Dual winner
leads the way as 15 horses remain in contention for next month’s Boodles
Gold Cup.
Willie Mullins’ charge is odds-on to become the first three-time winner of the Festival showpiece since Best Mate in 2004 having claimed another tremendous success in Saturday’s Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
Stablemates Grangeclare West and Fact To File filled the places in that race and both could try their luck again at Prestbury Park, although Mullins has taken out Embassy Gardens and Minella Cocooner after they finished down the field.
Gordon Elliott announced on Monday Gerri Colombe was sidelined for the remainder of the season and he has been withdrawn along with Il Est Francais, who holds alternative engagements in the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase.
Dan Skelton took Grey Dawning out of the latter event but he is still in the Gold Cup, although the trainer has indicated he may bypass Cheltenham entirely.
The Ryanair Chase has 28 possibles following the latest forfeit stage, with Fact To File currently favourite. The withdrawals include Embassy Gardens and the Gold Cup-entered Ahoy Senor as well as Il Ridoto, Martator and Stage Star.
Jonbon dominates the Champion Chase market following a faultless season so far and is the headline act among 20 Champion Chase contenders.
Sunday’s Leopardstown winner Solness is among the possibles rivals, along with familiar foe Energumene and Gaelic Warrior, who was a Dublin Racing Festival disappointment.
King George hero Banbridge still has the option of all three Grade One chases, but American Mike, Blue Lord, Boothill, Gentleman De Mee, Kalif Du Berlais and Martator will not be contesting the two-mile crown.
All three races still have supplementary stages, with the Champion Chase on March 6, the Ryanair a day later and the Gold Cup on March 8.