John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Grade 2 opportunity for ‘Horse In Focus’ Blow Your Wad
Last year’s Oaksey Chase (14:20) went to Gaelic Warrior but there doesn’t look to be a future Gold Cup winner in this year’s renewal of the Grade 2, with most of the field consisting of handicappers, albeit good ones.
The one with the best handicap form of late is Blow Your Wad who joined Gary & Josh Moore from Tom Lacey during the winter. He faced a stiff task on his first start for his new yard but gave a good account to chase home Jonbon and Pic d’Orhy in the Ascot Chase and then ran well in defeat back in handicaps, staying on well to be beaten half a length by Heltenham in the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury and only beaten just over a length into fourth behind Johnnywho when stepped up in trip for the Ultima at Cheltenham.
His win at Chepstow back down in trip earlier this month was therefore a deserved one, knuckling down splendidly and winning going away by a length and a quarter from Ben Solo. That was another smart effort, carrying 12-0, and earned Blow Your Wad the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. He has struck up a good partnership with conditional Freddie Mitchell who won’t be able to use his 3 lb claim here, but at these weights Blow Your Wad is the one to beat, being 6 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
Jonbon going for third win in Celebration Chase
Jonbon might not be the dominant force in the two-mile chase division any longer, but he remains a top-class chaser with an enviably consistent record, particularly away from Cheltenham. He seems much more at home around Sandown, for example, where he has the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag, being a dual winner of both the Tingle Creek Chase and the Celebration Chase (14:55). He was denied a third Tingle Creek in December by subsequent Champion Chase winner Il Etait Temps, the same rival who’d also prevented him from completing a hat-trick of Celebration Chase wins on this card a year ago.
Jonbon doesn’t have Il Etait Temps to worry about this time, so he looks the percentage call to secure his third win in the race. Fitted with cheekpieces of late, Jonbon brought his tally of Grade 1 wins to twelve with his latest victories coming at Ascot in the Clarence House Chase (for the second year running) and the Ascot Chase. He wasn’t at his best behind Heart Wood in the Ryanair Chase last time where his jumping became ragged in the last mile, but having missed Aintree, he seems sure to have been freshened up for this.
Jonbon heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings but might not have things all his own way, however, as Thistle Ask, three lengths behind him in the Clarence House, has been put aside since for this race, while front-running Irish challenger Solness went down fighting behind Grey Dawning in the Melling Chase at Aintree just over a fortnight ago and drops back in trip.
A first bet365 Gold Cup for J. P. McManus?
Jonbon’s owner J. P. McManus could be collecting another trophy in the next race, though surprisingly perhaps the bet365 Gold Cup (15:30) and its long-standing former identity the Whitbread Gold Cup is one of the season’s major prizes which he has never previously won. He has gone close a few times, though, with Reveillez runner-up in 2007 and Musical Slave filling the same position in 2022.
However, Montregard could be the one to change the McManus fortunes this year. Swapping his former cheekpieces for a visor this season, Montregard has enjoyed a fine campaign for ‘Hot Trainer’ Tom Lacey, starting with a win at Worcester very early in the season and then returning in the autumn to follow up in convincing fashion at Ascot. He had a blip at Kempton next time when reportedly having an irregular heartbeat but was a good second to useful novice The Jukebox Kid back at Ascot next time and returned to winning form over the same course and distance in the Swinley Handicap Chase in February.
Despite running from 3 lb out of the handicap, Montregard showed further improvement to add to his very positive profile this term. Kept fresh since, the longer trip is expected to suit, and he heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings. While a field of 14 is the smallest for the bet365 Gold Cup since 2017, it’s still a competitive renewal, with the hat-trick seeking Havaila and the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir one-two Ask Brewster and Road To Home among others with leading chances.
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