Select a Stable

TRADING POST

Pietro Innocenzi gives his views exclusively to selectastable.co.uk

TIDAL TO KEEP ARKLE RIVALS AT BAY

MY approach to Select A Stable is to discard the race I find impossible to narrow down and double up in one I feel is more manageable.

So out goes the Champion Hurdle, for which I reckon there are half a dozen with realistic chances.

Tidal Bay (right), in the Arkle, has been my idea of a banker for some time, and I won't be shaken from that view despite doubts about the wellbeing of the stable.

He's joined by Starzaan in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase. Most of the other leading contenders have been beating each other all season and I get the impression that Hughie Morrison is very excited about his prospects.

There's been a surprising lack of hype surrounding the classy Sentry Duty considering he hammered the much-vaunted Celestial Halo at Doncaster, and he's a confident selection for the Supreme Novices'.

New kid on the block Master Minded deserves his place in my stable after setting the Ditcheat gallops alight, while established toughie Inglis Drever is too good to pass over for a World Hurdle lacking strength in depth.

Franchoek is made from the same mould and picks himself in the Triumph Hurdle, while Don't Push It, who excels when fresh, has been laid out for the Racing Post Plate and should take some stopping.

The Gold Cup looks a two-horse race, with preference for Denman, although I'd ideally like to see a fair bit of rain before the meeting starts.

The Ryanair Chase also looks between two, but I find it hard to separate Our Vic and Mossbank, so they both go in.