Capodanno

Capodanno ran a fine race in the Ryanair Chase. It was always likely that the intermediate distance of the Ryanair Chase was going to be on the sharp side for Willie Mullins’ horse, and that ultimately proved to be the case, but there was still lots to like about his performance. He travelled well through his race, his jumping was good, he was able to go with the early pace quite comfortably, coming under a ride only after they had jumped the third last fence. He got out-paced at that point, which was understandable, but, only eighth rounding the home turn, he stayed on admirably over the last two fences and up the hill to take fourth place, just a neck behind Conflated in third.

JP McManus’ horse was pulled up in last year’s Grand National, but he went into the race on the back of an interrupted preparation, he raced just once last year before Aintree and, actually, he ran well for a long way. He jumped the spruce fences well, and he was right there just behind the leaders until after the third last fence, when he tired. He has had a much smoother run this season and, as an eight-year-old now – Noble Yeats is the only seven-year-old to win the Grand National since Bogskar in 1940 – he should be better equipped for the rigours of the National than he was last year as a seven-year-old. With Hewick now regrettably out of the race, his rating of 161 sees him set to carry at least 11st 7lb, but he could be classy enough to be able for that type of burden.

Cheltenham, 14^th March 2024