Date: Thursday 18th March 2021
The Ryanair Chase has become a very reliable trends race in recent years and the profile of the winner is now much clearer than it once was.
You want a horse with proven class over an intermediate trip, ideally aged between 7 and 9, with strong recent form and preferably previous Cheltenham form already in the book. Irish-trained runners have become increasingly dominant in this race and that is again a major factor this year.
Using the Turf Talk approach, these are the three that come out best.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| Allaho | 223 |
| Min | 214 |
| Imperial Aura | 201 |
| Fakir D’Oudairies | 194 |
| Mister Fisher | 186 |
| Melon | 178 |
| Samcro | 171 |
The ratings place heavy emphasis on Cheltenham form, proven ability over at least 2m4f and whether the horse arrives in strong current form. This race tends to reward specialists rather than horses trying the trip as an afterthought.
MAIN SELECTION
Allaho (7/1 available)
He comes out top on the ratings and looks to have a very strong Ryanair profile.
He has the age, the intermediate-trip form and the sort of aggressive jumping style that can be very effective in a race like this. He also comes from the dominant stable for these championship races and looks the one most likely to improve again for this test.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Min (8/1 available)
A very solid alternative and one with enough class to make a bold bid.
He has the Grade 1 form, the stable profile and plenty of pace for this sort of race. He is perhaps not quite as open to improvement as the main selection, but his overall profile is still very strong.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
Imperial Aura (15/2 available)
A horse with enough course and distance credentials to deserve serious consideration.
He has Cheltenham form, fits the age trend and has the sort of profile that often goes well in this race. He may lack the same Grade 1 depth as the top two, but still makes enough appeal to round out the shortlist.
SUMMARY
Allaho tops the ratings and is taken as the main selection, with Min the strongest danger and Imperial Aura another who makes plenty of sense in a race that increasingly rewards proven intermediate-trip specialists.
