Paddy Power Gold Cup: Take a leap of faith with Buywise

If you could pick an incident to overshadow this weekend’s feature chase, the Paddy Power Gold Cup, what would it be?

As we’ve already had ‘race short of advertised distance’ and ‘winner ineligible to run’ struck off the bingo card in recent weeks, I’ll have to plump for ‘low sun turning race into a glorified bumper’. One of the most prestigious races of the jumps season failing to place any emphasis on jumping would clearly leave a sour taste in some mouths. However, the winnings from Buywise’s inevitable success would provide ample recompense, in my view at least! You see, Buywise is the jumper who does not like to jump, and the main impediment to big-race glory is the 16 obstacles standing in his way.

Buywise made a mockery of his opening mark when registering a first success in a two-and-a-half mile handicap chase at Ludlow last January, shrugging off a number of errors to win. Quickly turned out under a penalty at Taunton, Buywise once again proved far superior to his rivals, delivering another wide-margin victory, and he confirmed his status as just about the most progressive horse in training when winning with ease off his revised mark back at Ludlow. A trip to Cheltenham, to contest the valuable novices’ handicap chase (over the same C&D as the Paddy Power Gold Cup), was next on the agenda for Buywise, and he looked completely at ease in the higher grade, putting up a remarkable effort to finish so close in fifth having made a succession of notable blunders.

Some compensation was gained at Cheltenham the following month as, over half a furlong further on the New Course, Buywise confirmed the promise of his Festival effort, running out a nine-length winner in impressive fashion, leading on the bridle over the last and finishing with plenty still in the tank. His jumping once again left plenty to be desired, however, and it is undoubtedly a negative, particularly back in an ultra-competitive contest such as the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Every fence on Saturday will be an ordeal for backers of Buywise, and he is not one for the faint of heart, but his latent talent makes him a difficult horse to ignore. For those, much like myself, looking for some straws to clutch, consider that his rider Paul Moloney features highly among the list of jockeys with the best completion record over fences, while the likely soft ground should slow things down a bit, perhaps reducing his chances of a catastrophic race-ending error.

Having devoted much of a preview to a horse that may not get beyond the first, it’s time to turn the spotlight onto some safer conveyances. Colour Squadron hasn’t got an enviable strike-rate, yet to win over fences despite this being his third campaign chasing, however he’s put up a number of rock-solid efforts in handicaps, including over C&D. A good second in this last season, Colour Squadron went on to finish placed in two other Cheltenham handicaps, and he could still be fairly treated from a mark just 6 lb higher than when beating all bar the well-treated Ballynagour at the Festival. He spurned a good opportunity on reappearance at Newton Abbot but was probably committed for home too soon, and a return to patient tactics, picking off weakening rivals, can see him to good effect.

As a progressive horse, proven over C&D and versatile in regards to ground conditions, Present View’s claims are obvious, and it is no surprise to see him head the market. Present View has looked a different proposition since being dropped back to two and a half miles, notably taking the novices’ handicap chase at the Festival last season, and he made an encouraging reappearance over hurdles last month, tanking through the race, only being run out of it close home having made a significant error at the final flight. He returned from Cheltenham with a cut, which led to a slight setback, but, with his trainer reporting all is now well, he is difficult to dismiss.

Looking at the others towards the fore of the market, it is harder to make a strong case for Oscar Whisky as he simply hasn’t convinced with his jumping since making the switch to fences. A top-class hurdler at his best, Oscar Whisky couldn’t get close to matching that level of form in his novice chase campaign, and an ultra-competitive contest such as this is likely to expose his flaws. Last season’s winner Johns Spirit is another who has proven popular in ante-post lists following a smooth success here last time, his third course win in total, and he isn’t handicapped out of things. He does face a number of rivals who are open to greater improvement than the assortment he despatched last time, however, and others make more appeal.

At a bigger price, it would be folly to dismiss the claims of Attaglance as he has posted two excellent efforts over C&D, first when finishing fourth in last season’s renewal and then when getting to within half a length of Present View at the Festival. He was arguably a shade unlucky on the latter occasion having been hampered on the run-in, and he should give another good account with the benefit of a pipe-opener at Market Rasen under his belt. Persian Snow also has a good record here, and, while he has been beaten by a fair few of Saturday’s opponents, including Present View and Johns Spirit, he does meet them on better terms and makes a bit of each-way appeal.

In a typically-competitive renewal of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, with just 3 lb separating the top 17 on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings, my working out is undoubtedly looking a bit suspect having led me to side with a horse that can’t jump (Buywise) and another that refuses to win (Colour Squadron)! However, Buywise could simply prove a class above, and can’t be ignored from his current mark, while a recent hurdles spin, over a barely-adequate two miles at Ludlow, should have left him spot on. Those looking for a safer alternative to Buywise could do worse than opt for Colour Squadron as his big-race record is a massive plus, and there could yet be an even bigger performance in the locker when everything clicks.