An epic weekend of top quality National Hunt racing will take place at Punchestown and while Saturday’s all about the Morgiana Hurdle, Sunday is all about the John Durkan Memorial Chase, which looks set to be an absolutely stonking renewal. With real top notch Grade 1 performers lining up it’s primed to be a classic and our tipster Steve Chambers is taking on those at the head of the market with a value play.
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
(Paul Townend/Willie Mullins)
A dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs is undoubtedly the best staying chaser in the UK & Ireland, but this 2m 3f 150y trip on his first start of the season could see him struggle. A winner of the event in 2022, he suffered defeat to Fastorslow in last year’s contest and will be looking to reverse that form here. He was a stunning win at Cheltenham in March and that will be the ultimate goal this season to notch up the hat-trick, so while Willie Mullins will have him ready to go here he may not be firing on all cylinders and may just be tapped for toe a bit.
FACT TO FILE
(Mark Walsh/Willie Mullins)
Fact To File is the emerging chasing star from the Mullins yard and he was last seen bounding to victory in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in the spring. Now stepping out of the novice arena the seven-year-old is looking to make it four chase wins on the bounce, but he could be another like Galopin Des Champs that may just find this trip a little sharp. A proven stayer, he’s another that looks primed to be a real Gold Cup player, but could this intermediate trip be his downfall?
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Racing from Haydock and Ascot has come under the watchful eye of Matty Sutcliffe on Saturday. He has four value bets across the ITV cards, including a two-point Betfair Chase tip. 1:15 Haydock – Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Dans Le Vent 50/1 0.5pt EW 4 places I was…
Thu 21 Nov 2024FASTORSLOW
(Derek O’Connor/Martin Brassil)
A half-length winner of this race 12 months ago, Fastorslow was last seen getting the better of Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup. The pair have clashed six times during their careers with the score at 3-3 and it was disappointing to see Fastorslow fall in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Martin Brassil’s stable star will be ridden by top amateur Derek O’Connor and this trip is the real positive, as he just lacks the stamina of the Mullins-trained rivals. A top class performer on his day, Fastorslow is entitled to be a huge contender for what is set to be a real classy renewal.
THE FIELD
Away from the front three in the betting there’s some real quality and Spillane’s Tower was last seen winning a Grade 1 novice chase at the Punchestown Festival. Like Fact To File he will be stepping into Open company for the first time and he’s another that could just find this all happens a bit quick for him. One unknown quantity from the Mullins yard if Grangeclare West, who is two from two over fences and has not been seen since winning a Grade 1 novice chase at Leopardstown last Christmas. A six-length winner over Corbetts Cross, the eight-year-old is open to huge improvement and while he’s another potential top three-miler he could be the value play.
Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin cruised to victory in the Kim Muir before winning a Grade 1 at Aintree and adds yet more depth to the race, whilst the likes of Journey With Me, Blue Lord and Minella Cocooner complete the field for what should be a really pulsating contest.
VERDICT
With such quality on show the 2024 John Durkan is set to be an absolute thriller, but while all eyes will be on those at the head of the market it could be worth taking them on with GRANGECLARE WEST, who can cause an upset. The likes of Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File will have bigger fish to fry later in the season, but Grangeclare West has the potential to outbattle his stablemates and land victory here.
2024 John Durkan Memorial Chase Predicted 1-2-3
- Grangeclare West
- Fact To File
- Galopin Des Champs
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