KEMBOY HAS THE CLASS FOR GOLDEN GLORY
OUR EXPERT COLUMNIST MARKS YOUR CARD
TWO years ago, Ruby Walsh rode into the sunset just the way he wanted, on a Grade One winner for Willie Mullins at his local track in the Punchestown Gold Cup.
We don’t have Ruby riding today but we do have his winning partner of 2019, Kemboy.
An I am backing Kemboy to defend his crown in the Grade One three-miler (5.55).
We know he doesn’t like Cheltenham but he beat a good field, including Minella Indo, to win the Irish Gold Cup in the Dublin Racing Festival in February.
He’s also been victorious twice at Punchestown over fences in 2018 and 2019, when he beat Al Boum Photo, who had just won the Gold Cup.
He also has a Grade One win over Clan Des Obeaux at Aintree on his curriculum vitae which can’t be ignored.
The presence of Clan Des Obeaux is crucial to the race, otherwise it would be dominated by Willie Mullins who has four of the six runners.
He’s a genuine contender, too. The application of cheek pieces at Aintree by Paul Nicholls was pivotal to him winning there.
I’m not saying he beat a deep quality field, Clondaw Castle finished second, but it was the way he did it, winning by 26 lengths.
I think he’s the biggest danger to Kemboy prospects of victory.
Al Boum Photo is definitely better with an ease in the ground which he’s not going to get today.
Fakir D’oudairies is a very good horse, twice second at the Cheltenham Festival, over two miles in the Arkle Chase last year and two miles and five furlongs in the Ryanair Chase last month.
Like Clan Des Obeaux, he won impressively at Aintree but I would say that three miles would stretch his stamina levels.
He pulled up over that trip in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas.
The Grade One Novice Hurdle (5.20) sees three recent Cheltenham Festival winners take on one another for their next race, which is not something that occurs too often.
Galopin Des Champs won the Martin Pipe Hurdle, Telme something girl won the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and Vanillier won the Albert Bartlett Hurdle.
I’m not sure how strong the latter race was but Vanillier is a Grade One winner, he’s not running with a penalty, is a proven stayer and deserves to be favourite.
Te lme something girl is a very good mare but she has to settle. She was dropped right in at Cheltenham by Rachael Blackmore and availed of the good gallop but it’s a big step up from two miles and one furlong to three miles today.
I’ll take both of them on with Galopin Des Champs who’s an improver and came off the pace to win well at Cheltenham under Sean O’Keeffe.
Even though it was a handicap, I wouldn’t be surprised if he improved enough to win again today. This is three miles and he’ll have to stay but I like his profile and he could end being the best of the lot.
In the Grade One ITM Bumper (6.30), it points to a straight match between Sir Gerhard and Kilcruit, who were one-two in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham for Willie Mullins.
Patrick Mullins has switched to Sir Gerhard which I’d say was a tough decision but I think he’s chosen right.
Sir Gerhard got run of the race at Cheltenham and while he won’t get such an easy lead here I think he’s best suited by the ground.
Kilcruit needs to settle and relax so Derek O’Connor, a brilliant jockey, is the perfect booking. There won’t be much between them just as there wasn’t at Cheltenham either.
‘He has won over fences at Punchestown’
‘Clan Des Obeaux is his biggest threat’
Willie Mullins has talked up Ramillies all season. He wears a tongue strap for the first time which might improve him but this looks a shoot-out.
In betting terms, the Guinness Handicap Chase (7.0) will appeal to punters.
JP McManus has a hatful of runners while I’m delighted to see Tom George coming over with Black Op.
Sixth behind Frodon in the ‘King George’, he ran in the Gold Cup but wasn’t good enough at the business end. He’s dropped back to handicap company and may represent each-way value at around 12/1.
I fancied Embittered at Cheltenham with Rachael but he fell and his jumping would need to improve to figure in a race like this.
I also like the look of Royal Rendezvous, joint top weight, who will love the trip and the ground.
He was a narrow second to Early Doors in the Galway Plate nine months ago, his last run.
In normal circumstances that would be a concern, but not when it’s trained by Willie Mullins.
Sean O’Keeffe, who rode a winner for the yard at Cheltenham, is on board.