The “Monet’s Garden” Old Roan Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase run on the Mildmay course at Aintree and takes place on Sunday 28th October.
This race traditionally attracts the top two and a half milers and has been won by the likes of Kauto Star, Monet’s Garden (2007, 2009, 2010), Alberta’s Run, Wishfull Thinking and last year, by Smad Place.
Here we take a look and the trends and statistics over the last 10 renewals of race plus a look at some of the interesting contenders:
Weight (wins-placed-runners)
11st +: 7-8-34
10st 13lb or less: 3-6-49
The last nine winners have carried 10st 7lb or more which is good news for those horses at the top of the handicap.
Age (wins-placed-runners)
5-y-o to 8-y-o: 3-9-41
9-y-o to 12-y-o: 7-6-36
Five out of the last ten winners have been aged ten or more so the older horses are not easy to dismiss.
Ratings
154+: 7-8-34
153- : 3-5-44
The last ten winners have been rated 150 or higher.
Trainer Form
Paul Nicholls has been responsible for sending out the favourite five times in the last ten years and has won the race twice overall.
He is represented by Frodon and Modus this year.
Starting Price
The S.P of the winner has ranged from 9/4 to 14/1.
Interesting Contenders
Cloudy Bay (Donald McCain)
Last year’s runner-up Cloudy Dream makes his course debut for new trainer Donald McCain on Sunday.
The Trevor Hemmings-owned eight-year-old has been the subject of sustained support all week long for the Grade Two feature and looks sure to go off the favourite.
Cloudy Dream, who was formerly trained by the Jefferson family, was second to Smad Place in this contest last season. His final race was also at Aintree when he was a disappointing fifth of six behind Politologue in the Melling Chase.
Whilst trained by the late Malcolm Jefferson he had a wonderful first season over fences, winning three of his seven starts and finishing runner-up on the four other occasions.
His efforts in defeat in that star-studded season included a six-length second to Altior in the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival which put the grey gelding firmly on the map.
Last season bore no fruits whatsoever, with four runner-up spots being filled in his six races.
A switch to McCain’s stables in Cheshire may well perk him up a bit and McCain was very positive about his chances after a recent after-hours blowout at Haydock.
God's Own (Tom George)
God’s Own is a former Grade One course and distance winner and the Old Roan is a race he has contested several times before.
The ten-year-old is still a useful sort, as he showed when he was placed in last year’s Champion Chase, and he should get his favoured ground and will be suited by the trip. He could easily make the frame again but will probably just come up shy of winning it.
Javert (Emma Lavelle)
After an 869 day lay-off, the nine-year-old won a handicap chase by two lengths against a useful a field at Uttoxeter under Leighton Aspell.
Prior to his setback, Javert won three of his five starts over fences, the last of them being a valuable prize at Haydock Park where the world looked his oyster for his syndicate owners.
If he doesn’t “bounce” on this second run of the season then a lot more success can be expected in the future.
Value At Risk (Dan Skelton)
The nine-year-old has been flitting between hurdles and chases in his last few runs but it is in the chasing sphere where he tends to excel, as his season ending victory at Ayr in April clearly proved.
Skelton has been popping in the winners in the last fortnight and his brother Harry is sure to give his sibling’s runner a positive ride.
Flying Angel (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
Nigel Twiston Davies' Flying Angel was a game winner of the first race of the 2017 Grand National Festival, the Grade One Manifesto Novices' Chase and is no stranger to the Merseyside venue.
He was well fancied for the Topham Chase back in April but could only manage 10th place, but this is a very different race altogether and he should be better suited by it.
He has some serious Grade One form at Aintree and he could rate as the best value each-way runner in the field.
Frodon (Paul Nicholls)
Paul Nicholls has saddled the winner of the Old Roan twice, once with Kauto Star in 2006 and also with Sound Investment in 2015.
Frodon, who won a Grade Three chase at Cheltenham in January under Bryony Frost, will have to shoulder the top weight of 11st 10lb in the Limited Handicap.
The six-year-old has won 8 of his 21 starts and has been somewhat of a punters friend. His Caspian Caviar Gold Cup victory at Cheltenham was by far his best result when he beat a decent field at a top winter fixture.
Frodon appears to go well fresh and Nicholls has a solid chance of making it three Old Roan trophies on his mantelpiece.
Beggar's Wishes (Peter Bowen)
Beggar’s Wishes has been a revelation in his last three runs under Sean Bowen and last time out he claimed the scalps of Dolos and Benatar to great adulation on social media.
The seven-year-old is very much in the same mould as Peter Bowen’s former stable star, Snoopy Loopy, and he looks every bit a progressive autumn horse. There could be plenty more to come and he should put up a good fist of it on Sunday.
888sport suggested bets: Flying Angel and Beggar’s Wishes (e/w).
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
