JOSEPH O’BRIEN

FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES Ryanair Chase Thursday (2.30)

FOURTH in the Supreme Novices’ as a four-year-old and landed the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase (Samcro fell two out) at Fairyhouse last winter before running a good second to Put The Kettle On in the Arkle Challenge Trophy 12 months ago.

After a reappearance second at Naas in November, pulled up over three miles in Leopardstown’s

Savills Chase but back to form with second to Chacun Pour Soi in two-mile Dublin Chase there last month.

O’BRIEN SAYS: Arguably, he was unlucky in the Arkle because he made a very bad mistake at the second-last.

I’ve always had him in my head as a horse that would stay further than two, and his Drinmore win was over two and a half.

I know Samcro fell but that was still a two-and-a-half-mile race and I don’t think we were fighting a losing battle there by any means, so I’m confident the distance won’t be an issue for him.

At Cheltenham you are meeting the cream of the crop, but he’s in good shape.

We were disappointed at Christmas, but it was a fantastic run the last day and he goes there with every chance.

NEWSBOY’S VERDICT:

The Ryanair Chase is the most open of the big Grade 1s and by no means inconceivable that the two miles and four and a half furlongs will be his optimum trip.

ODDS: 8-1

Wednesday (3.05)

ADDED three wins over fences in February and March with a further trio, scoring in handicap company at Ascot (made mistakes) and Wetherby (Castleford Chase) before beating Politologue by seven lengths in Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at the former track.

BAILEY SAYS:

He’s a very loveable horse. An oddball — and everyone likes an oddball.

If you school him over ordinary fences, he just crashes through them. It’s really scary and it gets very expensive!

He’s got no respect for my fences, so rather than jump solid timber, we jump tractor tyres. At least if he hits them, he can bounce off them! The time before at Ascot he crashed through virtually every single fence. He got it right against Politologue, and I’ve got to hope he gets it right at Cheltenham.

David Bass idolises him, and the horse and jockey get on very well.

NEWSBOY’S VERDICT: His Clarence House Chase victory took the breath away, but he must respect Cheltenham’s fences if he’s to beat the best in the Champion Chase.

ODDS: 14-1