Edwardstone to be crowned king of the Arkle
Bill Esdaile’s 1-2-3
1st Edwardstone
2nd Riviere D’etel
3rd Gabynako
TRAINER Willie Mullins has won four of the last seven renewals of the Sporting Life Arkle Chase (2.10pm) and holds a strong hand once more saddling three of the 11 runners.
The pick of his trio looks to be Blue Lord, who was the best of these over hurdles and would have finished second to Appreciate It in last year’s Supreme had it not been for a last flight fall.
He has won all three races over fences this campaign, including the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival, but was all out to hold off RIVIERE D’ETEL, who surely would have won but for a final fence blunder.
Blue Lord meets Gordon Elliott’s mare on two-pound better terms here but may just be vulnerable in this rematch.
Mullins also saddles Saint Sam, who finished a distant third that day and Haut En Couleurs who fell very early on.
The feeling is that the superstar two-mile chaser in the Mullins camp was definitely the injured Ferny Hollow and without him the team is somewhat depleted.
It was Riviere D’etel who gave Ferny Hollow a big fright at Leopardstown over Christmas, and she may just prove to be better than the Mullins trio.
However, they all may have their work cut out to beat Alan King’s EDWARDSTONE, who has been a revelation over fences this season.
The eight-year-old was no superstar over hurdles but the experience of running in a Betfair Hurdle, a County Hurdle and then a competitive Aintree handicap seems to have made him a man.
He was brought down on his chasing bow at Warwick in November but hasn’t put a foot wrong in four starts since.
Brilliant in the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown in December, he has recorded impressive victories at Kempton in the Wayward Lad and was too good for Third Time Lucki in the Kingmaker last time.
He is best of the British and the 11/4 with Sky Bet looks worth taking.
Looking at something that could run well at a big price and plenty will turn to Henry de Bromhead, who saddled the mare Put The Kettle On to win this a couple of years ago.
He runs two here including another interesting mare in Magic Daze.
She was a good second in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago, so has that all important course form and has done well in three starts over fences this term.
Magic Daze was only reeled in late by Concertista at Cork last time and the seven pound allowance is a real bonus too.
Obviously, she hasn’t achieved as much over fences yet as the leading protagonists in this, but at 16/1 she could go well.
I guess the slight negative is that Rachael Blackmore appears to have chosen Coeur Sublime, who was a long way behind Ferny Hollow and Riviere D’etel at Christmas.
Magic Daze may just be the better stayer of the two having won her point-to-point over three miles, but her decision to stick with Coeur Sublime is concerning.
Therefore, the best each-way shot could easily be GABYNAKO, who was supplemented for this by Gavin Cromwell last week.
Like Edwardstone, he appears to have been toughened up by plenty of runs in competitive handicap hurdles last season.
He made a really good start to his chasing career with a good second at Galway followed by an impressive defeat of Fury Road at Fairyhouse.
It was his close second in the Grade One Drinmore Novices’ Chase a few weeks later that really catches the eye, though, with a mistake at the last costing him.
The heavy ground was against him at Limerick over Christmas and he will be much more at home on the sounder surface here.
He’s had a nice break since and has obviously been showing connections something for them to have forked out the money to supplement him for this.
William Hill are offering 20/1 with four places up for grabs and that may be the value bet in the race.