Last season David Pipe kept punters waiting until the last moment before running Grands Crus in the RSA Chase having contemplated an ambitious tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He has not left himself in quite the same quandary this season but is still considering the Jewson Novices’ Chase as an alternative for RSA Chase favourite Dynaste.
The RSA Chase is the three-mile championship race for the season’s leading novices but it has a reputation of being a gruelling test for a young horse. It is no longer the automatic choice for future Gold Cup contenders as trainers seek to protect them from a potentially damaging experience. Denman (2007) is the only horse to have gone on to win a Gold Cup following victory in the RSA Chase since Looks Like Trouble in 1999. However, Nicky Henderson’s Bobs Worth is favourite to end that sequence this year and the race remains a significant trial for young chasers.
Dynaste is fully justified to go off favourite after three impressive victories at Cheltenham, Newbury and Kempton. He has jumped like a seasoned handicapper and coasted home unchallenged under Tom Scudamore in all three races. His most recent victory in the Feltham Novices’ Chase was the outstanding performance by a three-mile novice this season. If Pipe decides to take his chance in this race, 9-4 may look a very tempting price.
Second favourite is the Willie Mullins-trained Boston Bob who needed every yard of Leopardstown’s three-miles to defeat Texas Jack in the Moriarty Novices’ Chase in February. Four horses were covered by barely a length at the line and that usually suggests the form is suspect. Lord Windermere (third) and Lyreen Legend (4th) are fully entitled to renew rivalry but improvement is expected from Boston Bob. He was a heavily backed favourite last year when beaten by the ill-fated Brindisi Breeze in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the good ground may have counted against him that day. He doesn’t seem to do anything very quickly but seems likely to get preference over his stable companion Back In Focus for this event. You would have to worry about his chances if the recent dry spell continues.
Paul Nicholls is another trainer keeping his cards close to his chest for this race. He has repeatedly warned that his recent Ascot winner Rocky Creek is not a certain starter for this race but he is leaning towards running the grey Unioniste. The French-bred gelding was all out to hold off Hadrian’s Approach at Newbury last time but Nicholls blamed the slow pace and feels that two and a half miles would prove too sharp on anything other than heavy ground. Unioniste had been a well-backed winner of a big handicap at Cheltenham earlier in the season and could have further improvement in him.
Nicky Henderson’s Hadrian’s Approach comes into the reckoning on that Newbury run but was previously beaten nine lengths by Dynaste. David Pipe’s other entry, Goulanes, just got the better of Super Duty at Wetherby on his debut over fences. He also holds an entry in the four-mile National Hunt Chase and is very much an unknown quantity.
Summary
Delays over running plans have left the market a bit confused but Dynaste stands head and shoulders about his rivals in terms of form. Unless the going turns soft, he looks to have too much pace for Boston Bob whilst Unioniste has been consistent all season and should make his presence felt.
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