Ryanair looks just the ticket for Dynaste

Trainer David Pipe is leaning heavily towards a crack at the Ryanair Chase with Dynaste, and the gelding’s profile suggest the 2m 5f contest is tailor-made for him.

The eight-year-old also holds an entry in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but Pipe believes that with several of the leading entries for the Ryanair now likely to run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the shorter contest offers the best chance of success.

Dynaste, who is the 7/2 favourite with Coral for the Ryanair, disappointed last time out in the King George at Kempton when finishing a well-beaten fifth to Silviniaco Conti.

However, that was clearly not his running and it later transpired that he had injured his back.

Pipe told his website that he had since responded well to treatment and was firmly on course for the Festival.

He said: “Our Grade 1-winning grey gelding has responded well to his treatment from Mary Bromiley and is on course to return at the Festival. He will be left in the Gold Cup until the last moment as a precaution although we are now favouring the shorter race.”

Although well beaten in the King George, that race has proved an excellent guide to the Ryanair.

Five of the last winners of the Ryanair had run in it, and that includes beaten horses.

Indeed, Cue Card finished fifth in the King George before scooting home in last year’s Ryanair, and there are also plenty of other positives for the race as far as Dynaste is concerned.

Since the race was upgrade to Grade 1 status, five out of six winners were officially rated 162+ and Dynaste weighs in with a rating of 169.

Previous Cheltenham Festival form is another major plus, as 14 of the last 17 winners had won at the track before.

Dynaste won on his chasing debut at Prestbury Park over the 2m 5f trip of the Ryanair and also finished an excellent runner-up to Benefficient in the 2m 4f Jewson Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival.