POUR CAN DEFI ODDS

Mullins trail-blazer to come of age in Queen Mother

TRUST Chacun Pour Soi to realise his potential and turn over Defi Du Seuil in today’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Of course, the race lost a lot of its appeal yesterday with confirmation Nicky Henderson’s dual-winner Altior would miss the defence of his crown having failed to recover from the lameness made public on Sunday.

But we’re still set for an intriguing head-to-head between the unexposed Closutton challenger, a likely trail-blazer, and prolific winner Defi Du Seuil, the ultimate hold-up performer as Willie Mullins bids for a first Queen Mother success.

They clashed in the Ryanair Novice Chase at last year’s Punchestown Festival, Chacun Pour Soi sparkled in his first Grade 1, scoring by four and a quarter lengths to announce his arrival on the big stage – he had previously demolished a field of beginners at Naas on his Irish debut. The lightly-raced, Mullins-trained eight-year-old first caught my eye when schooling brilliantly at Fairyhouse just over a year ago. He has raced five times over fences, once in his native France and four times in Ireland, and was beaten by leading Ryanair fancy A Plus Tard on his seasonal debut at Leopardstown over Christmas.

In the knowledge his mount was short of peak fitness, Paul Townend held onto Chacun for as long as possible, before he blew up and was outstayed by his rival.

But he took a significant step forward when outpointing Ryanairbound stable-companion Min in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival, when his jumping exuberance proved a key factor.

And that quality might play a huge role in today’s battle. Sure to be prominent, if not dictating the pace, he’ll be stalked down the hill by Barry Geraghty on favourite and four-time Grade 1-winning chaser Defi Du Seuil, conqueror of the great and recently retired Un De Sceaux in the Tingle Creek and Clarence House in his last two starts and a dual Festival winner, successful in the JLT here a year ago.

Defi is never spectacular and only does enough in his races. And Geraghty will ride with supreme confidence and patience again.

But, in the hope Chacun Pour Soi’s jumping might prove the key, I’ll side with Paul Townend’s mount, one of my favourite horses and officially rated 1lb superior to his chief rival.

Of the others, the Paul Nichollstrained second to Defi here in November, might lead the battle for minor honours while a faller last time, holds

and on form behind Altior in Newbury last month.

The race I’ve looked forward to most lost lots of its lustre yesterday. But it still promises to be a cracker.

EXUBERANT JUMPER Chacun Pour Soi can dictate the pace against Barry Geraghty-ridden Defi Du Seuil this afternoon by landing the two-mile Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, beating stablecompanion Abacadabras and Darver Star. Stepped-up to two and a half miles, he followed-up in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle in early January, outpointing Elixir D’ainay and Longhouse Poet. Envoi Allen should cope with this longer trip in soft ground and he’s a confident choice to beat exciting local hopes Sporting John and The Big Breakaway, with the Willie Mullins runner The Big Getaway expected to relish both today’s conditions and trip. Favourite Appreciate It, attempting to give Mullins a 10th Weatherbys Champion Bumper win, should prove very tough to beat. A dual winner at Leopardstown, including a Grade 2 two-miler last time, he’s highly-regarded in Closutton, appears to have all the qualities required for this test and is expected to give Patrick Mullins a third win in the race. The Elliott mares Queens Brook and Darling Daughter have solid claims too, along with stablecompanion Eskylane. In the in the Glenfarclas Crosscountry Chase, a victory for people’s favourite Tiger Roll should bring the house down.