Elliott Can Make it Three in a Row

The €100,000 Dan Moore Memorial Chase takes place at 2.10pm Saturday at Fairyhouse.

Posted By: Peter Kingston 11th January 2019

Peter Kingston previews the Dan Moore at Fairyhouse, hoping for an Elliott Hat-Trick

The Dan Moore Memorial Chase is a Grade A handicap over 2 miles and 1 furlong. €100,000 prize-money is on offer and ten go to post for the feature at Fairyhouse at 2.10pm on Saturday.

Dan Moore was an Irish racing legend. Champion jockey and trainer, he was most famous for the great L’Escargot; a dual Gold Cup winner and a Grand National winner in 1975, stopping the run of Red Rum. 

Tommy Carberry rode the poorly named L’Escargot, he was Dan Moore’s son in law. Dan’s son Arthur was champion trainer in time, winning this race on a few occasions and remarkably the Irish Grand National in 2011 here at Fairyhouse with niece Nina Carberry aboard Organised Confusion. What a dynasty. 

Elliott Holds the Aces

Doctor Phoenix won the race last year for the all conquering Gordon Elliott stable. I saw on Twitter during the week where his owner sent the coveted trophy for this race back to Ireland from Plumpton in Gordon Elliott’s horse box. Could that be an omen. Elliott has 4 entries. 

The ground is good at Fairyhouse after an unseasonably mild and dry winter. Even though there is prize-money for the first six home, there is only a relatively small field, a result of the settled weather.  

This is a fiercely competitive race. Favourite Duca de Thaix has to be respected after bolting up last time up in his first handicap chase at this track. 

See Guaranteed odds for the Dan Moore Chase on baroneracing.com here 

I think Gordon Elliott can win the race for a third year running, though it is Cubomania and not the fav which is the selection. He was a faller at the 2nd last in the Drinmore when out-running his odds of 50/1. The Drinmore form here back at the start of December looks red hot after Delta Work and Le Richebourg both won at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Cubomania was then fast finishing 2nd in Leopardstown on Boxing Day after being hampered after jumping the third fence. The 6 year old gelding has won 7 of his 14 races since joining Gordon Elliott and bears a striking resemblance to the profile of last years winner, the then rapid improver Doctor Phoenix. 

Dangers

Other’s with a chance include Kildorrey; who has beaten Duca de Thaix back in October but then fell short behind Voix du Reve and Cadmium at Punchestown. Ted Walsh has described him as having ‘a screw loose’ and ‘like his mother’. Ruby Walsh could bring out more improvement on his father’s horse, but this keen sort is a bit volatile for my liking. 

Blazer has some serious hurdles form in the book; beaten 2 lengths in a Coral Cup at Cheltenham and second in the Galway Hurdle to Sharjah with Bedrock in behind. That said his chase form leaves a bit to be desired. It is hard to guage the green and gold runners of JP McManus and big pots like these can often reveal their horses potential.

Bel Ami de Sivola is 2 wins from 4 runs at Fairyhouse. He won a Novice Handicap Chase here at last year’s Easter meeting for Gigginstown and Noel Meade, with the weak finishing Blazer back in 4th. Bel Ami de Sivola’s recent form isn’t great however and improvement is needed.

The strong travelling Tycoon Prince is another in the maroon silks and is showing a bit of his old spark. He was a good 2nd to Saint Calvados in Naas when Footpad came down at the last in November and Jack Kennedy was probably kicking himself he didn’t get after him sooner. Then on Stephen’s Day behind Cubomania he travelled like the best horse in the race before emptying, a familiar tale. I can see him playing a big part the race.

De Bromhead Duo

Another Gigginstown horse and younger version of Tycoon Prince is Avenir D’Une Vie. He’s been off the track for over a year but Henry De Bromhead reports him to be in good form. He should be fit enough if the racing post quote is to believed.

‘He hasn’t run for almost a year but he’s ready to roll. We almost ran him at Leopardstown this week but I think we’ll wait for the Dan Moore at Fairyhouse on January 12. He’s in good form and has really pleased me with his work’. – 26/12/2018

Avenir D’Une Vie is a classy type and was a very good bumper horse, he doesn’t find a whole lot off the bridle though but can make his presence felt off a mark of 138. The worry is his form would suggest he’d like it a whole lot softer.

Three Stars is another runner for Waterford based trainer, Henry De Bromhead. The 9 year old’s jumping leaves a lot to be desired but he would be dangerous if returning to the form of last spring, when second in a premier handicap behind Patrick’s Park at Leopardstown and fifth in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham.

Three Stars maybe be the only genuine front runner left in the field. Kylecrue is more of a 2 and a half miler and many of these are hold up types.

Gigginstown throw five at the Dan Moore, half the field, but I think Cubomania is the value in a strange context for this race. 6 of the last 7 running’s have been on soft or heavy and the other was abandoned. Maybe it’s worth sticking with the ‘summer’ type, while the unseasonable conditions continue.

Cubomania is a surrealist method of making collages in which a picture or image is cut into squares and the squares are then reassembled without regard for the original image… Well Gordon Elliott is tearing up the rule book on how things used to be done and doing things his own way, successfully I might add. Cubomania had 14 runs in 2018 and is entered twice this weekend.

Selection:

Cubomania 2.10pm Fairyhouse

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*Odds were correct at time of publishing the article