THE ’TIDE COMES IN
Mullins’ charge looks the top pick for Irish Gold Cup honours
KEMBOY is the choice in the featured Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup which headlines an outstanding card at Leopardstown this afternoon.
The highest rated chaser in the country met with defeat when fourth to Delta Work over this course and distance at Christmas.
However, Kemboy was reported to have needed that run and he was beaten less than three and a half lengths so he doesn’t much have to find on that display.
In addition, if the Mullins inmate returns to the peak of his powers he is going to take some beating.
He was brilliant at Aintree last season and was even better at Punchestown where he lowered the colours of Al Boum Photo.
If he can get back to that level he could well have the measure of Delta Work whose Christmas victory represented a dramatic improvement on his previous run at Down Royal. Gordon Elliott expects his charge to have improved for that Savills Chase success which makes him a very dangerous opponent once again.
Further interest is supplied by the former dual Cheltenham Festival hero Presenting Percy who didn’t run at all badly when finishing half a length behind Kemboy at Christmas.
The Pat Kelly inmate has yet to reach the heights that carried him to RSA Chase glory a couple of years ago but it would be very unwise to underestimate his chances.
Today’s card could yield further Grade 1 glory for the Willie Mullins team as Faugheen is put forward as the answer to the Flogas Novice Chase.
The former Champion Hurdle winner raised the roof at Limerick over Christmas with an impressive defeat of Samcro.
If he turns up in that sort of form he can deal with Battleoverdoyen who lines up as the winner of his three chase outings so far.
Gordon Elliott looks to have a number of good chances throughout the day and his Easywork is the
NEWTIDE took advantage of the last fence fall of Boldmere to score a fortunate victory in the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby.
Kim Bailey’s stout stayer appeared booked for an honourable second place when the hat-trick seeking Boldmere held a three-length lead only to fall at the last in the Grade Two feature over three miles. Bailey (inset) selection in the Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle.
This gelding has looked a fine prospect on his two hurdle runs to date and his wide margin defeat of Unexcepted at Limerick last time marked him as a novice with major potential.
He could have most to fear from Mt Leinster who was an impressive winner of a maiden hurdle here at Christmas.
The Elliott-trained Column Of Fire is a hopeful choice in the valuable William Fry Handicap Hurdle.
He won a maiden hurdle in good style last time and he is a smart type who could progress further now that he tackles three miles.
Aspire Tower has looked by far the best juvenile hurdler in Ireland this season and this makes him the choice in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle.
The improving Spruced Up gets the vote in the opener while Castra Vetera looks potentially top class and she might see off Bigbadandbeautiful in the finale. voiced his sympathy for Boldmere’s trainer Caroline Bailey, and fellow connections of the 5-2 favourite, after Newtide (9-2) had then kept on with great determination under David Bass to win by four and a quarter lengths from long-time leader Ardlethen.
“We were lucky,” said the Cotswolds trainer. “Sorry, Caroline Bailey deserved to win that. But we’ve picked up a Grade Two, which we probably shouldn’t have done. “We’ve run very well, though, and I’m delighted for the horse and his owners.” Newtide, winner of his only previous start over fences from just two rivals at Ffos Las in November, holds entries at Cheltenham in both the RSA and National Hunt chases.