Best Mate can get back on track
Henrietta Knight’s delightful eight-year-old suffered a rare reverse on his first outing of the campaign in the Peterborough ’Chase at Huntingdon last month.
Reportedly unsuited by the tacky surface, it was officially good to soft, Best Mate was never travelling with any fluency, trailing in a well-beaten eight lengths second behind the 5lbs receiving Jair Du Cochet.
That was out of character for the this high class performer, who, as well as the ground, may have found the extended two and a half miles simply too short at this stage of his career.
Best Mate was awesome in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, totally outclassing his rivals in the closing stages.
He has shown in the past that soft ground holds no real fears for him and three miles round this galloping track should prove ideal.
Beef Or Salmon is the obvious danger. For one so young, he has already achieved an enormous amount over fences and comes here in good shape, having enjoyed comfortable successes at Punchestown and Cork.
The more testing the conditions, one suspects, the better his chance will be, but all the evidence tells us Best Mate is currently his superior and the head has to rule the heart.
Christy Roche’s mildly frustrating The Kop End can put it all together and take the O’Dwyers’ Stillorgan Orchard Maiden Hurdle.
Some major wagers went west when this fellow was beaten two lengths by War Of Attrition at Punchestown.
That form now appears particularly smart, however, with War Of Attrition going on to record another smooth win at Navan.
Roche can also supply the solution to the Durkan New Homes Hurdle with the rapidly improving Adarma.
She got off the mark over flights at Punchestown and was then very impressive subsequently when beating subsequent Thurles winner, Stacumny Bridge, by six lengths at Gowran Park.
At Leopardstown this afternoon, the brilliant two mile champion, Moscow Flyer, can prove far too good for the opposition in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet ’Chase.
Jessica Harrington’s imposing charge turned in a magical display in the Tingle Creek at Sandown earlier in the month, slamming high class Arkle Trophy winner, Azertyuip, by an unflattering four lengths.
John Kiely’s Take Five, who has clearly been laid out for the race, can give us a big run in the valuable Paddy Power Handicap ’Chase.
At his best going left-handed, Take Five landed some decent bets when making a winning return at Naas on November 1, beating Super Fellow by a length and a half. He went up 9lbs for that, which doesn’t look overly draconian!
At Limerick today, Native Churchtown can leave a serious bout of seconditis solidly behind him in the Signs Express Maiden Hurdle.
It was only in the dying strides he was collared and beaten half a length by Euro Leader at Cork last time and faces nothing of that calibre on this occasion.
