Supreme can Rule the World
The Carlow handler’s decision to reroute the nine-year-old to this Grade One, rather than tomorrow’s Gold Cup, is set to reap a rich dividend and Rule Supreme holds every chance of turning over hot-pot Baracouda.
Notwithstanding his 14 lengths victory over Beef Or Salmon in the Hennessy at Leopardstown last time, there is little doubt the selection is a far better horse over flights.
His jumping is crisp and accurate at this game, whereas he can often be slow and ponderous over fences.
He produced a sparkling display at Auteuil in June to take the almost three and a quarter mile French Champion Hurdle and followed with another excellent performance at Windsor in December.
Rule Supreme was never happy with the vagaries of that unique track, but finished with a tremendous late surge to be beaten three parts of a length and a short head into third spot behind Baracouda and Crystal D’Ainay.
He has every chance, looks a rock solid each-way, of reversing those placings and it is particularly encouraging Rule Supreme showed that the final hill here holds no fears for him when landing last year’s Royal and SunAlliance Novices Chase.
Baracouda is obviously going to be a very tough nut to crack. He’s won this race twice in the past, no horse has ever won it three times, and was a gallant second behind Iris’s Gift a year ago.
We have a very good chance as well with Pat Hughes’ Point Barrow in the four miles plus National Hunt Chase.
He’s won his last three races, jumps and stays really well and, granted luck in running, is capable of a big run.
In-form Rathgar Beau will be popular with the Irish in the Daily Telegraph Festival Trophy and arrives here in the form of his life.
But this is a tough contest and he faces two strong rivals in Martin Pipe’s Our Vic and Paul Nicholls’ Thisthatandtother.
Preference is for Thisthatandtother, who has been performing consistently in handicaps all season and could well face the hill better than the others!
Selections
2.00 Captain Corelli; 2.35 Thisthatandtother (n.b); 3.15 Rule Supreme (e.w); 4.00 Brooklyn Breeze; 4.40 Point Barrow (nap); 5.20 Ravenswood
