MAD ABOUT SOPHIE
ALL season long, we’ve been able to look forward to the mouthwatering clash between El Fabiolo and Jonbon that is served to us in the Betway Champion Chase today.
But the latest victory of EDWARDSTONE (3.30) at Newbury has confirmed his status as a legitimate contender and one who should not be ignored.
The one thing that an elite two-mile chaser has to be able to do is jump well.
And both Jonbon and El Fabiolo have blotted their copybook in that department at different stages of this season.
Edwardstone, however, was very impressive last time out.
The change of tactics meant he set incredibly strong sectionals in front, galloping his rivals into the ground, and his slick jumping gained him a +15.41 length advantage on the field.
If the Edwardstone from that race turns up again, he will be the one to find a chink in the armour of the young pretenders.
A horse that did the British proud by plundering one of the big Dublin Racing Festival handicap chases is MADARA
(4.50), and he’ll hopefully do the same back on home turf in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase.
At the DRF the five-year-old, trained by Sophie Leach (below), posted a time 2.6 seconds quicker than the win of Il Etait Temps in the Irish Arkle, so he more than showed that he has a bit of class about him.
He also fenced particularly well, gaining a +9.20 lengths advantage on Path D’Oroux from his jumping alone in that contest, something that will stand him in good stead for a race like this.
He may have gone up in the weights since his win at Cheltenham in December.
But we know he likes the track and he looks capable of more based on his win last time.