third to A
Plus Tard in the Savills at
Christmas, he never threatened when fifth to stablecompanion Kemboy in the
Irish Gold Cup last time.
But back at this short trip, he should run very well for new partner Bryan Cooper.
After his heroic effort behind Champ in the RSA last year and a return to winning form at Thurles last time, the other Mullins runner Allaho (Rachael Blackmore), also has realistic claims. The Irish squad also includes Joseph O’brien’s (inset) Fakir D’oudairies, second in the Arkle last year and no match for Chacun Pour Soi at Leopardstown last month, and Samcro, who pipped Melon in the Marsh last year but hasn’t hit the heights this season. Of the local hopes, Saint Calvados – beaten only a neck by Min 12 months ago –and last year’s handicap winner Imperial Aura (beat Galvin) look best in a wide-open affair.