Newbury preview: Class-dropping Monetaire holds major claims

David Metcalf | November 27, 2015

Monetaire has some strong form to his name and can take advantage of a drop in class to land the 2m 3f handicap chase on a cracking card at Newbury (14.40).

The David Pipe trained gelding was last successful in class 2 contest at this meeting 12 months ago when readily beating Solar Impulse by 2 1/4 lengths off a mark of 126.

Monetaire got put up 12lbs for that victory, but ran a blinder of his revised mark of 138 when second of 23 to Darna in the ultra-competitive class 1 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at the Cheltenham Festival.

The nine-year-old only went down by 1 1/4 lengths and was an unlucky loser as he was slowly away in a shambles of a start and made a costly error four from home.

Monetaire then unseated in the class 1 Topham at Aintree before rounding off the campaign with a fair eighth of 22 in a valuable handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.

Although slightly below par on return to action in the class 1 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham, the son of Anabaa was far from disgraced in finishing eighth of 20 to Annacotty when the yard was under a bit of a cloud.

Monetaire has since been dropped 1lb to 140, and that gives him a huge chance on the pick of his form now pitched back into class 2 company.

It is the first time Monetaire has run in the grade since when last victorious, and with the Pipe team now in far better shape this looks a great opportuntity for him to get back to winning ways.

Drumshambo decent value