2m4½f (New) Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)
I’m focusing my attention on the Premier Handicap Chase on Cheltenham Trials day where Ginny’s Destiny is favourite and on a bit of a retrieval mission after some sub-par performances during his second season over fences.
He could easily bounce-back but has to carry top-weight alongside the talented Iroko who is clearly a class animal on his day that needs to show he is none the worse for a first fence fall at Kempton last time out.
Looking at the rest of the field neither ll Ridoto or Gemirande appear to have anything in hand on the handicapper after their wins at track this year and most of the rest all have question marks in some shape or form, so I’m more interested in a couple of novice chasers in IMPERIAL SAINT and MOON D’ORANGE.
Imperial Saint has the look of a progressive individual that has been running well and winning at the wrong trip, in my view. Most of his racing has been done over two miles, and whilst he has plenty of pace and races prominently, he seemed to thrive on the step-up to 2m 4f last time out coming clear of a decent field at the line. Imperial Saint is 3-4 over fences and whilst there is a slight niggle of doubt with the fact that all of those wins have come at Aintree, he has won at other tracks before and has the potential to be a top-notch performer that’s able to defy a 7lbs rise in his rating.
At the other end of the handicap, Moon D’Orange looks to be carrying an attractive low-weight and has an interesting jockey booking in Sean Bowen riding for John McConnell. Moon D’Orange has plenty of decent placed effort back-class form in Ireland and has run well over this track. The majority of his racing has been done at 3m+ and although he does stay quite well, he seems like a horse that also has plenty of speed that will do much better at this type of distance on the New course.
Moon D’Orange is another that likes to race up with the pace and whilst he may possibly lack the class of some of the others in this race, he is a consistent performer that continues to knock on the door for his first chase success and that doesn’t feel a million miles away for it to happen in handicap company.
1pt win Imperial Saint @6/1, 13:50 Cheltenham, Saturday
1pt win Moon D’Orange @13/2, 13:50 Cheltenham, Saturday