The Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary isn’t renowned for giveaways but there’s a €115,000 Grade 1 highlight at Punchestown that looks to be just waiting for Un De Sceaux to pick up.
Such presumption in a steeplechase often has a habit of landing on its nose. However this six-runner Ryanair Novice Chase could see Un De Sceaux start even shorter than Douvan's 1-6 SP on Tuesday.
O’Leary throws the outsider Real Steel into the pot but this is all about Willie Mullins’s brilliant Arkle winner who first announced himself in a significant way at this festival two years ago and remains unbeaten when remaining upright.
Debut fall
A chasing debut fall at Thurles in November is the only blemish on Un De Sceaux’s CV but he has been brilliant in three starts since, most especially when making both Clarcam and Gilgamboa look like plodders at Leopardstown in January. Any concerns about ground Mullins might have had have disappeared so this looks a third Grade 1 in a row all but presented to
Un De Sceaux
on a plate.
It is five years since Enda Bolger last won the La Touche, almost an era for a trainer who has won the longest race on the Irish calendar 14 times in all.
Quantitativeeasing is Bolger’s big hope this time and Nina Carberry’s mount could advertise how unlucky he was to be carried out at Cheltenham last month when starting to mount his challenge.
Rivage d'Or took advantage to win while Ballyboker Bridge will attempt to confirm February form over the Bolger runner here. But Quantitiveeasing can make it number 15 for the banks master.
Cross-channel trainer Richard Lee will be hoping ground conditions get even softer ahead of the two-mile handicap chase as Grey Gold thrives on testing conditions and boasts a course win in 2013.
Willie Mullins has 18 declared runners today including three in a mares novice hurdle where his son Patrick's mount Lyrical Theatre is rated to emerge best.
Mullins runs two in the bumper and with Up For Review proving a bitter disappointment in his last two starts, preference is for Yorkhill against the Nicky Henderson pair, Ok Corral ad Newsworthy.
American superstar California Chrome is one of the star names among 69 entries for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on July 4th.
