STONE IS A REAL GEM
EDWARD STONE (3.30) can come away with a quality renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Alan King’s starlet looks capable of maintaining a terrific record of Arkle winners going on to collect the senior two-mile prize.
Unlike last season, it’s not been a smooth build-up.
Excellent when winning the Tingle Creek before Christmas, unseating Tom Cannon at Kempton wasn’t in the script.
Edwardstone couldn’t hold off Editeur Du Gite in the rearranged Clarence House at Cheltenham, albeit the winner got a freebie in front and King’s horse used up all his petrol in making up ground on the home straight before just failing.
The sharper Old Course should suit the nine-year- old’s rapid turn of pace. Energumene defends the title but was poor in the Clarence House and softer conditions might be needed for him to show up in the best light.
However, Willie Mullins does have a huge challenger in Gentleman De Mee.
The seven-year-old beat Edwardstone at Aintree last spring and has a fantastic record at this time of the year.
Gentleman De Mee is being underestimated in the market and, if you think the front two are too short, he’s definitely the each-way on good ground
GERRI COLOMBE (2.10) is a short price for the Brown Advisory but looks absolutely tailor-made for the contest.
Gordon Elliott’s charge arrives with an outstanding seven out of seven record in bumpers, hurdles plus fences and is being tipped as a Gold Cup horse for next term. Gerri
Colombe has been put down as needing softer conditions but it was sound enough last time in the Scilly Isles at Sandown when he handled the terrain, fencing test of Esher and shorter trip of the race in elegant style.
Elliott’s favourite has all the credentials needed for this event and could well turn out to be miles too good for frontrunning The Real Whacker.
Thyme Hill is, of course, a danger on his hurdling form and jumped better at Kempton to win a Grade One over the festive period. Doubts remain, about his ability to back it up.
IMPAIRE ET PASSE (1.30) has been highly impressive winning in Ireland and shapes like a mix of smooth travelling and slick jumping with a turn of speed to suit the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Mullins has the option of switching him back for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle the day before but the five-year-old should be better for the longer race.
Hermes Allen has been superb this season and is Paul Nicholls’ best chance of the week going in on a four-timer.
Good Land was excellent for the Barry Connell team at the Dublin Racing Festival, Gaelic Warrior has talent – despite a tendency to jump right – and Champ Kiely was back to form in the Lawlor’s Of Naas. But Impaire Et Passe looks the pick of the Mullins brigade and can repeat the heroics of Mikael D’Haguenet by winning this after victory in the Grade Two Moscow Flyer at Punchestown.
A DREAM TO SHARE (5.30) won the Leopardstown bumper that has produced the first and second in the Champion Bumper in the past four years and must go close for John Kiely, having been bought by JP McManus.