Cheltenham 2014 : Ryanair Chase Betting

Three horses are battling it out at the top of the market for the Ryanair Chase with bet365 making all three 7/2 chances at the time of writing. Benefficient is one of the three as the A J Martin runner will be looking to hand Ireland their first ever success in this race. The eight-year-old won the Jewsons Novice Chase and also was a winner last time out on track seeing off Hidden Cyclone at Leopardstown in December. This Cheltenham form is a hopeful sign for backers of the favourite as 15 of the last 18 horses to finish in the top two slots here have previously won at the course.

Dynaste is another horse expected to go well and the David Pipe runner has not been seen since coming fifth in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. The downside is that seven of the last nine winners have finished in the top three on their previous appearances. Then again the two horses that have won without a top three in their last start had both ran last time out in the King George before coming here to claim success.

Al Ferof is the third fancied horse and the Paul Nicholls runner comes here on the back of a second at Newbury last time out. The nine-year-old was heavily beaten by Harry Topper though a fourth in the Arkle here last year and a win at the course in November suggest that Cheltenham should hold no fears for the horse. Of the three though I think the Nicholls runner is the weakest horse.

Of the others it is Boston Bob from the feared Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh combination who comes next in the betting at 9/1. Backers of the horse will be hoping that a sixth and last place finish at the course was just a blip for the horse. On the negative it was a second successive Cheltenham disaster as last year at the Festival the horse was a faller in the RSA Chase. On a more positive note though Boston Bob did come second at the Festival in 2012 when running in the Albert Bartlett.

Hidden Cyclone is another 9/1 shot and the John Joseph Hanlon runner comes here on the back of two second place finishes. Last time out the nine-year-old was 11 lengths behind Sire De Grugy and on a penultimate run was a narrow runner-up behind Benefficient. The horse has no Festival form though did come third at the course in November.

Menorah is a former Festival winner having won in 2010 in the Supreme Novices and is 10/1 to come on top here. The worry is two of the last four runs have seen the Phillip Hobbs runner pull up including last time out at the Festival and last time out on the course in December.

VERDICT: With only one winner of this race going off once in the betting bigger than 6/1 and seven of these nine starting in the first two it is hard to see past the three at the top. Of the trio I would lean to Dynaste who has the strong trend line of the appearance in the King George. This run is no disgrace and before that the David Pipe runner had four winners and two seconds from the six previous. It is likely to come down to a battle with Benefficient and I think the results of last season in the Jewson Novices can be reversed this time around.

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12/03/2014     © Frixo 2026