Rachael Blackmore 'can't wait to ride' Inthepocket in intriguing first running of Racing Post Novice Chase

This is a fascinating inaugural running of the race with three potentially high-class two-mile novice chasers from the three biggest stables locking horns.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead, Inthepocket improved with each run of his novice hurdle campaign, landing a Grade 2 at this track in December 2022 before finishing runner-up to Il Etait Temps at the Dublin Racing Festival.

 He took another step forward to reverse form with that rival to finish fourth behind Marine Nationale in the Supreme before his crowning moment in the Grade 1 at Aintree when he powered clear of Strong Leader.

He put in a hugely encouraging chase debut when beaten three and three-quarter lengths into second by Facile Vega at Navan in November 2023, but injury curtailed his season before he made a sparkling return to action at Wexford in October after 11 months off.

He jumped soundly en route to a 15-length demolition job and the form is particularly impressive. Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Farren Glory was a distant second and he has since landed his beginners' chase in good style and finished second in a Grade 2, while Ifiwerearichman, who finished a further nine lengths adrift in third, won a novice chase by six and a half lengths on his next start.

De Bromhead stressed his keenness to run him at left-handed tracks, so this race always looked the logical next step and, such was the impression he created at Wexford, he will be tough to beat with improvement to come given the lengthy layoff. 

Even a dominant win might not see him leap ahead of owner JP McManus' other hugely exciting two-miler, Majborough, in the Arkle market, which Sir Gino currently dominates, but his current odds of 10-1 could look big once he crosses the line.

Firefox: finished third in the Drinmore last monthCredit: Patrick McCann

Firefox danced every dance as a novice hurdler, finishing third behind Slade Steel in the Supreme before runner-up efforts at Aintree and Punchestown, and made little mistake on his chase debut at Down Royal when beating Mossy Fen Park. 

He was turned over at even money in the Drinmore when beaten half a length into third by Croke Park, but that was a messy race and he wasn't able to reel in the winner in a sprint finish. That form has a better look to it after Croke Park landed another Grade 1 over Christmas, while runner-up Heart Wood ran quite well when fourth to Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase.

It will be interesting to see how he copes with the drop in trip, given both his starts over fences have come over 2m4f and he was outsprinted on the last outing, but it likely won't prove much of an issue if Sam Ewing makes plenty of use of him, particularly given how well he jumped under those circumstances at Down Royal. So he rates the biggest danger to Inthepocket.

Like Firefox, Ile Atlantique drops back to two miles after impressing on his chase debut at Navan over 2m4½f in a strong beginners' chase in which he had Waterford Whispers and Good Land well beaten. He never reached the standard of Inthepocket or Firefox in his novice hurdling days, but had a tendency to race keenly, causing him to not finish his races with much purpose.

Based on his Navan effort, fences have made him more tractable and this drop in trip won't cause too many difficulties given how he travels. However, his chase debut didn't impress on the clock, so he'll need to do it again to show he's improved past the front two in the market. 

Kilbarry Saint ran well at Cork when fourth to the exciting Only By Night but will likely struggle against rivals who could be destined for the top over fences, while Walk In Time has a mountain to climb on ratings.

Blackmore: 'This is really competitive but he's going well at home'

Rachael Blackmore has partnered Inthepocket on all but one of his seven starts and is excited to be reunited with the eight-year-old having missed out on his Wexford romp due to injury.

A Grade 1-winning novice hurdler at Aintree in 2023, his novice chase season was cut short due to injury after he finished runner-up to Facile Vega at Navan in November of the same year, but he kept his novice status as a result and returned with a sparkling display at Wexford in October.

She told her Betfair blog: "He was a high-class novice hurdler. He wasn't beaten far in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2023 and he won the Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree. 

"He ran really well in his only run over fences last season, and he was very impressive on his debut this season the last day. His jumping was very good and he won nicely from good horses in Farren Glory and Ifiwerearichman, who have both won since.

"This is a really competitive race, Firefox and Ile Atlantique are both very talented novice chasers, but he's going well at home and I can't wait to ride him."

Willie Mullins: runs Ile AtlantiqueCredit: Patrick McCann

Patrick Mullins, assistant to Willie Mullins, trainer of Ile Atlantique, believes their runner has improved for the switch to fences and said: "It looks like chases have improved Ile Atlantique, as we thought they might, and the tongue-strap has helped him as well.

"I think Naas is a track that will suit him and he was obviously just touched off in the Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle on this card last year, but he will have to raise his game to get to the level that Firefox and Inthepocket have run to over hurdles."

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Firefox, said: "I think the drop back to two miles will suit him well and he's been in good form since Fairyhouse."

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