12th-Dec-2020

This is a really competitive handicap chase, but I think that Sizing Pottsie is over-priced.

Jessica Harrington’s horse ran well in maiden hurdles won by Cavalry Master and Captain Guinness last winter before switching to fences.  He won twice in the spring, and he was running a big race against Zero Ten in a Grade 3 contest at Thurles in March before he came down at the second last fence.

Well beaten in the Grade 2 intermediate chase at Down Royal that Battleoverdoyen won in October on his debut this season, when he was keener than ideal early on, he stepped forward from that last time when he finished second to Felix Desjy in the Grade 2 Craddockstown Chase at Punchestown.

It looked like he had Gordon Elliott’s horse in trouble when he kicked into a clear lead on the run to the third last fence.  He was run down by Felix Desjy on the run-in, but it was still a fine run by the Kapgarde gelding to get to within two lengths of a high class rival, with the pair of them clear of last season’s Champion Hurdle third Darver Star. 

He is only six and that was just his sixth run over fences, and he should progress from it, his second run of the season.  He has the potential to go beyond the mark of 149 off which he races today and, with Chosen Mate in the line-up, he has a nice racing weight of 11st 3lb. 

He goes well at Fairyhouse too, he finished third in a bumper there in April 2019, and he won his beginners’ chase there in February, which is a positive, over the Fairyhouse fences. 

Chosen Mate is a classy horse, he was so good in winning the Grand Annual, and he could still be better than a 156-rated horse, while Entoucas and Daly Tiger and Off You Go are all dangers.  But Sizing Pottsie is the bet.

SIZING POTTSIE WON (ADV 7/2, SP 7/2)