The Jewson Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday looks a typically competitive renewal and the winner of the race is sure to have a very bright future in the chasing division.
The current market leader for the race is Philip Hobbs’ Wishfull Thinking who leaped to the head of the market with an impressive success in the Murphy Group Chase at Cheltenham in January. That was a good performance and it will be some of the best form on offer when the tape goes up in the Jewson.
However, go back two runs and watch Wishfull Thinking’s victory in the Rising Stars at Wincanton and his followers will be left wondering how he managed to get away with a victory after Paul Nicholls’ Robinson Collonges seemed to throw the race away when falling three from home.
Galloping all over Wishfull Thinking and giving him 6lbs in the process, Robinson Collonges slipped on the landing side of the fence and it wasn’t a jumping error that seemed to cost him, but more a highly misfortunate stumble. In fact, his jumping had been sure-footed for a novice and jockey Nick Scholfield will tell you that he jumped the fence well before losing his legs.
While it can be foolish to say that a horse would have won if he hadn’t have fallen, it seemed for all the world that Robinson Collonges was set to cruise to a facile success and he looks a seriously talented chaser in the making.
After winning as easily as he liked at Hereford at 1/10 on his next start, he was sent to tackle an incredibly competitive looking Vote A.P. Gold Cup. Running off a lofty mark of 148 against his elders, Robinson Collonges travelled into contention down the hill before he made a mistake and met with trouble. After that, Noel Fehily nurtured him home without ever giving him a hard time and he has been off the track since.
Nicholls does not seem worried by the fact Robinson Collonges hasn’t had a recent run and explained earlier in the week: “He is very much a forgotten horse. I see Wishfull Thinking is one of the favourites for the Jewson but don't forget that Robinson Collonges would have probably beaten him in the Rising Stars at Wincanton in February and we were giving him 6lb that day; we go for the Jewson and he has come back well.”
With the likes of Captain Chris, Noble Prince and Mr Gardner also in contention for the race it is sure to be a thoroughly intriguing contest, however, we certainly haven’t seen the best of Robinson Collonges and he remains a truly exciting prospect. Odds of 12/1 do not do the horse justice and if he’d have won the Rising Stars giving Wishfull Thinking 6lbs he would be a very short price in the ante post betting for Thursday week. With better ground certain to suit the selection and with a return to novice company on the cards, Robinson Collonges is a very attractive bet indeed.
Nick Wilby's selection - Robinson Collonges 12/1
