Bristol De Mai leapfrogs Sizing John in betting for Lancashire Chase
Published:
Last season’s Gold Cup winner Sizing John looks set to start as the second-favourite for Saturday’s Grade 1 Lancashire Chase at Haydock.
Jessica Harrington’s mount won a hat-trick of Grade 1 races towards the back end of last season but is currently behind 11/8 shot Bristol De Mai in the betting.
Bristol De Mai, trained by the in-form Nigel Twiston-Davies, was a good winner on his reappearance at Wetherby earlier this month.
The six-year-old defied odds of 6/1 to land the Charlie Hall Chase in-front of a whole host of quality names.
And he’s a course specialist too, having won twice around Haydock in the past two years.
But the question is whether he – along with the rest of the runners – can handle the expected heavy ground on Saturday.
Well, history suggests he can. In-fact the French-bred raider is two from two in such conditions.
Even so, it’ll take a monumental effort to topple 9/4 shot Sizing John.
The son of Midnight Legend enjoyed a trio of Gold Cup successes last season at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown.
And while concerns have abounded over the fitness of the seven-year-old, Harrington remains confident of his chances.
With top-jockey Robbie Power in the saddle for the 3m 1f and a half slog around Haydock on Saturday, the impressive raider is our pick to pip Bristol De Mai at the post.
Cue Card is available at 7/2 but will need to show more consistency to challenge the front two. Colin Tizzard’s mount was a faller in both the Charlie Hall in November and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
Those two showings have raised question marks over whether the 11-year-old can challenge in this one. It’ll be tough for the son of King’s Theatre. But you can’t rule out a horse who has won three of the last four runnings of this event.
Outlander comes next at 10/1. Gordon Elliott’s mount is a consistent performer at the top-level, but not in the UK. All of his black-type wins so far have come in his native Ireland. And with a 51l defeat to Sizing John at Cheltenham also on his record, it’s probably best to discount the nine-year-old here.
Tea For Two could be worth a shot at 12/1. He failed to impress in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree last month but has each-way claims based a pair of black-type successes at the end of last season. The ground should also suit.
Click here for the latest Lancashire Chase odds.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
