Expert Analysis

This was a competitive Ryanair Chase but not one of its highest-class editions, the outstanding 2021 and 2022 winner Allaho having succumbed to another setback and the 2023 winner Envoi Allen, who did make it here, one of the lower-quality winners over the years and managing second this time. It was, however, pretty well-run, Stage Star hassled up front by Ahoy Senor and the overall time close to what might be expected of horses of this calibre. The winner’s 58.18s for the final 4f comes out as a 106.3% finishing speed.

PROTEKTORAT (c165 here and previously) has been in some tough battles over the years, but it has not dampened his enthusiasm and he put his best foot forward again to gain his first victory since the 2022 Betfair Chase at Haydock, the decent pace and fairly testing conditions helping him back at this shorter trip. He raced close up and challenged before 2 out, leading for sure at the last and responding generously to pressure to assert thereafter. He seems to have been around for ages but is still only 9 and likely to continue to give a good account of himself, at least away from the very best.

ENVOI ALLEN (c161 here, 163 previously) made a bold bid to follow up the previous year’s win but has looked a weak finisher more than occasionally and very much did so here, patiently ridden in mid-field before looming up 2 out, leading briefly approaching the last but awkward there then finding little. He does not turn out all that often but is as good as ever at the age of 10.

CONFLATED (c158 here, 162 previously) ran respectably at the shortest trip he has tried since falling when looking like getting placed in this 2 years before, held up mid to rear and staying on without really getting in a blow.

CAPODANNO (c158 here, 161 previously) ran creditably despite the trip seeming a bit sharp for him now, in rear before making some headway approaching 3 out, tapped for toe after that fence but staying on at the death. He remains in good heart.

STAGE STAR (c153 here, 163 previously) ran well for a long way without matching his best form, taking them along at a pretty good pace until between the last 2 but finding little thereafter. He is very smart on his day but possibly needs things his own way.

AHOY SENOR (c146 here, 159 previously) ended up running poorly but showed up well for a long way, disputing the lead for a while mid-race and bang there until finding little before 2 out, tending to hang as he weakened.

FIL DOR (c144 here, 151 previously) faced a stiff task and was not discredited at a trip that may be just beyond him, held up travelling comfortably, creeping closer 3 out then one paced.

HITMAN (c129 here, 157 previously) is inconsistent these days and dropped away after a couple of errors for a poor effort.

BANBRIDGE (c0 here, 165 previously) is effective on borderline good to soft, as at Kempton, but seemingly not on ground that is genuinely soft, as here, and he dropped away from prominence after 4 out. He should have gone very close at his best.

FUGITIF (c0 here, 155 previously) was always behind, in trouble by halfway and even more so after a mistake at the eleventh.

GA LAW (c0 here, 155 previously) made a number of mistakes and was always behind.