Betway Bowl Chase Preview: That's my Boy

It is often the case in this late-season Grade 1 Betway Bowl that some of the leading contenders flop after hard races at Cheltenham, with the likes of Kauto Star, Denman and Imperial Commander all having been beaten here since the turn of the century.

Admittedly, Might Bite showed no ill effects from his Gold Cup exertions when winning this race 12 months ago, but it is worth pointing out that the meetings are closer together this time round – this season’s Bowl will be staged 20 days after the Gold Cup, compared to 27 in 2018 – and trying to second-guess which of this year’s participants will arrive in peak condition is no easy task, especially with five of the six runners arriving here on the back of ‘meaningful’ races at Cheltenham.

Challenging for favouritism at the time of writing is the Willie Mullins-trained Kemboy, who is excluded from that ‘meaningful’ category having unseated his rider at the very first fence of the Gold Cup won by stablemate Al Boum Photo. Connections were understandably gutted on the day, but they can take comfort from the fact that he arrives here as a relatively fresh horse, one who would appear to hold sound claims if reproducing the form of his win in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown (by seven and a half lengths from Monalee) over Christmas. Indeed, on that evidence, he is entitled to be bang there on weight-adjusted ratings, and it would be no surprise if he had an even bigger effort in the locker after only four starts over fences in open company.

An annihilation! Kemboy puts in a emphatic display and routs them in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at @LeopardstownRC for Willie and David Mullins... pic.twitter.com/upkCNAutaI

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 28, 2018

Bristol de Mai did the best of these who ran in the Gold Cup, jumping better than can sometimes be the case on his way to third, just not so strong on the run-in as the first two. Also second in this race (beaten seven lengths by Might Bite) last season, he is still yet to reproduce his very best form away from Haydock – where he has won back-to-back renewals of the Betfair Chase (by four lengths from Native River most recently, with Clan des Obeaux back in fourth) – but there is no doubting that he is a bona fide top-class chaser on his day, with more than enough ability to play a significant role here if fully recovered from his Cheltenham exertions.

Third in this race 12 months ago, the Paul Nicholls-trained Clan des Obeaux was again behind Bristol de Mai when fifth in the Gold Cup last time, seemingly beaten for stamina after going as well as any for most of the way. The form of his King George win (by one and a half lengths from Thistlecrack, with Bristol de Mai an early faller) also took some knocks at Cheltenham, but he still created a very favourable impression on that occasion and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back here, with the return to shorter/flatter track likely to play more to his strengths. Welsh Grand National winner Elegant Escape was sixth in the Gold Cup and has plenty to find with the pick of these on form, probably better suited by a stiffer test of stamina than this, too.

Al Boum Photo wins the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup at @CheltenhamRaces!

The winning-most trainer at the #CheltenhamFestival @WillieMullinsNH wins the Gold Cup for the first time ever! pic.twitter.com/E1QgQuhCDD

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 15, 2019

The field is completed by the Gigginstown House Stud-owned pair of Balko des Flos and Road To Respect. The former was an impressive winner of the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last season, but was well-below form in the equivalent race last time, the third time he has disappointed from only four starts in 2018/19. Road To Respect fared better in the latest renewal of the Ryanair, beaten only three lengths after a bad mistake three-out, but the balance of his form suggests that he falls just shy of the very best 2½m-3m chasers around.

Conclusion

All six runners contested races at the Cheltenham Festival last-time-out and, in the case of Bristol de Mai and Clan des Obeaux, both endured tough races in the Gold Cup. As in previous years with this race, the concern is that those exertions may have left a mark and the verdict, therefore, goes the way of Kemboy. The seven-year-old didn’t get far in the blue riband, but he had looked most progressive prior to that and may yet prove capable of better still, with the impression he created when running away with the Savills Chase still fresh in the memory.

Recommended bet:

Back Kemboy in the Betway Bowl Chase at 11/4