14:50 Cheltenham

Thursday 16 March 2023

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 5m 12.31s

Blue Lord^t³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 167| BF

11/2

Has made up into a top-class chaser (including victory over this trip) and met with defeat for only the second time from 8 starts over fences in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown, never looking like getting to stablemate Gentlemen de Mee, who jumped better. Solid place claims.

Form: 13-1112

Chacun Pour Soi⁵³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 167| BF

40/1

Top-class chaser at his best, notching up a sixth Grade 1 success at Leopardstown in February 2022 before unseating ninth in the Champion Chase here. Hasn't looked the same force since, folding in the straight at Thurles 7 weeks ago. Suspect his chance of Festival glory has passed him by.

Form: 51U-233

Envoi Allen^t⁸⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 163| CD

13/2

2019 Champion Bumper and 2020 Ballymore winner who has become a bit of an enigma since his highly-promising novice chase campaign. Was back to winning ways impressively in the Down Royal Champion Chase in November but bombed out again in the King George. Tons of class but clearly risky.

Form: 613-317

French Dynamite^p,t⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M F Morris| OR: 155

28/1

Dual chase winner who scored over hurdles at Thurles (23f) in October and has held his own in some good races over fences since, going close behind Ga Law in the Paddy Power Gold Cup here and chasing home Fakir d'Oudairies over this trip back at Thurles last time. This looks too tough though.

Form: 1-31252

Fury Road^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 161

10/1

Went close in the 2020 Albert Bartlett and has made up into a top-class chaser, scoring again on his return at Down Royal in November. Fine run behind a couple of Gold Cup contenders in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and this race could be tailor-made for him.

Form: 52-3133

Ga Law⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Burke| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 152| BF| C

40/1

Has improved this term after a long absence, finding plenty to see off French Dynamite, who fluffed the last, in the Paddy Power Gold Cup here. The final fence proved to be his own undoing in the Sky Bet Chase 7 weeks ago and he might have won. Remains potentially a high-class chaser.

Form: 132/31F

Hitman^p1,t³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 159| BF

22/1

Easy winner of 21.5f Haydock graduation event in November and back to form after King George flop (reportedly bled) when runner-up in the Denman Chase at Newbury, faring best of those ridden prominently. First run at Cheltenham and goes in first-time cheekpieces. Probably just place claims at best.

Form: 32-21P2

Janidil²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 163

7/1

No match for mighty stablemate Allaho in this last year, plugging on for a remote second. Completed for the first time since back from 10 months off when winning Gowran Grade 2 last month (1-2-3 for yard in a 4-runner race), looking as good as ever, but more needed to take a hand in this.

Form: 532F-P1

Shishkin^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 174| BF| C| D

1/1

Big disappointment in the Queen Mother last year but that was his first defeat at the Festival having won the 2020 Supreme and 2021 Arkle and he was right back to his stunning best 2 runs on in the Ascot Chase last month, relishing the step up in trip tongue tied/after a wind op. The one to beat.

Form: 1/11P-31

Forecasts

Shishkin (1/1), Blue Lord (11/2), Envoi Allen (13/2), Janidil (7/1), Fury Road (10/1), Hitman (22/1), French Dynamite (28/1), Ga Law (40/1), Chacun Pour Soi (40/1)

SHISHKIN regained his place back among the chasing elite when scoring impressively at Ascot last month, relishing the longer trip in a first-time tongue tie. He won the 2020 Supreme and 2021 Arkle and can atone for last year's Queen Mother disappointment with a third Festival victory. Fury Road, who went close in the 2020 Albert Bartlett, has been holding his own in 3m Grade 1s and looks the biggest danger ahead of Blue Lord and Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Ga Law.