RSA Chase 2016 - Festival Focus

We Could Be Heroes - Bryan Cooper and No More Heroes can land the RSA.

In spite of the fact that generally speaking the thought is that the RSA is a slog of real attrition that can rip the guts out of a horse, in recent years we’ve seen the classiest sorts in the race rise to the top.

With what we’ve seen to date this season only two horses set for the race look genuine top class staying chase prospects, with the remainder of the market made up of strong staying sorts who would want the relentless test of stamina the RSA is often billed as but doesn’t always transpire to be.

No More Heroes and More Of That look well clear of the remainder that are likely to take up their engagement in the race, and although Jonjo O’Neill’s former World Hurdle winner is the bigger price it is Gordon Elliot’s charge that appeals most for the novice staying chase event.

I’ve thought of No More Heroes as a future Gold Cup winner since his Bumper days and his novice chase campaign to date has done nothing but strengthen those thoughts.

He was a good novice hurdler last season and while he looked every inch a chaser killing time until his destiny called, he still managed an unlucky third in last year’s war of an Albert Bartlett.

He flopped at Punchestown after, but to be fair you’d forgive any horse for flopping after that gruelling Albert Bartlett – second Milsean has not been seen since and winner Martello Tower has hardly been setting the staying hurdles division alight thus far – plus the form of that Punchestown race is not exactly looking to shabby now with Killultagh Vic in first and Thistlecrack in second.

Foot perfect so far over the larger obstacles, his form to date has more substance to it than his chief market rival and with two Grade 1s already in the bag he could add a third at the weekend in the Flogas at Leopardstown.

With More Of That set to miss his originally intended prep at the weekend at Sandown, if Gordon Elliot’s star novice goes in again his price could contract to something very short indeed.

Although he does hold a Gold Cup entry, it looks highly unlikely he’ll take that up given the wealth of options his owners Gigginstown House Stud have for the race. And while the four-miler is not out of the question as his festival target, the safe money would be on him running here, and unless More Of That does something special when he does eventually take in his festival prep, likely going off favourite.

So many of the other horses quoted at the top of the RSA betting are likely to head elsewhere and with him holding the remaining Irish horses on earlier form it really does look like he has the British challenge to fend off, which for my money does not look that strong this year, for all he will be taking on a previous championship race winner.

Sky Bet were offering a New Year special last month that No More Heroes wins the RSA this year and the Gold Cup next, and while the price they offered was rather pitiful it is an outcome I could very much see happening.

Recommendation:

No More Heroes 1pt win @ 11/4 (Bet365, Paddy Power)