Road To Respect

19th-Oct-2017

I am backing Road To Respect in the Irish Daily Star Chase at Punchestown today.  I think that he is over-priced at 6/1.

Noel Meade’s horse is rated higher than just two of his six rivals in today’s race, and he is rated 8lb lower than top-rated Minella Rocco, to whom he has to concede 10lb, but he has bags of potential.

He was an improver last season.  He was seriously impressive in winning the Brown Advisory Plate at the Cheltenham Festival in March and, while he was obviously helped by Yorkhill’s left-leaning tendencies in the Ryanair Gold Cup at right-handed Fairyhouse in April, he still battled back well to beat that top-class rival over a trip that was probably shorter than ideal, and the pair of them finished clear of the talented Ball D’Arc.

He shapes as if he will stay this three-mile trip and, crucially, he is still only six and has raced just seven times over fences.  He has lots of potential for further progression.

He goes well fresh, he was a moderately surprising winner of a beginners’ chase on his debut last season, and he was entered in the PWC Chase at Gowran Park two weeks ago, so he should be ready enough to go today.  Also, Noel Meade has his horses in good form.

The race is full of dangers.  Minella Rocco is obviously the biggest danger, the Gold Cup runner-up.  He is rated 165, 8lb higher than Road To Respect, and the Gigginstown House horse has to concede 10lb to him.  However, while this race has been on Minella Rocco’s radar for a while, it still could be just a starting point for him.

Outlander and Sub Lieutenant, and even Carlingford Lough and old friend Zabana, are all dangers, but Road To Respect could be a Gold Cup horse this season and, if he is going to be that good, he really should be running well today against horses rated in the mid-160s, even conceding weight to them.

ROAD TO RESPECT WON (ADV 6/1, SP 7/2)