‘Great chance’ for Rose but inexperience a worry
Nobody knows more about winning at the Cheltenham Festival than the master of Seven Barrows, who has 31 victories to his name, and is the third most prolific winner in the history of the meeting.
His mare is unbeaten in her two starts over hurdles at Ascot and Haydock, but has barely been tested with her cumulative winning distance being some 31 lengths. She is also in receipt of a 7lb mares’ allowance.
Henderson reported: “Everything has gone great with her and she will definitely go on the ground. It is just soft ground there, but it was desperate ground when she won at Haydock.
“I am a little surprised about how good she has become, although I was disappointed when she was beaten in the Aintree bumper last year when I thought she would win.
“The doubt might be her lack of experience, but she is in very good order and has great chance.”
There are plenty of Irish raiders queuing up to take her on, including Jessica Harrington’s Hide The Evidence, winner of his first four timber starts including the Grade One Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, although he found the likes of Hardy Eustace much too good in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle last time.
Another not to be underestimated is the Michael O’Brien-trained De Valira, who disappointed last time but previously defeated the highly-regarded Catch Me at Leopardstown.
Noel Meade’s Orbit O’Gold, who lowered De Valira’s colours on his last outing, Kalderon, Rindoon, Shanghide, Wins Now and Tipperary All Star supplement a strong Irish team along with Ebaziyan, although his trainer Willie Mullins believes he has to show far more than he has in his two starts over timber so far to figure.
After finishing second at Cork on his debut, he built on that promise with a length victory over Jumeirah Scarer at Thurles last month.
Mullins, who won the race in 1995 with Tourist Attraction, said: “He didn’t win well – he just won – and he would have to be a lot better than that to be in the first three.
“He does have that chance though because he ran back very quickly after his first run and was a bit dead.
“I needed to run him at Thurles and hopefully he will improve.”
Paul Webber will be hoping the rain stays away for De Soto, while Paul Nicholls will be keeping his fingers crossed either Granit Jack or Kicks For Free can follow in Noland’s hoofprints 12 months ago.
Meanwhile Philip Hobbs has admitted to being “amazed” at how well Fair Along has taken to fences ahead of his bid for Irish Independent Arkle Trophy glory.
The diminutive five-year-old chased home Detroit City in the Triumph Hurdle 12 months ago, but Hobbs feared he was destined to struggle with big weights in handicap hurdles because of his lack of size.
However, the five-year-old has taken to the larger obstacles exceptionally well and arrives at the two-mile novice championship event unbeaten in three starts.
His trailblazing style has thrilled punters and pundits alike, but Hobbs does harbour reservations about him being at his best on soft ground.
“He’s been amazing and we couldn’t believe that a horse of his stature could jump fences so well,” he said.
“He doesn’t have to lead, it depends how fast they go and how things work out.
“The biggest worry for me is the ground – we would have been much more confident on good to soft rather than soft.”
Fair Along beat his main market rival, Alan King’s My Way De Solzen, in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown earlier in the season, and the pair reoppose.
Hobbs told At The Races: “Obviously My Way De Solzen stays very well, but he has plenty of pace.
“It is interesting how many Gold Cup winners have been placed in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over two miles where you would normally think the two-mile-five novices’ hurdle would suit them better.
“He jumps very well indeed and I think sometimes the smaller horses have the advantage of being more athletic.”
