The Weekend Winners team take aim at Sandown ahead of the final National Hunt meeting of the 2024/25 season.
Kate Tracey, Declan Rix and Sam Boswell began this week’s show with a look at the Oaksey Chase, which sees nine runners go in search of the Menorah Challenge Trophy over two miles and six furlongs.
Willie Mullins’ Aintree hero Gaelic Warrior is towards the head of the market, which also features Pic d’Orhy and Gentleman De Mee.
Kate Tracey…
“It’s Gaelic Warrior for me – in Gary I trust! He’s such an enigma of a horse, I still have no idea how good he actually is, which is bizarre considering his Grade 1 wins and other successes. He got a brilliant ride from Patrick Mullins at Aintree last time out, winning again going left-handed.
“He jumped well, extending nice on the run-in alongside some proper staying chasers. When he’s on song, he’s difficult to beat over any trip, on any track – hopefully he proves himself to be the best horse in the race.”
Declan Rix…
“I thought on the form book it looked a little bit of a match between Gaelic Warrior and Pic d’Orhy – although that’s a brave thing to say given it’s the end of the season. The BHA handicapper has got Gaelic Warrior on 170 and Pic d’Orhy on 162 – I’d have them a little bit closer together. I think the bookmakers see it that way as well, looking at the prices.
Declan Rix is picking Pic D’orhy to win the Oaksey Chase
“I’m going to side with Pic D’Orhy. He’s only had two starts this season, he’ll come here fresh. We know he likes going right handed on good ground, and that’s what he’s going to get here. He was very good this day [when winning the Ascot Chase]. In theory, this is a step down in Grade even though Gaelic Warrior is definitely a better horse. A small worry would be Willie [Mullins] has four in there. Gaelic Warrior wears a hood and he’s a hold-up horse. Harry Cobden needs to be aware that one of the Mullins horses might soften him up early or mid-race. However, he’s got plenty of early boot and if he gets into an early rhythm, I hope he’ll take some catching.
Sam Boswell…
“I thought this was an interesting contest and thanks to Willie Mullins sending multiple runners, it’s possibly right for an each-way bet, isn’t it? You’ve got to think a lot of these Skelton and Mullins runners – this weekend is a bit of an afterthought. With that in mind, I just wondered whether Le Patron is too big of a price to be in the frame. He arrives here lighter raced than other runners who have had busier campaigns.
Le Patron is back in action
At Ascot last time out in the Grade 1 he was disappointing, but you have to forgive him for that – it wasn’t his running. Looking at the bigger picture, is he a bit overpriced on the face of things? He’s going to need to improve, but he did win the Henry VIII around here in very good fashion. He likes Sandown and they’ll go in the better ground that he’ll appreciate. I was trying to find something at a bigger price to make a bit of a play against horses who could underperform to their rating, given they’ve had a busy time of things.
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