Past Winners » Chasing Cars

23-Apr-2010

I’m giving Chasing Cars another chance here at the price. He could be gone, and his jumping in the RSA Chase last time wouldn’t inspire you with confidence, but there is no doubting his talent, he is potentially really well handicapped, and there are reasons for believing that he could bounce back today.

Always highly thought-of, Jessica Harrington’s horse almost beat Cooldine in a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle at Fairyhouse two years ago. Off the track for all of last season, he returned in Sports Line’s beginners’ chase at Navan in November, a really hot beginners’ chase, and finished third, with a field of potentially high class novices, including Psycho, behind. From there, he looked like a really exciting chasing prospect, but things didn’t go right for him at all after that. He fell on his next two starts, then was well beaten by Mick The Man on really soft ground at Down Royal.

All of his best runs have been right-handed, and he has run particularly well in three visits to Punchestown. There is also a chance that he is a better horse in the spring than he is in the depths of winter. He is in here off a lovely weight of 10st 3lb (even though he is 4lb out of the handicap), off a rating of 121, some 21lb lower than his hurdles mark. This is his ideal trip and his optimum ground, just on the soft side of good, Jessica Harrington’s horses are in good form, and, if Robbie Power can get him into a nice rhythm, he could go well.

CHASING CARS WON (ADV 16/1, SP 10/1)