13th Mar 2019 | Horse Racing
Ryanair Chase Tip: Road To Respect
Previous Festival winner and fourth in Gold Cup last year. 3m2f beyond the limit of his stamina and a strongly run 2m5f should be more to his liking. Ran Bellshill very close last time out.
Road To Respect was my pick for the Gold Cup last year but he doesn’t quite get the trip and that is something Noel Meade recognised, hence the re-routing to the Ryanair. That said his proven stamina at 3-miles might be an asset, with several confirmed front-runners this could be a strongly run affair.
In terms of form Road To Respect arrives at Cheltenham in fine fettle after a short-head defeat to Bellshill (my idea of the Gold Cup winner) at Leopardstown at the start of February.
Noel Meade’s chaser Won the Merriebelle Plate over virtually the same distance on the New course, giving us another tick in the box. Since then he’s be running almost exclusively in Grade One company and never disappointing.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 17:54 13th Mar, 2019 but subject to change