This is a great race, in many ways one of the best of the meeting. It was another Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins win last year with Cooldine but I don’t think the Irish will get much of a look in here. Nicky Henderson holds all the aces in the 2010 RSA Chase with the two leading fancies.

Long Run has taken over at the head of the market, he was a good winner at Warwick last time out, but it was the reported set back by Punchestowns that cemented his position as RSA Chase favourite.

I am and always have been a Punchestowns fan. If he is right, and I don’t think Nicky would run him if he wasn’t, then I will be a mojor backer. Punchestowns is one of my bankers of the meeting. He was a close second to Big Bucks in the World Hurdle last year and has looked a very high class chaser. Last time at Sandown he made his first jumping error, it was a shocker, but he came back to win and win well.

Punchestowns second to Big Bucks in the World Hurdle

Barry Geraghty takes the mount, he has not had to choose as the owners son, a decent amateur, but an amateur nonetheles, takes the ride on Long Run. If there is nothing between the horses then there is no contest with the jockeys. In my view Punchestowns will win the RSA Chase.

One horse I do like is Diamond Harry who is thrid favourite here. He may just be short of top class but i would like to see him run well and get in the places. Although I like Diamond Harry there is no room for sentiment and Punchestowns is where my money is going in this RSA Chase.
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The latter has already endured his own injury scare, with Henderson last week ruling out a crack at the Champion Hurdle due to a muscular problem.

However, that issue has now been resolved and Binocular is back in the Cheltenham frame, although Henderson admits nothing is certain in the build-up to the Festival.

Punchestowns (right)no longer RSA Chase Favourite

Nicky Henderson, speaking at Newbury on Friday, said: “We have a problem with Punchestowns on his near-fore.

“A similar thing happened last weekend and we had to take his shoe off, but it cleared up quickly and he spent a couple of days swimming, so didn’t really miss anything. He worked on Wednesday and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. The plan was to school him today, which we couldn’t do anyway due to the frost, as it was still minus 7C at 7am with us. We were then going to bring him to work here at Newbury on Sunday, but we found him to be lame on his foot again last night.

“We have X-rayed it and there is nothing there. I can’t say any more than that at the moment other than we will monitor it and let people know how he progresses.

“The last time it happened he was sound within 24 to 48 hours and he loved going swimming, but I did want to get another run into him and that hasn’t happened and now there is this, so I am just warning people.”

Henderson’s other RSA Chase candidate Long Run has taken over from his stable companion at the head of the betting with many bookmakers, and pleased Henderson in a recent schooling session.

“Long Run schooled in the indoor school with Yogi Breisner and all went well,” the Seven Barrows handler added.

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William Hill Reaction:
The news of Punchestowns lameness has prompted bookmakers William Hill to promote stablemate Long Run to their 5-2 favourite for RSA chase in 12 days’ time.

Nicky Henderson this afternoon revealed that the World Hurdle runner-up was found lame before a schooling session today, but has not yet ruled the seven-year-old out of the staying novices’ chase.

A strong wave of money for Long Run has seen his price begin to contract in recent years, and today alone Hills have slashed his price to 5-2 from 4-1. Punchestowns remains in the ante-post betting but has eased to 7-2 from 3-1, with Weird Al another clipped to 8-1 from 10-1.

Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’It has been a day of mixed fortunes for Seven Barrows but this latest announcement will assure that Long Run goes off favourite for the RSA. Punter enthusiasm for him has been building in the last few days, and this now clears the picture for many who viewed the race as a straightforward match.’’

RSA Chase: 5-2 Long Run, 7-2 Punchestowns, 8-1 Diamond Harry, Weird Al, 12-1 Weapon’s Amnesty, 16-1 Uimhiraceathair, 20-1 Bensalem, 25-1 Burton Port, Citizen Vic, The Nightingale, 40-1 Hey Big Spender, Knockara Beau, Little Josh, Shakervilz, 50-1 Apt Approach, China Rock, Clan Tara, Ogee, Petifour, Seven Is My Number, 66-1 Bar (EW ¼ 1,2,3)

Nicky Henderson Cheltenham Festival Hopes Revealed

RSA Chase:

Nicky Henderson already believes Punchestowns and Long Run are the best two chasers he has ever trained. The pair are set for a fascinating clash in the RSA Chase for the man who has more Cheltenham Festival winners to his name than any other current trainer with a license.

“They are the two horses we are lucky enough to have who could go all the way,” he said. They have got two years to go but they are as good as we’ve had for a very long time. They’re as good chasers as I’ve ever had. My duty is to keep them in one piece for two years. We all need stars to come through and we all want them in our yard.”

Punchestowns and Long Run are both unbeaten in two runs over British fences but have rather different backgrounds. Long Run was a Grade One-winning hurdler at three and made an incredible debut in this country in the Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton before following up over two miles at Warwick. Punchestowns did start off in Flat races in France but made a quicker transfer and was second to Big Buck’s in last year’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle. His outings over fences have been in smaller events at Newbury and Sandown.

“Punchestowns stays three miles but is very good at two and a half – he’s not a slow horse,” said Henderson. I’d actually love to take Big Buck’s on again one day and come from behind him. But that would only happen if his chasing career falls apart. He will probably go to Newbury on Sunday for a wander. Long Run won’t – he will have a schooling session with Yogi Breisner on Tuesday and we have to be careful he’s not too fresh. Long Run is just very talented. There are not many who can go a genuine two-mile pace and can also stay three-miles at Kempton. It’s quite freakish really. We ran him over two at Warwick really for his future – if every race is to be over three miles, then his will be a shorter life.”

With Barry Geraghty set to ride Punchestowns, there is a ride to spare on the third string Burton Port, and the trainer was keen not to rule out the Reynoldstown winner.

“His owner Trevor Hemmings wants to run.” he said. He has nowhere else to go and he deserves to be there – in another year he would be our main runner. We’re not sure about jockeys – Andrew Tinkler gets on very well with him and AP McCoy can ride whoever.”

Punchestowns (right) RSA Chase Favourite

Triumph Hurdle:

A winning British debut at Kempton on Saturday by Soldatino has left the French recruit as Nicky Henderson’s chief hope of retaining the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Zaynar’s victory 12 months ago was the fourth time Nicky Henderson had lifted the four-year-old highlight but several failures had left him searching for a suitable candidate for 2010. Step forward Soldatino, who took the Grade Two Adonis at Kempton last weekend by seven lengths.

“It was starting to look like there wouldn’t be one,” admitted Henderson. We did one piece of work with Soldatino and he hung all over the place. We were told he had to wear a hood, earplugs and a special bit when he came over so we were experimenting at Kempton. I hadn’t even galloped him. He did wear earplugs in the race – he’ll wear them again – but he was very sensible and relaxed and had his blows. He will come on an awful lot for it and I think you have got to be tempted to go to Cheltenham. It’s a big ask but it looks a pretty weak year. I thought that before Christmas when I said I would be amazed if we had seen the Triumph Hurdle winner by then.”

Nicky Henderson has written off the chances of According making the Triumph Hurdle has not yet unleashed Super Kenny. He said:

“Super Kenny is going to go to Newbury on Saturday but I am sure he wants good ground.”

Mille Chief has made a slight improvement from the setback that prevented him from running at Kempton this weekend but Alan King still believes he faces a race against time for the Triumph Hurdle.

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Long Run Won Well at Newbury

Burton Port, winner of the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot on Saturday, also represents the Seven Barrows handler. Other leading contenders include Nick Williams’ Diamond Harry, Ian Williams’ Weird Al and Alan King’s Bensalem. Among 13 remaining Irish entries are Willie Mullins’ Mikael d’Haguenet, Noel Meade’s Pandorama and Weapon’s Amnesty from the Charles Byrnes stable.

Thirty-seven horses were scratched including Aranleigh, Catch Me, Mighty Man, Nicanor and Tazbar.

Latest Prices: 3 Punchestowns, 5 Long Run, 7 Diamond Harry, 11 Weird Al, 12 Weapons Amnesty, 14 Mikael D’Haguenet, Pandorama, 16 Bensalem, 20 Uimhiraceathair, 25 Burton Port, The Nightingale, 33 Citizen Vic, 40 bar

Punchestowns (right) New RSA Chase Favourite

Head of PR Charlie McCann:”That was as good a Chase debut as you could imagine and we are adamant that Punchestowns is a potential Gold Cup winner. With that in mind we are also quoting 10/1 for the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup.”

RSA Chase 2010 ~ Outright Ante post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)

7-2 Punchestowns
6 Mikael D’Haguenet
12 Long Run
14 Bensalem
14 Kangaroo Court
14 Pride Of Dulcote
16 Michel Le Bon
16 Whatuthink
20 Bar