Greaneteen

24th-Apr-2021

I think that Greaneteen is over-priced in the Celebration Chase.

Paul Nicholls’ horse may be just below the very best two-mile chasers, and I expected him to step up in trip to two and a half miles at some point this season, but he won the Haldon Gold Cup at the start of this season, and he finished second to Politologue in the Tingle Creek Chase over today’s course and distance in December, and he ran better than his finishing position suggests last time in the Champion Chase.

He travelled really well through his race at Cheltenham, but he was further back than ideal and wider than ideal off a relatively sedate pace.  He travelled really well down the hill and he turned for home travelling as well as anything, but he just kept on over the last two fences instead of quickening.  Even so, he was only beaten a total of two lengths by Put The Kettle On.

Henry de Bromhead’s mare is a fantastic mare, she has done us lots of favours in the past, but she has to prove that she can be as good at Sandown as she is at Cheltenham, and she is short.

Sceau Royal was unlucky at Cheltenham, he was squeezed out of it on the run to the home turn, and he won the Henry VIII Chase as a novice over today’s course and distance.  He may well win, but he is fashionable, he has been over-bet in my book after an obviously unlucky-looking run at Cheltenham, and he has been beaten on his last three runs over today’s course and distance.

With Ornua in the race, Greaneteen should get the fast pace that suits him so well.  He will love the ground and he could run a big race.

GREANETEEN WON (ADV 8/1, SP 13/2)