Racing Post

Season for the ages on the cards if big guns live up to hype

Racing Post Ratings guru Steve Mason analyses the top performers

IN TERMS of quality the 2021-22 season will take some beating. For the first time since the days of Kauto Star, Denman and Imperial Commander, three horses posted Racing Post Ratings in excess of 180.

The stellar list of horses to post figures of 180 or above, drawn from well over three decades of RPRs, now numbers 19 as A Plus Tard, Shishkin and Allaho became members of this exclusive club of jump racing’s elite performers.

Given both the style and substance of his Gold Cupwinning performance, it is surprising that A Plus Tard isn’t heading the market for next year’s race. After all his race-winning mark of 184 has been bettered only by Kauto Star (185) and, despite last year being his fourth consecutive appearance over fences at the festival, he is still only an eight-year-old.

He is a short-priced favourite to repeat last season’s Betfair Chase win, but finds himself second favourite for Cheltenham behind last season’s star novice Galopin Des Champs (177).

One of just three novice hurdlers to post an RPR in excess of 160 in the previous campaign, Galopin Des Champs’ mark of 163 for his first run over fences is the highest ever allocated to a chasing debutant. By the end of the season he had become just the eighth novice chaser in the history of RPRs to return a figure of 175 or above.

Coneygree (178), Gloria Victis (177), Sprinter Sacre (176), Douvan (176), Vautour (175), Altior (175) and

Shishkin (175) are the others. Not bad company to keep.

Although he has yet to race beyond 2m5f over fences, his best hurdling figure came when he was stepped up to 3m and, of those bubbling under the

180 mark, he looks the most likely to make the step up.

However, at this stage he is only the third highest-rated chaser in the Willie Mullins yard, behind Champion Chase winner Energumene (179) and dual Ryanair Chase winner Allaho (181), who put to bed any lingering stamina doubts when blitzing his rivals in the 3m Punchestown Gold Cup.

While the Ryanair may again be his Cheltenham target, on the evidence of that Punchestown run Allaho will take all the beating if taking his chance in the King George.

Dual Betway Bowl winner

Clan Des Obeaux (176) ended the season as the highest-rated British-based staying chaser for the fourth successive year. While it is likely that one of Ahoy Senor (166), L’Homme Presse (166) or

Bravemansgame (165) will assume that mantle this time around, the pick of last season’s British-based staying novice chasers still have some improving to do if they are to challenge the best of the Irish.

In the two-mile division,

Shishkin (181) and Energumene fought out the race of the season at Ascot in January and, assuming the winner can make a full recovery from the problem that saw him lose his unbeaten record over fences in March, the pair look set to again dominate a division which lacked a standout novice performer.

Istabraq (181) is the only hurdler to break the 180 barrier but, given his jawdropping performance in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, there is a chance that

Constitution Hill (172) may also prove capable of reaching such a lofty level.

Despite Cheltenham marking only his third start under rules, Constitution Hill became the first novice since Alderbrook (174) to end the season as the highest-rated hurdler. In addition, he is the highest-rated winner of a Cheltenham novice hurdle on RPRs, replacing previous best Altior (166).

His performance in March was worth a rating in excess of an average Champion Hurdle winner and, even without likely improvement, that means dual heroine

Honeysuckle (165) will have her work cut out to complete the hat-trick.

The 7lb mares’ allowance evens things up in theory, but her peak rating from last season was 161 and she will probably need to do better than that to hang on to her crown.

Flooring Porter (169) made it back-to-back wins in the Stayers’ Hurdle, but the fact he had his colours lowered by the ten-year-old Sire De Berlais (165) at Aintree isn’t a great advert for a division that lacks real quality.

THE BIG JUMP OFF

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2022-10-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

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