Irish Point at 16/1 for the Stayers' Hurdle and Banbridge at 20s for the Ryanair are already in our star duo's portfolio. Now they turn their attentions to the Dublin Racing Festival.
The Dublin Chase looks one of the easier races at the upcoming Dublin Racing Festival to approach from an ante-post perspective, and while we’re not normally keen on short prices in this column, there seems to be a fairly obvious case of the wrong market leader, or at the very least a discrepancy between the pair at the head of the market based on recency bias.
Dinoblue is a general 11/8 shot for this contest having beaten GENTLEMAN DE MEE in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase over the same track and trip over Christmas, but the simple fact is that the form of that contest is not strong, and the runner-up would have needed the run, and it is he who has the much stronger form for all Dinoblue is progressing.
Gentleman De Mee has raced seven times in November and December without registering a single win and has always shown better form in the spring, winning the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree in 2022 from Edwardstone and again leaving previous efforts behind when making all to beat Blue Lord in this contest 12 months ago, that win preceded by a poor run in the Paddy’s Rewards Club on his previous start.
So there is history to back up the notion that he can turn the form around with Dinoblue.
The market still has El Fabiolo taking a chunk out of the market, presumably with the wise guys reckoning that the Clarence House Chase may have to be postponed given the weather forecast at the weekend.
If that happened, the race would surely be run again at Cheltenham the following week, and there is no reason Willie Mullins would not reroute his Arkle winner there – he certainly has no intention of running the trio against each other at Leopardstown, and in his absence, the race looks to set up nicely for the selection, who is probably at his best when able to dominate a small field.
Preview posted 1440 GMT on 15/01/24
Punting Pointers Antepost Portfolio
Nov 20 - 1pt win The Big Breakaway in Coral Welsh Grand National at 14/1 (LOST)
Nov 27 - 1pt win Torn And Frayed in Virgin Bet December Gold Cup at 25/1 (LOST)
Dec 4 - 0.5pts e.w. Captain Guinness in Champion Chase at 20/1, 0.5pts e.w. Haddex Des Obeaux in Champion Chase at 50/1
Dec 18 - 1pt win Irish Point in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham at 16/1 (General)
Jan 2 - 1pt e.w Corach Rambler in Cheltenham Gold Cup at 33/1 (General - 1/5 1,2,3)
Jan 8 - 1pt e.w. Banbridge in Ryanair Chase at 20/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3) – minimum 16/1
Jan 15 - 2pts win Gentleman de Mee in Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at 3/1 (General)
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