Can Protektorat topple Shishkin in the Denman Chase? Declan Rix assesses all the horses you need to keep on side on Super Saturday at Newbury.
Protektorat
2.05 – Betfair Denman Chase (Grade 2) (5yo+) – 2m7f86y
Shishkin will obviously take a fair bit of beating here, as his price of 8/13 suggests, but he’s not the type of horse I’d like to back at those kinds of odds, especially as he refused to race two starts back. On his peak form, he has plenty in hand over this field, but heavy ground may be a leveller of sorts given I’ve always felt he does everything much smoother on a better surface.
Protektorat is a horse who has just never had the late gears of the elite staying chasers in Britain and Ireland, but he’s a strong-traveller, a solid jumper and Newbury’s Saturday going won’t see the likes of Shishkin look too pacey when asked to quicken. Hopefully, anyway.
Harry Skelton celebrates winning the Betfair Chase with Protektorat
The son of Saint Des Saints has been in great order this season, right at the top of his game historically in his career, as seen by his excellent third in a Cheltenham December handicap off 165, carrying 12st. His recent second to leading Gold Cup hope L’Homme Presse when trying to give him 4lb was another fine effort, especially over a trip short of his best on ground quicker than ideal.
Tomorrow’s much softer going will suit, as will the slight step up in trip. If his recent busy spell hasn’t caught up with him, at the prices, he’s a sporting play against a horse who, while brilliant at his peak, has questions to answer.
Editeur Du Gite
2.40 – Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase (Grade 2) (5yo+) – 2m92y
This is a Game Spirit full of question marks. Edwardstone comes here off the back of a rare enough below par effort when running too keen up in trip and reportedly hanging. Boothill isn’t sure to be totally at home in soft ground and returns after a nasty fall.
You could easily say Editeur Du Gite has his own concerns with regards the ground, but he at least is a much bigger price, a Grade One winner and is hugely interesting with first-time cheekpieces applied.
Editeur Du Gite is to take on Edwardstone
The Moore yard possibly targeted the Desert Orchid handicap nicely with two tune-up runs, Editeur Du Gite looking a totally different proposition at Kempton, nicer ground no doubt a help. This day however, while winning well, the ten-year-old looked a candidate for first-time headgear.
It isn’t the first time the son of Saddex has looked idle in a race either so the application of cheekpieces could spark him back to life.
Spirit D’Aunou
3.15 – Betfair Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (4yo+) – 2m69y
Granted the usual early luck in running in this cavalry charge, the ground looks to be coming right for Spirit D’Aunou. The lightly-raced five-year-old has the ideal type of profile for a race of this nature, coming from a yard who have won the contest three times, with the likes of Heathcote (2007), Wingman (2008) and Violet Dancer (2015).
For a horse who has only raced seven times, he looks professional enough to adapt to this big field, while his solid jumping will hold him in good stead. A mark of 139 still looks workable on the back of a heavy ground Sandown Class Two success 63 days ago.
This day, he travelled into the race incredibly well and did it all easily on the run to two out when the pace was lifting. Despite being in front far too soon, the field not able to lead him, the son of Triple Threat battled on well. Furthermore, the horse’s overall time and sectionals combination stood up incredibly well to the earlier course and distance victory of the Grade One-winning Not So Sleepy, for all the Moore horse carried less weight.
A 10lb rise in the ratings looks fair while that burden will be eased by the in-form 3lb claim of Caoilin Quinn. The fact Spirit D’Aunou was entered in the Grade 2 International Hurdle two weeks back possibly also suggests the yard feel his current mark is workable.
Altobelli
3.15 – Betfair Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (4yo+) – 2m69y
Despite being a novice of significant size and rawness, Altobelli was considered talented enough to contest the Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Aintree Festival. As an SP of 12/1 suggests, he was no forlorn hope on ability, but that type of contest likely came a bit early in his development.
In his two runs this campaign, the son of Maxios has looked far more professional, for all still a strong traveller. Both efforts came at Ascot and both can be upgraded given the wide trip he had in the two contests.
In November, he blew up going to the last before running on while last time out, 49 days ago, the ground looked too quick for the big horse, the six-year-old hanging right under pressure up the straight. He is another who should be suited to rain, for all soft ground would likely be better than heavy.
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