FOOT’S A SHOO-IN
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3 1 FOOTPAD 2 SAINT CALVADOS 3 PETIT MOUCHOIR
FOOTPAD is one of the most exciting novice chasers seen in recent seasons, and is strongly fancied to remain unbeaten over the larger obstacles.
He was no star over timber – Willie Mullins’ ace Petit finished behind Mouchoir
three times, including when the pair came third and fourth in last season’s Champion Hurdle – but he has gone to the top level in his new discipline.
An 11-length scorer at Navan in November on his chase debut, the six-yearold landed a Grade 1 at Leopardstown by the same margin over Christmas, helped by his rapid speed over fences.
And his five-length defeat of Petit Mouchoir when the pair met in the Arkle Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival in February marked him as the stand-out twomile rookie.
Petit Mouchoir, who had a troubled build-up to Leopardstown last time, may narrow the gap but will struggle to erase it altogether, Saint Calvados while is a young chaser of great promise and will relish the prevailing underfoot conditions.