Grade One Ryanair Novice Chase Guide 2021

Energumene has been very lightly raced for his age, being seen twice in bumpers when looking like a nice prospect and only one over hurdles, when again looking like a very likeable type after bolting up by 19 lengths at Gowran.

Mullins decided to send him chasing this season again at Gowran Park and he went on to hose up in a Beginners Chase over 2m4f by 18 lengths.

When analysing the sectional time of that race the numbers look really smart and it was interesting to see him drop down to, two miles.

Last time out he headed to Naas in a tough Novice Chase against Captain Guinness and stablemate Blackbow and went on to jump the field into submission.

He took his form to the next level next time out when obliterating a good field by 10 lengths eased down in the Grade One Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He is a bright talent in this division and looks to the best of the Irish, holding the best form over fences heading into the event.

He missed the Arkle at the Cheltenham festival through a slight setback and if fully revved up for this event should be tough to beat.

The six year old did not run in any bumpers and was thrown straight over hurdles last season, showing great signs of speed winning on debut in a 23 runner maiden.

He returned at Punchestown just a month later and finished a narrows second behind the likeable Andy Dufresne for Gordon Elliott in the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novices Hurdle.

That looked a solid prep run before the Supreme Novices Hurdle where he was still a bit of an unknown entity and at 14/1 was travelling like a dream turning for home.

However, with the race being a mess for the most part he was bought down by Elixir D'ainay who was hampered by stablemate Asterion Forlonge.

He was seen again for the first time on chase debut and although being heavily backed was pulled up with a circuit to go.

He was given some time after that race to find the problem and in December De Bromhead got him back on track and he was an emphatic winner at Punchestown.

Since then he has been seen three times, finishing behind Energumene at Naas in a Novice Chase and then when putting it up to his rival again in the Grade One Irish Arkle but unfortunately falling two out.

Last time out he was seen in the Arkle at Cheltenham and did far too much early on and in the end faded into third, being well beaten by Shishkin.

Has it all to prove with Energumene.

Willie Mullins' strong second string in the race Janidil is one of the outsiders of this race, but is actually a smart horse in his own right landing a Grade One last time out.

Last season the JP McManus owned gelding landed a hat-trick over hurdles in handicap events and then went into the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and finished a good fifth in what has turned out to be a special renewal of the race.

He was sent chasing this term and took to the fences like a duck to water, landing a good Beginners' Chase at Naas on debut.

Next time out he was sent to Limerick for the Grade One Faugheen Novice Chase over Christmas and although finishing third was a long way behind stablemate Colreevy and Pencilfulloflead, but that form has worked out extremely well.

Janidil went to Leopardstown after that in the Grade One Flogas Novice Chase over 2m5f and unfortunately fell, but bounced back to form last time out at Fairyhouse when giving a career best effort to land the Gold Cup Novice Chase.

That run certainly puts him in the frame but the drop to, two miles is a slight worry.

The seven year old, having been a fair hurdler finishing third in the 2020 County Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival, was stepped over fences for the first time in November and finished a good second of 17 in a Beginners Chase.

He was then a narrow second behind Andy Dufresne in a small runner event and then next time out when upped to a Grade One Novice Chase at Leopardstown was fourth of six.

Tried in another Grade One, he was a fair fourth of nine in the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival, With Energumene blitzing the field.

Going down the handicapping route, he was well backed for the Grand Annual Chase at the Cheltenham festival, but unfortunately fell before making his challenge.

He is set to run in the 2m4f Handicap Chase on Wednesday at Punchestown, but if withdrawn from that will end up here and looks to have it all to do.

The final runner of the event is the Henry De Bromhead trained Zarkareva who is the big 66/1 outsider for a reason in this event.

Having been frequently ran this season starting off in July, good ground is definitely what she needs landing two events at Sligo and Punchestown after she fell on chase debut.

Having taken the Grade Three event, she has since been seen at Cheltenham, Thurles and Fairyhouse in Grade Two, Three and Listed company and been well held on all three of her outings.

That is what makes her a big price in this and it would take a huge career best to see her go well in this classy field.