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By Dylan Jenear ValueChecker

Big Zeb, Zaidpour and Hurricane Fly Feature at Leopardstown
29/12/10

Last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Big Zeb continues his preparation for a repeat bid at the top two-milers’ race over fences at the Cheltenham Festival in March when contesting the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase, a race he won in 2008, at Leopardstown on Wednesday.

Colm Murphy’s charge is, at the time of writing, favourite in most bookies’ lists, just ahead of Golden Silver, whom he outpointed on his reappearance in the Fortria Chase at Navan last month. However, the latter, who landed this Grade 1 event last year, scored in decisive fashion at Fairyhouse subsequently, and is expected to push Big Zeb harder on this occasion.

Captain Cee Bee
© racing-images.co.uk

I have a feeling that Golden Silver may get the better of Big Zeb this time, but would not be at all surprised if they’re both thwarted by Captain Cee Bee, who made a good start to the season when landing a Grade 3 at Naas at the end of October, and this strong-travelling gelding’s turn of foot could prove a decisive factor in a race which is almost certain to be a tactical affair.

Indeed, it’s likely that just four runners will go to post, with J’y Vole unlikely to be turned out again after running in the Lexus Chase here yesterday, so it is hoped that the outsider of the quintet of entries, Scotsirish, who will be the second-string from the Willie Mullins yard assuming J’y Vole doesn’t go to post, will ensure that a half-decent gallop ensues.

Captain Cee Bee’s sole disappointment over fences was when well held in the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but he was found to have broken a blood vessel on that occasion. The nine-year-old proved that effort all wrong when scoring at the Punchestown Festival a month later, and he looked poised to beat the top-class Sizing Europe before falling at the final fence in the Irish Arkle over this C&D last season.

If Captain Cee Bee does beat Golden Silver, there’s likely to be rich compensation for the Mullins stable in the two Grade 1 contests over hurdles on this card, however. Mullins’ Zaidpour has looked the real deal in his two starts over timber since being recruited from France, hacking up in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse earlier this month. He is very hard to oppose in the Paddypowerpoker.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle.

Ireland’s champion National Hunt trainer should also strike with Hurricane Fly in the Paddypower.com Iphone App Festival Hurdle. He was beaten by Solwhit at Punchestown last winter, but has mastered that rival in their two meetings since, including in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse two weeks ago, and can establish himself as the Emerald Isle’s leading Champion Hurdle contender by bagging this prize.

Recommendation: Captain Cee Bee (1.20)