RACING:THE UNBEATEN Sir Des Champs might currently be Michael O'Leary's most high-profile hope for Cheltenham Gold Cup glory in 2013 but the "forgotten horse" among the Ryanair boss's hugely-powerful novice team, Last Instalment, will be on the blue-riband trail as well next season.
After a pair of Grade One victories at Leopardstown through the winter, Last Instalment looked a natural Cheltenham contender but had to miss the festival due to tendon problems picked up when defeating Call The Police in February’s PJ Moriarty Chase.
First Instalment also routed First Lieutenant in the Fort Leney over Christmas so his trainer Philip Fenton was left with a feeling of what might have been when First Lieutenant and Call The Police found only Bob’s Worth too good for them in the RSA Chase at Prestbury Park.
“That’s for sure,” Fenton said yesterday, after confirming that Last Instalment is on a break and won’t be returning to action until next season. “He was sore on both tendons after Leopardstown so it was time to stop. He is a big, imposing horse and we’ve always said plenty of cut was important to him.”
The “what might have been” theme was only emphasised to the Co Tipperary-based trainer at Cheltenham, though, when he examined the ground conditions there.
“I have to say Cheltenham was so well watered that you could have no qualms about running any horse there. It was brilliant. They did a great job,” Fenton added.
Sir Des Champs is currently a general 6 to 1 favourite for next year’s Gold Cup and is backed up among O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud team’s list of potential Gold Cup contenders by First Lieutenant (12 to 1) while Last Instalment, reckoned for most of the season to be the best of the Gigginsotown novices, is available at 20 to 1 in ante-post betting.
Fenton wasn’t getting carried away with Gold Cup talk yesterday but said: “We’ll look at the Lexus Chase as a good race to find out where we stand with him next season. The owner has some lovely novices but there’s no point talking about Gold Cup yet.”
Silver Birch’s 2007 Aintree Grand National triumph thrust Gordon Elliott into the limelight and the Co Meath trainer is hoping Chicago Grey could also score in the world’s most famous steeplechase in three weeks time.
“It’s all systems go to the National and we’re looking forward to it,” said Elliott yesterday. “We’re training him as normal, but we’ll pop him over a fence the week before the race, but he seems to be in good form so we’re very happy.”
Chicago Grey made his last appearance at Gowran Park in February when he was a staying-on second to Rubi Light over an inadequate two and a half miles.
