3.10 Wexford: the one race you don't want to miss on Monday

M.W. Hickey Memorial Steeplechase (Listed) | 2m7f | 5yo+ | RTV

Why is it interesting?

We can be quick to knock small-field races and, with only four lining up for Wexford’s feature race of the season, there will be plenty who will despair at this turnout.

Four-runner races can turn tactical, however, and with Gordon Elliott’s duo of Champagne Classic and Roaring Bull taking on the top-rated Discorama and progressive mare Kupatana, all the ingredients are there for an interesting contest.

Champagne Classic, a Cheltenham Festival and Grade 1-winning novice hurdler, got his season off to the best start last month when running out an impressive winner of a beginners chase at Fairyhouse.

He faces a much stiffer task here in the shape of the Paul Nolan-trained Discorama, who may not have match practice on his side but sets the standard with a rating of 149.

Kupatana, formerly trained by Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson, will make her debut for Henry de Bromhead after fetching £210,000 at the sales in May and she rates a lively player.

What do the stats say?

Seven favourites have won this race in the past decade and the biggest-priced winner of this €40,000 prize in that time was sent off at just 8-1.

Don't be put off by the fact that Discorama lacks a recent run as his trainer has sent out two winners who were having their first runs of the season recently and clearly has his string in great form.

What they say

Paul Nolan, trainer of Discorama
The ground will be perfect and he's in very good form. You have to start somewhere and it looks a good place to begin his season.

Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for Gigginstown House Stud, owners of Roaring Bull and Champagne Classic
Champane Classic is a nice horse who wants a trip but it'll be a fair enough race with Discorama in there. Staying handicap chases will be our lad's game rather than Graded races. He's a nice horse, but is he a good horse? I don't know. I don't mean that in a bad way I'd just say he's a good handicap chaser rather than a genuine Graded horse. Roaring Bull will need the run.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Kupatana
She seems a lovely mare and we’ll see how this goes before hopefully targeting some mares races throughout the winter.

What do our tipsters say?

With the benefit of some recent match practice Champagne Classic (nap) should be hard to beat, though this will be no stroll in the park as Discorama does have a superior handicap mark and this is very much his ground, while the penny was finally dropping with Kupatana back in the spring.
Alistair Jones

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