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For Uxi fans -the Donn is with you
Fine return by Uxizandre
You can argue that Uxizandre should not be more than twice Un De Sceaux’s price for the Ryanair Chase now.
It is correct that Un De Sceaux is favourite for the race, Willie Mullins’ horse is top class, he is now a sextuple Grade 1 winner, he is 7lb superior to Uxizandre on official ratings, and he sets the standard in the race to which his rivals must aspire. However, Uxizandre should still probably be closer to him in the betting than he is.
JP McManus’ horse has five lengths to make up on Willie Mullins’ horse on their running in the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday, but there are reasons for believing that he can at least close the gap.
For starters, that was Uxizandre’s first run in 22 months, his first run since he won the Ryanair Chase in 2015, whereas Un De Sceaux had already won the Tingle Creek Chase this season.
Also, while Un De Sceaux has won over two miles and five and a half furlongs in France, you can argue that two miles on that soft ground is close to his optimum. The races in which he has put up his three best performances now on the figures – Saturday’s win, his win last season in the Clarence House Chase, and his win in the Irish Arkle in 2015 – were all over two miles on soft ground.
By contrast, Uxizandre put up the best performance of his life in the Ryanair Chase two years ago. The Ryanair course and distance, two miles and five furlongs on good ground on Cheltenham’s New Course, is obviously close to optimum for him.
One other consideration. Uxizandre did not wear headgear on Saturday. He wore cheekpieces for the first time over fences when he almost sprang a 33/1 shock in the JLT Chase at Cheltenham in 2014, and he wore them again when he won the Grade 1 Manifesto Chase at Aintree and the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.
Interestingly, he wore a visor for the first time when he won the Ryanair Chase two years ago.
It is probable that Alan King will fit headgear again at the Cheltenham Festival, and it is more than possible that they will elicit further improvement. The Alan King-trained horse should probably be shorter than 8/1 now for the Ryanair Chase.
Fine return by Uxizandre
You can argue that Uxizandre should not be more than twice Un De Sceaux’s price for the Ryanair Chase now.
It is correct that Un De Sceaux is favourite for the race, Willie Mullins’ horse is top class, he is now a sextuple Grade 1 winner, he is 7lb superior to Uxizandre on official ratings, and he sets the standard in the race to which his rivals must aspire. However, Uxizandre should still probably be closer to him in the betting than he is.
JP McManus’ horse has five lengths to make up on Willie Mullins’ horse on their running in the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday, but there are reasons for believing that he can at least close the gap.
For starters, that was Uxizandre’s first run in 22 months, his first run since he won the Ryanair Chase in 2015, whereas Un De Sceaux had already won the Tingle Creek Chase this season.
Also, while Un De Sceaux has won over two miles and five and a half furlongs in France, you can argue that two miles on that soft ground is close to his optimum. The races in which he has put up his three best performances now on the figures – Saturday’s win, his win last season in the Clarence House Chase, and his win in the Irish Arkle in 2015 – were all over two miles on soft ground.
By contrast, Uxizandre put up the best performance of his life in the Ryanair Chase two years ago. The Ryanair course and distance, two miles and five furlongs on good ground on Cheltenham’s New Course, is obviously close to optimum for him.
One other consideration. Uxizandre did not wear headgear on Saturday. He wore cheekpieces for the first time over fences when he almost sprang a 33/1 shock in the JLT Chase at Cheltenham in 2014, and he wore them again when he won the Grade 1 Manifesto Chase at Aintree and the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.
Interestingly, he wore a visor for the first time when he won the Ryanair Chase two years ago.
It is probable that Alan King will fit headgear again at the Cheltenham Festival, and it is more than possible that they will elicit further improvement. The Alan King-trained horse should probably be shorter than 8/1 now for the Ryanair Chase.