The
2019/20 National Hunt season is well underway and several exciting
contenders have already emerged for the biggest prizes at the
Cheltenham Festival in March. The Gold Cup, the Queen Mother Champion
Chase, the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle are all up for
grabs at the most important and prestigious meeting of the year. All
roads now point to Cheltenham and these are the top ante-post
selections:
Lostintranslation
for the Gold Cup
Colin
Tizzard’s seven-year-old superstar has displayed superb form this
season and he has stormed to the top of the ante post betting for the
biggest race of the year.
Lostintranslation
was second to Defi Du Seuil at the JLT Novices’ Chase in March, and
he has been on an upward curve ever since. He blitzed a strong field
to win the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April, and
he was impressive in winning a Listed chase on his seasonal
reappearance.
That
saw Lostintranslation installed as joint favourite along with
defending champion Bristol De Mai at the Betfair Chase at Haydock in
November. It was difficult to separate as they went over the last,
but Lostintranslation found another gear on the home straight
and earned a one-and-a-half length victory. Everything now points to a Gold Cup trip, but first he must tackle
the second leg of the Triple Crown of Jumps Racing: the King George
VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. He is the second favourite, after
only the impressive Cyrname, but he looks dangerous in that field and
he should be a serious Gold Cup contender.
He
has only lost to Defi Du Seuil in his last seven, but he beat that
horse twice previously, and Tizzard is feeling confident.
“Lostintranslation has come out of Haydock beautifully, he is a big
strong horse in the peak of his powers at the moment and I couldn’t
be happier with him,” said the trainer. “He has got everything
going for him, he is a beautiful young horse. He has now moved into
Cue Card’s box which tells a story of where we think he is. He has
still got to do it, he still hasn't won a king George and he still
has not won a Gold Cup. It is still all in front of him.”
Altior
for the Champion Chase
Altior
could aim for a third straight victory in the Queen Mother Champion
Chase at Cheltenham in March. Nicky Henderson’s magnificent chaser
became the punters’ darling by storming to victory in 2018 and
easily defending his crown earlier this year. Victory at the Grade 1
Celebration Chase in April extended his long unbeaten record over
fences, and suggested that his invincibility would continue.
Yet
Henderson then took the bold decision of stepping Altior up in trip
and heading down the King George route. That meant a visit to Ascot
to contest the Christy Chase over 2m 5f 8y last month, where he came
up against a bang in form Cyrname. That is the distance Cyrname
specialises in, and it showed. He did not let Altior assume his usual
position at the front of the field, and he then ran on well to secure a strong victory,
with the 1/3 favourite more than two lengths back.
The
result leaves Henderson at a crossroads with Altior. He could
continue down this path and hope that Altior begins to build up his
stamina, adapt to the longer trip and seize major honours.
Alternatively, he could return to the distance that Altior was so
successful over and see if he still has the pace to dominate his
rivals. He has already said “bring on round two” against Cyrname,
but if he struggles at Kempton on Boxing Day – where Cyrname,
Lostintranslation and 2018 winner Clan Des Obeaux are all ahead of
him in the betting – then Henderson could change tack. Altior was a
huge, odds-on favourite for the Champion Chase in 2019, but he is now
as long as 7/2 for the 2020 renewal, which could provide plenty of
value for punters.
Cyrname
for the Ryanair Chase
Paul
Nicholls’ Cyrname has been in devastating form throughout 2019. The
seven-year-old moved ahead of Altior in the official rankings with a
stunning triumph in the Grade 1 Ascot Chase in February and that
announced him as a serious contender for glory this season. Punters
were giddy with excitement about the prospect of him locking horns
with Altior – it was likened to the epic duels between Kauto Star
and Denman – but Cyrname was far stronger in the Christy Chase. It
will be fascinating to see how he gets on away from Ascot, but his
potential looks huge.
It
will also be interesting to see where he fits in at the Cheltenham
Festival. He has been cut from 33/1 to just 12/1 with some bookmakers
for the Gold Cup, but the Ryanair Chase seems like a far more
suitable contest for Cyrname. Defi Du Seuil is the favourite in
the Cheltenham Ante Post odds,
with Min and Chacun Pour Soi and even Douvan in the mix, but Cyrname
might be an interesting option at 10/1.
Paisley
Park for the Stayers’ Hurdle
The
legendary Paisley Park extended his winning streak to six races when
he triumphed in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle over 3m 52y at
Newbury in November. His victory in the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle was
the stuff of fairy-tales. The hurdler nearly died two years
previously from a serious illness, but he went on to give trainer
Emma Lavelle and jockey Aidan Coleman their first top-level Grade One
wins after years of trying.
What
really captured the public’s imagination was the excitement,
determination and wry humour of owner Andrew Gemmell, who was born
blind. He could not watch the race, but he was clearly exhilarated as
he absorbed the action, and the victory brought tears to the eyes of
many viewers. Paisley Park continues to improve and he will surely be
back for another crack at the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2020. It will be
difficult for anyone to stop him triumphing again.
Tiger
Roll for the Cross Country Chase
Another
returning hero will be Tiger Roll, who is bidding for a third
consecutive Cross Country Chase win. He is probably the most famous
horse in Britain right now, having won back-to-back Grand Nationals
and moved alongside Red Rum in the pantheon of all-time greats. Owner
Michael O’Leary famous described him as “a little rat of a
thing”, but Tiger Roll has the heart of a lion and the stamina of
an antelope.
The
big story in 2020 will be his attempt to secure an unprecedented
third straight victory, but first he is highly likely to head to
Cheltenham for another Cross Country challenge.
He
jumps really well, his stamina is superb and he never seems
flustered, so another win for the little legend certainly looks on
the cards. “He will go back to Cheltenham for the Cross Country
race and then we'll go for the Randox Health Grand National,”
said trainer Gordon Elliott,
much to the delight of jumps racing fans. He is the favourite for the
Cross Country and he should be able to pull off another famous
victory.
