DAN CARLIN
The Irish Field
I’ll be having a few quid each-way on Roi Mage in the Cross Country. You can shop around for extra places. He’ll probably go off at a working man’s price as he comes from a smaller yard and his best form has been in France. The Griffins have made no mistakes with him, as he has run well in two Aintree Nationals. He won over 3m 6f two runs ago over a very stiff cross-country track at Craon. He isn’t getting any younger but don’t they say the older the fiddle the sweeter the tune?
ANNE MARIE DUFF
The Irish Field
The Champion Chase favourite Jonbon comes to the Festival without a win at jump racing’s Mecca, a fact many use to knock him. But even Honeysuckle could not have gone with Constitution Hill in the 2022 Supreme and El Fabiolo was a top novice chaser before he became Footpad Mark II. Most pundits had El Fabiolo as a good thing last year but now cling to that very bad stat for odds-on chances. But the best horses do win the Champion Chase. There are bigger question marks about all his opposition and he might even drift to odds against closer the day. Without going for the very short options, Jonbon is the best bet of the .
MARK COSTELLO
The Irish Field
I’m convinced Nicky Henderson is going to have a big week, but maybe more so in the handicaps than in the Grade 1s. One I’ve been waiting for all winter is Impose Toi. He’s owned by J.P. McManus and has been off the track since he won a 2m 4f handicap hurdle easily at Newbury on Coral Gold Cup day. The Coral Cup is his target and he goes well fresh, so have no worries about his absence from action. The only thing bothering me is that he had a public gallop the other day at Kempton and struggled to lie up with East India Express and Palladium. However, I’m told Impose Toi is notoriously lazy in his homework so I’m not deserting him. In fact, I’m going to double him with East India Express in the Martin Pipe!
VINCENT FINEGAN
Irishracing.com
Henry de Bromhead’s unbeaten mare The Big Westerner looks to have a real chance in Friday’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, emulating her half-brother Stay Away Fay who won this race in 2023. A point-to-point winner on testing ground before landing two staying hurdle races at the backend of last year, she is potentially high class and should be primed for a big performance arriving fresh from a break.
BRIAN FLANAGAN
Irish Daily Star
Sixandahalf for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle looked a very smart jumping prospect when winning a maiden hurdle in authoritative style at Fairyhouse in January. Gavin Cromwell’s five-year-old was a progressive flat horse last summer and was third in the Irish Cesarewitch prior to going jumping. Her bumper form is also strong, beating DRF winner Colcannon at the Punchestown Festival and, with the ground drying out, she’s a massive chance.
TONY KEENAN
The Irish Field
Brides Hill has a bit to prove on this season’s form but the dry forecast looks in her favour and against some of her main rivals in the Mares’ Chase. A setback in autumn means her initial runs this term might have been needed, but she travelled like she was back to something like her best last time, and this race seems more likely to grant her the strong pace she relishes.
AMY LYNAM
The Irish Field
July Flower’s French form gives her a leading chance in the Mares’ Hurdle, and any rain would seemingly be a good thing, should it fall. She has reportedly done well for skipping the Dublin Racing Festival, will stay, and it’s find to find a negative, really.
ALAN MAGEE
Press Association
Angels Dawn in the Hunter Chase ticks a big box in that she has course and distance form, having won the Kim Muir in 2023 and held every chance when falling two out in the same race last year. She was impressive on both point-to-point starts this season, including when beating Ryehill at Dromahane.
BILLY NASH
Timeform
It is not a race I usually pay too much attention to but I think Galvin will be very hard to beat in the revamped Cross Country Chase. He is the class act in this field, has plenty of experience at this track and was only just touched off in the American Grand National when last seen in October. He has a good record when fresh and gets in from a 1lb lower mark than the one he finished fourth off at Aintree last year.
MARK NUNAN
Press Association
Sounds Victorius (Albert Bartlett) was a staying-on fourth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last season and looks sure to improve for stepping up again in trip. There is no doubt that he lacks a gear but this race on Gold Cup day is all about stamina and the way he kept plugging away when fifth in a Grade 1 over 2m 6f at Leopardstown last month suggests three miles with a stiff uphill finish will play to his strengths.
DARAGH Ó CONCHÚIR
The Irish Field
Slurricane has shown very solid and consistent form since switching to obstacles, being placed four times against decent opposition before winning at Punchestown on heavy ground. A good jumper, he tends to race prominently and stays the trip well if lacking a real finishing gear. His trainer Ross O’Sullivan saddled Eagles Reign to win the same Punchestown race before finishing second in the Fred Winter last year.
All Slurricane’s hurdle runs have been run right-handed but he jumps very straight and ran left-handed plenty of times on the flat, including when winning a one-mile maiden on soft ground at Killarney. The drying ground is a negative but you would expect there to be soft in it on the first day, through watering if not nature.
DECLAN O’DONOGHUE
Sunday World
Dan Skelton has a good strike rate in the Coral Cup and will have a few options this time, with the ex-Paul Nolan runner Joyeux Machin of particular interest. He won four times for the popular Enniscorthy handler, and his good second to Altobelli at Ascot last time was a real eye-catcher.
SHANE REDMOND
Horse Racing Ireland
Sequestered must be a player if he turns out for the first handicap of the week (Ultima). He was a runaway scorer at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and the form of the big handicap chase in which he finished second at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival was boosted just last weekend. The ground is likely to be in his favour and the step back up in distance should also suit Paul Gilligan’s seven-year-old.
MICHAEL VERNEY
Irish Independent
Fourth in last year’s Triumph Hurdle at the Festival, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Nurburgring went on to land the Galway Hurdle last summer as a four-year-old before switching to fences. He has not lit up the place in three starts over the larger obstacles, with some suspect jumping along the way. But having been freshened up since Christmas, he could be thrown in off a mark of 140 - 10lbs lower than over hurdles - in the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase on Thursday.
THOMAS WEEKES
Press Association
Gameofinches won a point-to-point at Dromahane last November in the manner of a future chasing star and backed that up with another thoroughly impressive bumper win recently. A huge horse with a big engine and seemingly plenty of pace, he should take a lot of beating on Wednesday in the Champion Bumper.