Allaho is expected to win another Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham and Mark Howard feels the biggest danger is a stablemate.
Racing betting tips: Chetenham Festival ante-post
1pt e.w Janidil in Ryanair Chase at 12/1 (Betfred, BetVictor, Coral & William Hill (NRNB) 1/5 1,2,3)
There is every reason to believe Allaho will become only the second horse to win the Ryanair Chase twice having won both his starts this Autumn, including an authoritative twelve lengths victory in the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles last month. The eight year old beat Fakir D’Oudairies by the same margin as had been the case in this event twelve months ago when producing a dazzling display under Rachael Blackmore. A dual Grade 1 winner with an official rating of 174, the Cheveley Park Stud owned gelding sets the standard and will take all the beating.
Saint Calvados is set to test his credentials in the Ascot Chase this weekend and has attracted plenty of ante-post support following his eyecatching run in the King George. The nine year old was having his first outing for Paul Nicholls at Kempton and had undergone wind surgery beforehand. Having travelled strongly, he made his move much too soon leaving the backstraight and was in front turning in.
Headed before the second last, his stamina soon evaporated and the Saint Des Saints gelding will be much more at home over this shorter distance. Narrowly denied by Min in the Ryanair Chase a couple of years ago, his form figures on the New course at Cheltenham read 22 with the champion trainer seeking his fourth win in the race. One word of warning, arguably his very best performances have come following a lengthy break and it is less than a month between the Ascot and Ryanair Chases.
J.P.McManus won the prize with Uxizandre, who was to be A.P.McCoy’s final Festival winner in 2015, and the legendary owner has two entries this time around. They include the aforementioned Fakir D’Oudairies, who is a dual Grade 1 winner in his own right. However, even the seven year old’s staunchest supporters must feel he will have his work cut out to turn the tables with old rival Allaho, who has finished in front of him three times in his last six races.
Janidil is a stable companion to the reigning holder and, while he needs to improve on the ratings, he only has two lengths to find on Allaho on their meeting in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown in December. On that occasion, he had subsequent Grade 1 winners Tornado Flyer and Envoi Allen in behind with Jody McGarvey’s mount staying on strongly.
The stiffer track at Cheltenham will suit him and the intermediate trip looks ideal, too, having failed to stay in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the 2020 Festival behind Monkfish.
Despite that, the eight year old has been campaigned over three miles on his last two outings this term and, while he hasn’t disgraced himself, has left the impression a strongly run two and a half miles is more to his liking. Fifth behind Galvin in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over the Festive period, he stepped up on the effort last time when third in the Irish Gold Cup over the same course and distance.
Beaten less than seven lengths by Conflated, Janidil had beaten Gordon Elliott’s charge by nearly eighteen lengths when taking the Grade 1 novice chase at Fairyhouse’s Easter fixture last spring – the hugely talented but frustrating Asterion Forlonge was a distant third on that occasion.
Janidil’s record over trips around two and a half miles is 13F12 – he beat the subsequent Thyestes Chase winner Longhouse Poet by a handful of lengths in a beginners’ chase at Naas on his fencing bow in November 2020 – he handles any ground and remains unexposed over the larger obstacles with only eight starts.
There are question marks surrounding some of his other potential opponents, too. Shan Blue had the Charlie Hall Chase at his mercy when crashing out at the third last. Admittedly, he is good fresh and has been trained for this, but his record at the track is a concern.
Envoi Allen was only workmanlike in victory at Leopardstown over Christmas and has looked a shadow of his former self since leaving Gordon Elliott, while Mister Fisher is a carbon copy of former stablemate Top Notch – a Grade 2 horse at best.
Available at 14/1 with Bet365 (NRNB) and Unibet, he is 12/1 with Betfred, BetVictor, Coral, William Hill who also offer the safety net of NRNB.
- Preview posted 1030 GMT on 15/02/2022
Also in the series:
Part Six: Gentleman looks Grand bet
Part Five: Side with Warrior in Boodles
Part Four: Walking On Air in Ballymore
Part Three: Going for Gold with De Bromhead ace