Monalee made for RSA honours
MONALEE should have what it takes to claim a fascinating renewal of the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.
The Henry de Bromheadtrained looked a top-notch animal at the Dublin Racing Festival last month and has an ideal profile with this race in mind.
His Leopardstown success came in the Flogas Novice Chase, where he made amends for a crashing fall at the Christmas meeting by making all the running in the Grade One.
There was something tremendously impressive about the manner in which he defiantly held the reopposing Al Boum Photo by three-quarters of a length.
Be that as it may, Monalee gave off the distinct impression that there is plenty more to come, while this longer trip could be made to measure.
Samcro comes to the Cotswolds with a reputation as high as Cleeve Hill and he should get the job done in the first race of the day.
The six-year-old, trained by Gordon Elliott, is likely to go off a short price for the opening Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on the back of three mightily convincing triumphs.
The latest came in the Grade One Deloitte Novices’ Hurdle at Leopardstown five weeks ago and it will be a surprise if he fails to live up to expectations.
Elliott can also strike with Cheltenham regular Cause Of Causes in the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase.
The 10-year-old has won at the last three Festivals and can make it four in a race he took in 2017. He also has his name on the roll of honour for the four-mile National Hunt Chase and Kim Muir and was second in last year’s Grand National at Aintree.
Cause Of Causes did not run again until last month and though he was wellbeaten, he is likely to come to life at his happy hunting ground.