Ratings Update: Delta Work a strong Cheltenham Gold Cup contender

The King George at Kempton – which has been assessed here along with the best of the Boxing Day action – rather fell apart, and only the impressive winner Clan des Obeaux gave his running. However, the Savills Chase, which was also eagerly anticipated, provided a much more exciting finish, with Delta Work (168p from 162p) getting up close home in a race of changing fortunes in which the first five home were covered by only four lengths.

Ordinarily, such a blanket finish would give reason to question the bare form, but the Savills Chase remains a race to view positively, while the winner, Delta Work, who was scoring for the fourth time at the highest level, will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in Grade 1 chases.

Delta Work had disappointed on his return at Down Royal last month, failing to jump with any fluency. However, his jumping was much better at Leopardstown, and he impressed with how well he knuckled down under pressure to edge a head clear. He has been cut to 10/1 (from 25/1) for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and he has to be considered a leading player, with his rating of 168 placing him behind only Kemboy (remains on 176), Al Boum Photo (174), Clan des Obeaux (170) and Native River among the likely contenders.

Epic finish!

Delta Work bounces right back and reels in Monalee to land the G1 Savills Chase at @LeopardstownRC.

What a day for @gelliott_racing, and another memorable call from @jhracingcomm! pic.twitter.com/68NodOAZ54

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 28, 2019

Delta Work’s trainer Gordon Elliott was in exceptional form over the Christmas period, winning four Grade 1s at Leopardstown. However, Kemboy’s trainer Willie Mullins had a rather more up-and-down meeting, still firing in six winners at the four-day festival but meeting with plenty of high-profile reverses as well.

Kemboy was a beaten favourite on his belated reappearance in the Savills Chase – a race he had won so impressively the previous year – but he shaped with plenty of promise in a close-up fourth and could prove to be a different proposition with that outing under his belt. He looked a bit rusty in the early stages at Leopardstown but he warmed to his task nicely and found only a trio with race-fitness on their side too strong. He remains rated 176 – he is the joint highest-rated chaser in training along with Cyrname– and will be the one to beat in the Irish Gold Cup.

Monalee (167 from 163) jumped brilliantly and turned in a career-best effort to finish runner-up in the Savills Chase. He was ridden by Rachael Blackmore and trained by Henry de Bromhead, who both enjoyed a magnificent week at Leopardstown, combining to win on four occasions, including with A Plus Tard (164 from 157) in the Grade 1 2m1f chase.

A Plus Tard, an impressive winner of the two-and-a-half-mile novice handicap chase at last season’s Cheltenham Festival, proved better than ever to beat red-hot favourite Chacun Pour Soi at Leopardstown, the strong pace, and therefore relative emphasis on stamina, suiting him well. He typically jumped well and kept on powerfully to beat Chacun Pour Soi by three and three-quarters of a length, earning quotes of 10/1 for the Champion Chase.

WOW!

A Plus Tard floors Chacun Pour Soi after a fantastic battle for the Grade One Paddy's Rewards Chase at @LeopardstownRC.

Congratulations to @HenrydeBromhead and the brilliant Rachael Blackmore! 🏆

Watch all of today's Racing TV replays ➡ https://t.co/glajGV55GR pic.twitter.com/uf6qxX5DNg

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 27, 2019

Chacun Pour Soi (167p from 171p), who had been so impressive when beating Defi du Seuil at the Punchestown Festival, was pushed out to 6/1 (from 4/1) for the Champion Chase, but he remains one to be very positive about. The lightly-raced chaser was making his first start of the season and the lack of an outing, in a race run at such a searching tempo, perhaps caught him out inside the final furlong.

Melon (remains on 144p) was successful on the same card but failed to advance his Arkle claims, having to dig deep after making a mistake at the last, while Abacadabras (remains on 146p) was cut to 4/1 (from 6/1) for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but he was faced with a straightforward task as main market rival Blue Sari clearly failed to give his running. He won in smooth style and is clearly a talented hurdler, but he did not need to reproduce the form he showed when runner-up to Envoi Allen, so it’s surprising he was cut so markedly for the Supreme.

Abacadabras was one of nine winners at Leopardstown for owners Gigginstown House Stud, who had a superb meeting. Apple’s Jade (156 from 146) was one of the most popular winners as she bounced back from two disappointing efforts this season to record an 11^th Grade 1 success, and extend her unbeaten record at Leopardstown to five. The Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle may have fallen apart somewhat but it was encouraging to see how much enthusiasm Apple’s Jade raced with, and thoughts of retirement have been put on the back-burner for now.

APPLE'S JADE IS BACK! 🏇🇮🇪@gelliott_racing's star mare bolts up again at @LeopardstownRC, scoring in the (Grade 1) Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle, with Jack Kennedy in the saddle!

(🎥@RacingTV)pic.twitter.com/43LkLDWPHe

— Timeform (@Timeform) December 28, 2019

Battleoverdoyen (remains on 151p) was also successful in Grade 1 company, landing the Neville Hotels Novice Chase to extend his unbeaten run over fences to three. However, the race was decimated by non-runners and it turned into little more than a schooling session and then a sprint. We learned little more about his ability, but he impressed with his jumping, and could yet do better.

Michael O’Leary reiterated that Gigginstown would not be buying any more horses and the operation would eventually be wound up. However, they have some hugely exciting prospects within their last crop of bumper horses, including Forged In Fire (109), who showed a good attitude to make a winning debut, and Eric Bloodaxe (109), who beat the promising Wide Receiver (106p – and also Gigginstown-owned) to make it two from two.

Eric Bloodaxe’s success brought the curtain down on the four-day festival, but the highlight on the final afternoon was the success of the Mullins-trained Sharjah (162 from 155), who took advantage of stablemate Klassical Dream’s bad mistake to win the Matheson Hurdle. That was Sharjah’s third success at the highest level and his rating of 162 is higher than any other Champion Hurdle contender, so he has to be considered a player in a wide-open year.

It's back to back victories in the (Grade 1) Matheson Hurdle at @LeopardstownRC for the @WillieMullinsNH-trained SHARJAH, who gets the better of Petit Mouchoir to land the spoils! 🏇🇮🇪

(🎥@RacingTV)pic.twitter.com/KSXHwAriAu

— Timeform (@Timeform) December 29, 2019

Allmankind (142p from 135p) extended his unbeaten start over hurdles when winning the Finale at Chepstow, once again doing well to finish his race so powerfully having taken such a strong hold. Aspire Tower (145p), an impressive winner at Leopardstown, just about sets the standard in the division and he too is a free-going sort, so it will be fascinating to see what happens in the Triumph if those two clash with Goshen (142p), another front-running juvenile who has created a good impression.

Another novice to note is Thyme Hill (144p from 143p). The Champion Bumper third showed a quirk or two when winning the Challow at Newbury on Saturday, failing to impress with his jumping and flashing his tail in the closing stages, but he clearly has a big engine and won with a deal of authority, always looking in control. He has been the most convincing British-trained novice hurdler.