Road To Riches is currently the best chaser in Ireland on official ratings yet has been trading as fourth favourite for much of the ante-post betting ahead of Sunday's €150,000 Lexus Chase, a sign perhaps of the fluctuating atmosphere at the top of the steeplechase tree here, and also perhaps an invitation to regard Britain's Bobs Worth as a road to holiday riches.
The 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, and triple-Cheltenham festival winner, is back at Leopardstown to defend the Lexus crown he won so impressively last Christmas en-route to what looked like an excellent opportunity to defend his 'blue-riband' title.
What transpired in the Gold Cup was one of the most remarkable performances of the season, although typically of Bobs Worth’s hugely substantial but low-key career it didn’t generate quite the post-race analysis it might have had it featured one of the horse’s more flashy stable companions at Nicky Henderson’s stable.
Barry Geraghty’s pre-race view that quicker ground would help his doughty little champion proved off the mark as Bobs Worth looked to be always going a stride quicker than was comfortable with a consequent impact on his jumping. Nevertheless, he still arrived at the last with what looked a winning chance only to jink left leaving Geraghty perilously close to exiting at one stage.
With Silviniaco Conti ducking the other way and Lord Windermere veering right and taking On His Own with him in a controversial finish, it’s worth remembering that Bobs Worth was still only beaten by four lengths. Even more important to remember is a 180 rating which is a standout in this Lexus.
Height of winter
Bobs Worth hasn’t appeared since but always runs best fresh and there’s little danger of ground conditions being too quick at the height of winter. And one race apart, he brings a CV of accomplishment which nothing else in the day three festival feature comes close to rivalling.
Typically, however, most pre-race attention is likely to focus on his Gold Cup successor Lord Windermere, which returned to action with an encouraging third to Don Cossack in the John Durkan. His old rival On His Own is also due to line up, while Road To Riches can boast the most recent Grade One-winning form having scored at Down Royal almost two months ago.
Much of the cream of Ireland’s steeplechase talent is on show in this Lexus but it’s hard to ignore how only one home-trained runner has managed to win the Lexus in eight years. Bobs Worth looks a value bet to maintain that streak.
Sam Winner is another cross-channel-trained Lexus hope but At Fishers Cross is the sole raider in the eight-runner Grade One hurdle and looks the most likely winner at his best.
Rebecca Curtis’ star hardly set the world on fire on his return at Wetherby but that was on a very different surface than he faces now and a slower pace should allow him warm into his jumping. What he doesn’t do is fall, which is what Briar Hill did in the Albert Bartlett last March when a hot favourite.
Gallops on fire
Willie Mullins’s former Cheltenham Bumper winner hasn’t been seen since and reportedly hasn’t been setting the Closutton gallops on fire. Since that’s a similar story to his homework prior to his 2013 festival, that isn’t a great worry. On balance however, At Fishers Cross looks the best option this time.
There were some underwhelmed faces around Le Vent d’Antan after he was beaten on his fencing debut at Naas but getting beaten by Real Steel that day looked a lot different after the latter finished third in the Drinmore despite a series of desperate jumps to his left throughout.
Un Atout’s return to action at Punchestown was ruined by an early mistake, while Sizing Codelco’s effort behind Clarcam reads well. But Le Vent d’Antan can step up while Speckled Wood is the pick in the Pertemps Qualifier.
