With an upgrading to Grade One status, this year’s £200,000 Grade One Ryanair Chase, run
over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham on Thursday, March 13, has attracted a record entry of 57.
Paul Nicholls, responsible for sending out last year’s victor Taranis and 2005 hero Thisthatandtother, has five possibilities, headed by 2006 Royal & SunAlliance Chase winner Star De Mohaison, who delighted his trainer when finishing third on his first start for two years in the Unicoin Homes Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. The champion trainer has also entered Master Minded, New Little Bric, Sporazene and Turko.
The Charlie Mann-trained Moon Over Miami has scored on both his previous visits to
Cheltenham, most recently in the Grade Two Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase on November 18.
Last year’s second, Our Vic, could aim to go one place better for David Pipe and the trainer has also entered Boylesports.com Gold Cup scorer Tamarinbleu, Pablo du Charmil and Vodka Bleu, who won the TurfTV New Year Chase at Cheltenham on January 1.
Monet’s Garden, who finished fourth behind Taranis in last year’s Ryanair Chase, could
represent Greystoke-based trainer Nicky Richards, who has also entered last season’s The Irish
Independent Arkle Trophy fourth Faasel. The first three from that race, My Way De Solzen, Fair Along and recent Ladbroke Hurdle winner Jack The Giant could all reoppose Faasel, while 2005 Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle runner-up Racing Demon, fifth in last year’s Ryanair Chase, is another possible starter.
Dual Grade One scorer The Listener is engaged (as well as in the totesport Cheltenham Gold
Cup), while Nigel Twiston-Davies could be represented by 2004 Ballymore Properties Novices’
Hurdle winner Fundamentalist and Knowhere.
Ferdy Murphy has three possibilities for the race, including this season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup scorer L’Antartique. The Leyburn-based handler could also rely on last year’s Royal & SunAlliance Chase fourth Aces Four and Grade One Swordlestown Cup winner Another Promise.
A strong Irish challenge of 18 entries is headed by John Murphy’s 2006 Seasons Holidays
Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Newmill, and the Michael O’Brien-trained pair of In Compliance and Forget The Past, who finished third in the totesport Gold Cup two years ago.
Justified finished fifth in last season’s Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase
while Tom Taaffe has entered 2007 Grand National third Slim Pickings.
Other notable Irish entries include Dessie Hughes’ dual Grade One victor Schindler’s Hunt and the Willie Mullins-trained Snowy Morning, who chased home Denman in last season’s Royal &
SunAlliance Chase.
The Festival’s current winning-most Irish trainer, Edward O’Grady, has made an entry for 2006 Coral Cup winner Sky’s The Limit while Charlie Swan has entered a talented trio of Drunken
Disorderly, Offshore Account and Foreman, who finished behind Voy Por Ustedes and Monet’s
Garden in The Irish Independent Arkle Trophy two seasons ago.