Ryanair Chase Preview: No grey area with Al Ferof

If Vautour runs in this race he’ll win, but his connections seem keen on giving him every chance of lining up in the Gold Cup, despite the fact they also have last year’s runner-up Djakadam for that race. The same connections’ Vroum Vroum Mag looks set to remain over hurdles and run in either the Mares’ Hurdle (deputising for Annie Power should she be drafted in to replace Faugheen in the Champion Hurdle) or the World Hurdle.

Road To Riches is second favourite for the Ryanair behind Vautour but could easily have another crack at the Gold Cup in which he was third last year, while the same owner’s Valseur Lido (like Vautour and Vroum Vroum Mag trained by Willie Mullins) could now switch to the Gold Cup after his performance in the Irish Gold Cup, looking set to go close before falling at the last (he’s won over twenty-five furlongs). Another Gigginstown-owned gelding, Don Cossack, looks certain to run in the Gold Cup.

Vibrato Valtat has done the vast majority of his racing at around two miles and could go on trial for the Ryanair in the Ascot Chase over twenty-one furlongs on Saturday, in which Dynaste will bid to record his first success since the 2014 Ryanair (he’s had a breathing operation since his last run, just as he had before that Ryanair victory).

This all means that only two of the top seven in the betting for the Ryanair as things stand are more or less guaranteed to run, namely Al Ferof and Smashing.

Al Ferof made a deeply impressive return/first start for the excellent Dan Skelton when winning the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon, and he was a creditable third in the three-mile King George at Kempton for the third year running last time. Al Ferof might have finished only fifth in the 2014 Ryanair, but he’s better than he showed there – some 20 lb better, to be precise – and there’s a good chance this race has been his target all along this season, with his great record fresh another pointer to a big run at Cheltenham.

Smashing has won all three of his starts this season, most recently in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran last Saturday. He’ll likely give it his best shot from the front, but he’ll need to step up again to get in the shake-up – he’s rated almost a stone behind Al Ferof - and, consequently, looks no better than fairly-priced at 10/1.

Josses Hill made the most of a good opportunity back from 10 weeks off and returned to twenty furlongs in a graduation chase at Kempton last Friday, doing everything right for just about the first time over fences. He will reportedly now head for the Ryanair, though he'll need to improve to figure, assuming that is that his jumping is able to stand up to what's sure to be a much more demanding test.

This is a bit of a minefield at this stage – as per usual – with a number holding alternative Festival engagements, including by far the most likely winner Vautour. It would be no surprise to see at least one, if not both, of Road To Riches and Valseur Lido take their chance given they are owned by the sponsor (who have stronger alternatives for the Gold Cup), but the best Ryanair bet as things stand must be Al Ferof at 6/1 given the race looks his big target and he’ll be Timeform top rated should Don Cossack and Vautour head to the Gold Cup as predicted.

Recommended bet:

Back Al Ferof at 6/1 for the Ryanair Chase