Matty Sutcliffe provided his ten to follow for GG recently and he is so confident in one of them that he has suggested them at 16/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase below.
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – Derryhassen Paddy 16/1 1pt EW 3 places
As one of my GG.co.uk Ten To Follow, it would folly not to get DERRYHASSEN PADDY in the book at this stage as we know full well staying chasing will be his game this season. The only slight niggling doubt would be whether they ‘protect’ his mark of 143 for an Ultima, but it would be surprising if there wasn’t another dark horse to come out of the Arlary House Stables for that contest, nor would it if last years winner Myretown was to back up there before taking to the Grand National as Corach Rambler did in 2023.
At this stage, there doesn’t look all that many certainties to the fore of the ante-post market to turn up here bar Final Demand and you’d have to be fairly insane to be taking 9/4 at this stage given the luck required to reach the festival let alone win there.
The Arctic Cosmos gelding lowered the colours of the Gordon Elliott trained Masterboy Davis on his sole start in points, and he displayed a smart turn of foot to pull seven lengths clear on yard/ bumper debut at Ayr. He then travelled much the best horse at Uttoxeter on hurdles debut but despite being headed briefly two out, he gamely fended off the challengers and won going away in the manner of a smart one.
It was a very similar performance at Windsor, a track that didn’t look obviously sure to suit such an imposing sort, but he again regained the lead having been headed by Skelton’s Honky Tonk Highway giving that previous Listed winner 4lbs.
Derryhassen Paddy lost his unbeaten credentials in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, but it was an excellent performance regardless having fared the best of the prominent racers with both Jasmin De Vaux and The Big Westerner coming from off the pace. He’s consistently shaped throughout his hurdle races as a near facsimile of the cliche ‘anything he does over hurdles is a bonus’, and it’s a testament to his ability that he’s been able to progress highly throughout his journey over timber.
The Brown Advisory is a race that’s eluded Arlary House Stables thus far, but their only two runners in the race in the last ten years have both placed, as Giovinco was third to Fact To File in 2024 after going unbeaten in hurdles the year before and Ahoy Señor was second to L’Homme Presse in 2022.
He missed an engagement at Newcastle on Thursday, but that does suggest he’s ready to take to the track in the next few weeks and I’d expect his odds to shorten into near single figures provided he makes a successful chase debut, with the general 16/1 available now representing solid value given his undeniable potential over fences.
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