Horse Racing Betting Tips: Monalee all set for first Festival glory in Ryanair
THOSE of you with long memories will remember that I recommended backing Henry De Bromhead’s MONALEE at fancy ante-post prices for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle back in 2017.
Everything looked to be going swimmingly rounding the home turn as the favourite Death Duty started to tread water and when Monalee took over coming down to the last, I thought we had struck gold.
Sadly, the three mile trip stretched his stamina to the extreme and he was collared by the classy Penhill who returned 12 months ago to win the Stayers’ Hurdle.
His stamina limitations were again exposed in his five-start novice chasing career last term where he won both races at around 2m 4f and was beaten in all three over three miles.
He was beaten on his reappearance this season over 2m 3½f when the combination of fast ground, a penalty and lack of race fitness probably caught him out.
However, he ran a cracker to finish second to Kemboy over three miles when last seen in action at Christmas.
He led the field at the second last before, you guessed it, his stamina gave way and he chased home the winner in vain.
I’m desperate for connections to shelve Gold Cup aspirations and instead aim him at the Ryanair Chase for which he can be backed at 8/1.
He is scheduled to run in tomorrow’s Red Mills Chase over 2m 4f at Gowran Park where he looks likely to come up against Presenting Percy.
He can be positively ridden from the front and will surely test the Gold Cup favourite.
If he beats him, or runs him close, he will surely be confirmed as a candidate for the Ryanair Chase and I expect his price to shorten dramatically.
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle has a record for producing plenty of shocks with the last four winners all being sent off at double-figure prices.
It was hard not to be impressed by Commander Of Fleet’s impressive win over 2m 6f at Leopardstown recently and Gordon Elliott’s inmate could start a lot shorter than the current 8/1 on offer.
He has yet to travel to Cheltenham though and for that reason I am prepared to take him on with last season’s Champion Bumper winner RELEGATE who can be backed at a monster 16/1 with Coral
She finished sixth behind Commander Of Fleet at Leopardstown having never travelled or jumped and would appear to be crying out for a step up to three miles.
Nothing finished better than her at Leopardstown and this looks the perfect target for her.
Any rainfall would probably aid her cause and it would be a shock if she didn’t start closer to half her current price if lining up on the day.
POINTERS
Monalee e/w 8-1 Ryanair Chase
Relegate e/w 16-1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle