Saint Roi
Saint Roi did well to finish second behind Banbridge in the Manifesto Chase at Aintree. Stepping up to two and a half miles for the first time in his life, it was understandable that he was keen through the early stages of the race, and it didn’t help that he made a bad mistake at the second fence down the back straight. That knocked him back to last of the five runners, so he did well to regain his equilibrium. Still last as they turned for home, he moved up nicely on the outside on the run to the second last fence. He landed awkwardly over that obstacle, and that allowed Banbridge get away from him a little, but there was a lot to like about the way that he picked up from there. He moved into second place on the run to the last and, while it didn’t really look likely that he would catch the talented winner, he kept on all the way to the line to go down by just over a length, with the front two clear.

It was a really encouraging run by Willie Mullins’ horse over the longest trip over which he has ever raced. It opens up options for him next season now. He is set to run in the two-mile novices’ chase at Punchestown, and it is difficult to see him beating his stable companion El Fabiolo in that, but he will be an interesting horse over two and a half miles next season, if that is the route that he goes. A County Hurdle winner, he could be a horse for the Ryanair Chase, a race for which he is a big price at present.
Aintree, 13^th April 2023