Triumvirate might hark back to the class of 2004

WHEN people say you no longer get races like the 2004 Tingle Creek, in which Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop and Well Chief traded blows like it was the climactic bout in a Rocky film, we should ask why that is.

That 2021’s two-mile chasers are not up to the same standard is true, but only by slim margins. Those three would-be legends came into their Tingle Creek with peak RPRs of 176, 179 and 164 respectively. The current division includes Chacun Pour Soi (RPR 179), Nube Negra (172), Shishkin (174) and Energumene (171).

Considering the last two are at a similar stage of their careers as Well Chief was 17 years ago, you can argue the potential exists for another golden age.

The bigger difference is in who turns up. In 2004, an established Irish champion was deemed to have little to lose running against the best Britain had to offer.

The two custodians of Britain’s best, Paul Nicholls and Martin Pipe, were on the verge of a longthreatened handover of power from the latter to the former and were generally minded to campaign their good horses adventurously, so as best to either force or delay that transition.

Can you see where this is going? Shishkin might be missing, but there is still stiff competition to Chacun Pour Soi from a couple of Britishtrained seven-year-olds whose handlers covet the trainers’ title too much to hold back their best horses for Cheltenham.

Nube Negra is perhaps best cast as Azertyuiop, as he has fought the big fights more than Greaneteen and would be coming here as Champion Chaser, as Azertyuiop did, had things gone only a hair differently in March.

Azertyuiop ran right up to his best in his 2004 prep, winning the Haldon Gold Cup off 174, while Nube Negra improved when dominating the Shloer Chase three weeks ago.

It was Greaneteen’s turn to lump a big weight in this year’s Haldon Gold Cup and that race appeared to be a prep run for this.

Off 168, he travelled well into contention but tired and finished a well-held fourth. Like Nube Negra, he made his name in open company by dispatching a leg-weary Altior last season, in his case over course and distance in the Celebration Chase.

Hitman got 17lb from stablemate Greaneteen at Exeter and shaped like the best horse at the weights. He tanked all over Eldorado Allen but did not manage to overhaul him.

Most observers would be inclined to forgive a tame finish with it being the horse’s reappearance, although it is hoped that the fitting of a tonguetie is nothing more than a just-in-case measure.

It seems likely that Captain Guinness’ role will be little more than that of Cenkos, the dependable mid160s chaser who led but was readily left behind by the big three in 2004.

Captain Guinness is a free goer rated in the high-150s who occasionally leads. Personal supposition is that each of her four rival jockeys will hope Rachael Blackmore takes that approach here.

The most likely alternative to Captain Guinness striding on is Chacun Pour Soi in front. That would put Patrick Mullins in a delicate position as his rivals want the same thing he does – a solid pace.

The idea that Chacun Pour Soi was stymied by the hill in March’s Champion Chase is a red herring: visual impressions and the clock tell you that many of his career-defining performances at Leopardstown and Punchestown have tested stamina more. He is a cruiser, not a pouncer.

Mullins has never ridden Chacun Pour Soi in a race, nor has he ridden at Sandown. If he is left to do his own work in front he would need to learn on the job, with the stakes as high as they can get, if he is to deliver the same result for Ireland that we saw 17 years ago.