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By Dylan Jenear ValueChecker

Time For Rupert to be Tested in the Argento Chase
28/01/11

Ante-post RSA Chase favourite Time For Rupert will be putting his unbeaten status over fences on the line at Cheltenham on Saturday when contesting the Argento Chase.

Time For Rupert
© racing-images.co.uk

Time For Rupert

The fact that trainer Paul Webber has elected to pitch his stable star in amongst more experienced chasers in this Grade 2 event instead of sticking to novices’ events in the run up to the Festival is unsurprising given how good the seven-year-old has looked in his two starts in this sphere to date, both of which have been at Prestbury Park.

Interestingly, although it would appear that the staying novices’ championship race in the spring is the ultimate target he also entered Time For Rupert in the Gold Cup, for which he is currently priced up at around the 25-1 mark. Should he win well this weekend – and he’s a warm favourite to do so at a top-priced 6-4 – connections may have a conundrum as to whether to remain focused on the RSA or raise their sights and tackle the likes of Imperial Commander, Denman, Kauto Star and Long Run in March.

There can be no doubt that Time For Rupert is the leading novice chaser in the country at present. Given the level of ability he demonstrated over hurdles – he was the only horse that could go with Big Buck’s when runner-up to that rival in the World Hurdle at the 2010 Festival – he was always likely to make his mark over the larger obstacles if jumping proficiently. However, the proficiency with which he has tackled the tricky Cheltenham fences has probably exceeded the expectations of those at Webber’s Oxon-based yard. Indeed, he has looked as sure-footed as an eventer.

Punchestowns
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Punchestowns
Amongst his rivals on Saturday will be Punchestowns. Like Time For Rupert, Nicky Henderson’s charge was a top-class staying hurdler, and also chased home Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle in 2009. However, while he won his first two starts over fences in authoritative fashion last term, he failed to fire when sent off favourite for the RSA Chase at last year’s Festival, and was turned over by Pride Of Dulcote when long odds-on for his reappearance at Newbury in December.

Time may prove that in going down by a head to Pride Of Dulcote, who was in receipt of 3lb, was no disgrace at all, but Punchestowns does need to get his act together jumping-wise if he is to fulfil his undoubted potential as a chaser. The fact that he is entered in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, as well as the Gold Cup at this season’s Festival, suggests that connections may still have reservations about whether he will go to the very top of the tree in this sphere.

Paul Nicholls has three entries in the Argento, Neptune Collonges, last year’s winner Taranis and The Tother One, while Nigel Twiston-Davies is set to give BetVictor Gold Cup hero Little Josh another try over this trip. The one I’m keen on, though, is Tidal Bay, who hasn’t always been the easiest to predict, but talent is something he’s certainly not short of and, at 5-1 (generally available), the 10-year-old rates a good bet for this Gold Cup trial.

Admittedly, the Howard Johnson-trained gelding was somewhat flattered by his proximity to Imperial Commander when beaten 1¼ lengths into second by that rival in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, but it was still a cracking effort, plus he finished upwards of eight lengths clear of some smart chasers headed by Planet Of Sound.

Tidal Bay actually beat Time For Rupert by five lengths in the Cleeve Hurdle at this meeting last year, and is just 1lb worse off here. Granted, the latter has improved since, but at the prices Tidal Bay is undoubtedly the best value in the race, as if he does put in the sort of shift he is capable of this weekend he will go mighty close.

Recommendation: Tidal Bay

 

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