Topaz Fort Leney Novice Chase 2011

1.25 Leopardstown

Topaz Fort Leney Novice Chase (grade 1) (Class 1)  (4YO plus)

Winner €48,750

Advice: 1 pt win First Lieutenant (39/19 w/Coral enhanced win only), 1 pt First Lieuteneant - Last Instalment forecast (6.29 Bet365) 

Allee Garde: Most impressive when making facile debut over hurdles, although he only won one races over hurdles afterwards (well held in Graded company); Two of three wins (including Chase debut when beating Son Amix over 2m4f) so wouldn’t be amazed if that was his preferred trip, but first string of Willie Mullins and better ground should be a massive plus for him.

Crash: Always shaped as if a staying trip would suit over hurdles and good effort when getting better of since Grade 2 winner Lambro; Back to that form for first time since when winning over fences at Punchestown but clear third string of owners and looks outclassed.

First Lieutenant: Top class over hurdles, winning the Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham with a late charge; Three from four over fences; looked as if he’d improved for his previous two efforts when running out a ready winner of Grade 3 novice chase; Impossible to say whether he’d have beaten hugely impressive Bog Warrior at Fairyhouse if he hadn’t banked fence four out but still came into contention before pulling up; That leaves him with a lot to prove today but step up to three miles on better ground is sure to suit.

 

Give Us A Hand: Tried to take advantage of falling handicap mark over hurdles last time but well held into second; Last run over fences resulted in a 15 length beating by handicapper Treacle, which should see him well left behind in this company.

Last Instalment: Hugely impressive when cantering to easy win in the Gigginstown House Stud Point To Point Championship (form worked out since) and didn’t do badly over hurdles considering amiss when pulled up at Punchestown; Hacked up on both chasing starts so far, and should go well here.

Leggy Lad: Working his way into the reckoning for the Troytown when falling 6 out but disappointed in weaker company, so this looks like a tilt and windmills.

Raptor: Chequered career since joining Willie Mullins from France, disappointing inbetween comfortable debut hurdling/chasing wins;  Steps upto three miles and runs on yielding for first time but should be taken seriously anyway.

Shinrock Paddy: Grade 1 winner over hurdles who hasn’t made a great start to chasing, falling away when asked for his effort over trip too short for him before being put in his place by Lambro and then Bog Warrior last time out; Three miles  will suit but looked a bit exposed and become disappointing since.

 

Son Amix: This trip over good ground bring out the best in him (the last time he ran in conditions similar to these, he was second in the Pertemps at the Cheltenham Festival); Only a couple of lengths behind Allee Garde last time but no reason for that form to be reversed.

VERDICT: For many this will be a straight choice between arguably the two most convincing horses on paper, Last Instalment and FIRST LIEUTENANT. The latter has more to prove over fences than Phillip Fenton’s charge but the step up to three miles on good ground is a massive plus and he’s worth another chance on that basis. Allee Garde and Raptor look to be next best unless Shinrock Paddy improves a lot from his previous chasing form.