Forpadydeplasterer remains a live hope for Champion Chase

By Pat Keane

Thursday, December 10, 2009

I’D imagine Tom Cooper returned from Sandown last Saturday a reasonably happy man.

His Forpadydeplasterer may have been slammed to the tune of 15 lengths by Twist Magic, in the Tingle Creek, but there was plenty to like about the performance all the same.

Normally, when a horse gets beaten that sort of distance, you can begin to write him off a bit, but that is not the case when it comes to assessing Forpadydeplasterer’s prospects in Cheltenham’s two mile Champion Chase.

We all know that if Master Minded strips fit and well and at his best on the day, then the likelihood is will make short work of the opposition.

But he’s got his problems right now and there is no way anyone in their right mind would take 7-4 about a horse who has such a cloud hanging over him and could even go to the Festival without the benefit of a prep run.

That opens it up for others and, at least, offers hope for the likes of Forpadydeplasterer.

We know he detests heavy ground, so what was pleasing about Sandown was the manner in which he stuck to his task throughout and never showed any signs of flinching.

The other plus, of course, is that Cooper’s charge waited until Cheltenham last season before producing his best display.

He got beaten twice at Leopardstown, on the lead-in to the Festival, by Golden Silver and Cooldine, both times in testing conditions.

I think there were plenty who felt he had a soft centre and it wasn’t that easy to make a solid case for him heading to Prestbury Park.

But meeting a decent surface, the real Forpadydeplasterer emerged and he battled like a lion up the hill to short head Kalahari King in the Arkle.

Looking at his overall form, there is little doubt he still has plenty to prove and we won’t be killed in the rush attempting to avail of the 10-1 which is on offer. But he’s definitely not without hope.

Big Zeb remains a shorter price for the Champion Chase than Forpadydeplasterer, a massive four points with Ladbrokes, and that’s hard to fathom.

He ran no race at all in the Tingle Creek and his old failings in the jumping department were all too obvious one more time.

I said it here last week and will say it again, Big Zeb is far more highly regarded across the water than he is in his home country.

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BOOKMAKERS got it just about right giving Joncol a quote of 25-1 for the Gold Cup, following his success in Sunday’s John Durkan at Punchestown.

As a spectacle this was a Grade 1 which left an awful lot to be desired. Only five runners for a first prize in excess of €61,000 made you wonder.

Really, it was as dull as dishwater, with Joncol doing more than enough to beat In Compliance, who has had more problems than Tiger Woods.

At the moment the gut instinct is to paint Joncol as a one-paced plodder, who may always need ground which is at least soft to be seen at his best.

He’s got age on his side, of course, but seems to have a long road to travel to be mentioned in the same breath as Kauto Star and Denman.

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THOUGHT Saludos was a huge price at 7-2 and 3-1 Sunday morning, for a novice hurdle at Punchestown later in the day, and played accordingly.

There were many others, clearly, willing to join in and he was a strong order, ending up a 15-8 shot.

Saludos duly made all, digging deep, God bless him, when the need was greatest to resist the persistent challenge of Asigh Pearl.

Were we clever or what? Then after the contest rider, Robbie Power, indicated that Saludos had worked terrible earlier in the week and Jessica Harrington wasn’t even going to run him. Isn’t ignorance just bliss!

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ON Saturday at Navan, Davy Russell certainly endeared himself to betting-shop punters when taking a maiden hurdle aboard Magnanimity.

Russell gave runner-up, Lucky William, no room in the closing stages and if he had actually driven his rival out through the rails it would have met, you suspect, with a chorus of approval with those in the shops who backed Magnanimity.

That double-result continues to be a popular plus and was summed up best by one wag who sent me this text: "We won amid shouts of ‘cut him off Davy.’ "

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, December 10, 2009