L’Antartique on right course to make three from three

Mar 13 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

L’ANTARTIQUE should be able to continue his 100% record at Cheltenham in the Ryanair Chase (2.50pm).

Ferdy Murphy’s eight-year-old was an impressive winner at last year’s Festival in the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase. Despite a fall at Aintree afterwards, he showed his liking for Prestbury Park when winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup over the 2m5f course and distance in November.

Yorkshire-based handler Murphy has had this Grade One contest as the gelding’s chief aim all season.

He didn’t stay in the 3m Lexus Chase behind Denman at Christmas, and battled on well after getting outpaced on in the Game Spirit Chase over an inadequate two miles. Back on this course and distance he can return to a winner’s enclosure he knows so well.

Inglis Drever will be hard to prevent winning a third Ladbrokes World Hurdle (3.30pm) crown. He has won the 3m staying hurdle twice in the last three years. Injury prevented Howard Johnson’s nine-year-old from already having scored a hat-trick. But he has looked better than ever this season when winning the Long Distance and Cleeve Hurdles.

Tidal Bay’s Arkle Chase win on Tuesday shows the County Durham stable is returning to form after a spell in the doldrums.

It is hard to see anything getting past him up the Cheltenham hill, with 2006 winner My Way de Solzen the best each-way hope from Alan King’s in-form yard.

The Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle (4.40pm) is a tricky race with several big priced winners in recent years, but powerful owner JP McManus has won three of the last five runnings and at double figure odds the Michael Hourigan-trained Dancing Tornado may be able to give him another.

With the changed running order due to yesterday’s abandonment, it is a bumper 10-race card and as highlighted yesterday Voy Por Ustedes can win a second Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase (2.20pm).

CHELTENHAM (Day Three):

12.30pm Ice Tea (NAP)

1.05pm Albertas Run

1.40pm Finger Onthe Pulse

2.20pm (Queen Mother Champion Chase) Voy Por Ustedes

2.55pm (Ryanair Chase) L’Antartique

3.30pm (World Hurdle) 1 INGLIS DREVER 2 Wichita Lineman 3 My Way de Solzen

4.05pm Crozan

4.40pm Dancing Tornado

5.15pm Noit Et Vert

5.50pm Corskeagh Royale