Eldorado Allen

Eldorado Allen only finished third in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon last Sunday, but he didn’t do badly in the circumstances. Held up early on at the rear of the six-runner field and on the inside, he made a mistake at the fifth last fence just as the race was starting to hot up, and that put him on the back foot. Only fifth as they raced to the final fence in the back straight, slightly detached from the leading group of four, he came under pressure as they left the back straight. Still only fifth as they rounded the home turn, he stayed on well over the last two fences, past Master Tommytucker and Allmankind and closing on the first two all the way to the line, beaten in the end by four and a half lengths and one and three-quarter lengths by First Flow and Funambule Sivola.

Colin Tizzard’s horse was an exciting novice chaser last season, he won his first two chases and he was sent off at just 3/1 for the Grade 1 Henry VIII Chase at Sandown, which was won by the now 164-rated Allmankind. He finished second behind Shishkin in the Arkle on his penultimate run of the season, although he did pick up the pieces a bit after Allmankind and Captain Guinness had duelled for the early lead. He did win the Haldon  Gold Cup over an extended two miles at Exeter on his debut this season, when he had Hitman and Zanza and Greaneteen behind him, form that has worked out really well since, but he shapes like a horse who needs a true test at two and a half miles to be seen at his best. A half-brother to Auvergnat, who won a Paddy Power Chase over three miles and a La Touche Cup over four, he could step up to three miles in time too. Still only seven and with just eight chases on his CV, he still has time on his side.
Huntingdon, 5^th December 2021