Cooldine a class act, but Maguire is big-race value

HE’S won Premier League titles, Champions Leagues and FA Cups as manager of Manchester United, not to mention a Classic Flat race as owner of Rock Of Gibraltar.


So none of us should be surprised if Sir Alex Ferguson collects a big prize at the Cheltenham Festival with his exciting young steeplechaser, What A Friend.

The six-year-old is the 10-1 favourite for the RSA Chase (formerly the Royal and SunAlliance) following fluent victories over decent opposition at Uttoxeter and Cheltenham.

In the latter race, he beat the useful yardstick, Ballyfitz, in great style, jumping fluently throughout and delivering a telling turn of foot up the hill.

Success over the same track as the RSA Chase is a huge plus point for What A Friend, who fully deserves his place at the head of the market.

His detractors point to a high head carriage, but a bigger worry for me would be his abject failure in the three-mile novices’ hurdle at last year’s Festival.

What A Friend’s victories this season have been achieved in seven and five-runner races, so there has to be a slight doubt about his ability to mix it in a bigger field and against better rivals in the hurly-burly of a championship race.

All things considered and this being a price-orientated column, I am prepared to field against What A Friend.

There are certainly lots of worthy contenders for this prize, which was won last year by our 20-1 selection, Albertas Run.

Cooldine (12-1) is of great interest and looks the one one horse among the likely RSA Chase runners with Gold Cup pretensions.

The winner of five novices hurdles on the spin in Ireland last season, Cooldine has always looked a chaser in the making and confirmed that belief with a 19 lengths win at Thurles on his debut over fences.

A slow early pace and inadequate trip of two miles and a furlong were against him when he finished third to Follow The Plan and Tatanen at Leopardstown over Christmas, and I have no doubt that the three miles of the Cheltenham race will be much more suitable.

Trained by the brilliant Willie Mullins, Cooldine could well be the one for this race, but I would like to see him in action again before taking the plunge.

Aran Concerto is also on the 12-1 mark and will have his supporters.

A hot favourite when only fifth to Massini’s Maguire in the 2007 Ballymore Properties’ Novices Hurdle, Aran Concerto was sidelined by a tendon injury last season, but returned from his spell on the sidelines to win a 2m 4f novice chase at Navan by seven lengths.

If his leg holds up, he has the class to make an impact at the highest level, but the old saying about horses never being the same after a serious injury is one I always respect so Aran Concerto is readily passed over.

Breedsbreeze (12-1) is another major hope from the What A Friend stable of Paul Nicholls, and this fluent jumper impressed when winning the Feltham Novices’ chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

However, Nicholls believes a flat, right-handed track suits Breedsbreeze best, and he will get exactly the opposite at Cheltenham.

Trafford Lad (14-1) is a solid and reliable horse who ran well to be third in the Ballymore at last year’s Festival.

He was just touched off by Casey Jones - more of him later - over three miles at Leopardstown on his last start, having won three times previously over fences.

Others to consider are Gone To Lunch (16-1), who has been improving with each race but may go for the four-miler at the Festival, and the aforementioned Ballyfitz (20-1), whose stable was out of form when he was beaten by What A Friend.

Calgary Bay (16-1) is being aimed at the Arkle, while Lodge Lane (20-1) is hugely talented but has a dismal record at Cheltenham and impressive Newbury winner The Market Man (20-1) has questions to answer after flopping behind Breedsbreeze at Kempton.

Fiveforthree, winner of last year’s Ballymore Hurdle, is 20-1 with the bookmakers, but a worrying 74-1 with Betfair. Perhaps all is not well him.

According To Pete, trained at Malton by Malcolm Jefferson, is an admirable horse, but will surely find one or two too good at this level, so that brings us to Massini’s Maguire and Casey Jones, who are both available at 25-1, the former with Coral and the latter with Sportingbet.

Massini’s Maguire shaped well when second to Breedsbreeze on only his second start over fences and, as a previous Festival winner, has what it takes to cope with the big occasion.

And Casey Jones should not be almost twice the price of Trafford Lad on their Leopardstown running, so he has to be interesting at his current odds.

The down side is his Betfair price of 73-1 which suggests he may have an alternative big-race target in the spring.

I have a feeling that Cooldine is the most likely winner, but an each-way bet on Massini’s Maguire could look decent value come the day of the race.