Returning L'Homme Presse bids to reassert authority against Protektorat in classy Fleur de Lys Chase

In the only running of the Fleur de Lys Chase, Kim Bailey placed Two For Gold masterfully. That horse, a high-class handicapper in essence, won almost £80,000 in a conditions race with a performance that Racing Post Ratings placed at 159.

Bailey must have fancied pulling a similar trick with Does He Know, who is similarly just off the top level. Unfortunately for connections, this year two genuine Grade 1 horses have been drawn by the big prize fund.

All the build-up to this race has centred on L'Homme Presse, but it is as important that Protektorat has been declared. Without him, all that L'Homme Presse would have to do is beat smart handicappers like Does He Know.

You do not have to work hard to find a reading on this race that makes Protektorat the bet against L'Homme Presse. He has been third and fifth in the last two Gold Cups and easily won a Betfair Chase in between. Dropped to handicap company last time, he caught the eye in finishing third under a big weight, posting a Racing Post Rating (169) that suggests he is more or less as good as ever.

The catch is that Protektorat carries the maximum penalty for his Betfair Chase win. L'Homme Presse's only win in the last two seasons has been in the Rehearsal Chase, a premier handicap, so he carries the same penalty as Does He Know and Iwilldoit.

While those two won their big handicaps from typical marks of 147 and 152, L'Homme Presse ran off 164 at Newcastle. Moreover, he toyed with Into Overdrive who won the Rowland Meyrick less than a month later off a 4lb higher mark.

It is legitimate to argue that performance is the best from a British-trained staying chaser over the last couple of seasons. L'Homme Presse has not been seen since unseating at the last in the 2022 King George a few weeks later. He looked second best to Bravemansgame at the time, but given he was ruled out for the season a few days later it is possible he was not at his best that day.

Neutrals, and the not-so-neutrals like me who have backed L'Homme Presse for the Gold Cup, will be hoping he can deliver a big performance on his overdue comeback. The fledgling Fleur de Lys needs the sort of boost that launching a Gold Cup raid brings. With no small amount of sympathy towards the canny Bailey and Does He Know, a race worth this much deserves better than to be won by well-campaigned handicappers.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

'This was always the plan after his run at Cheltenham'

The £165,000 prize fund has led to the declaration of two big hitters in Gold Cup hopeful L'Homme Presse and Protektorat, who bids to strike for the first time since landing the Betfair Chase in 2022. 

After winning by 11 lengths at Haydock, Protektorat finished fourth in last year's Cotswold Chase and fifth in the Gold Cup, a race Brown Advisory winner L'Homme Presse missed through injury. 

He then finished last in this season's Betfair Chase but his performance last time, when third in a Cheltenham handicap, was more positive, described as being "much more like it" by trainer Dan Skelton.

Protektorat: winner of the 2022 Betfair Chase for Dan SkeltonCredit: John Grossick

The nine-year-old conceded upwards of 15lb to his rivals last month and while the burden will not be quite so great on Sunday, he will still have to give 4lb to L'Homme Press, Does He Know and Iwilldoit.

"This was always the plan after his run at Cheltenham last month," said Skelton. "He's got to give weight away and is slightly dropping down in trip but I don't think the latter will be an issue at all."

Skelton is attempting to secure another big weekend winner after recording a 3,318-1 across-the-card six-timer last Saturday, headlined by Grey Dawning's victory in the Grade 2 Hampton Novices' Chase.

What they say

Kim Bailey, trainer of Does He Know
We're on a slight retrieval mission after he was pulled up at Wetherby last time but I'd rather run him in a race like this and hopefully allow him to enjoy himself than carry top weight in a handicap.

Sam Thomas, trainer of Iwilldoit
There aren't loads of options for him so we thought with so few runners we'd roll the dice and get a run under his belt. We're dropping back in trip so will have to make plenty of use of him. He's come out of the Welsh Grand National well.

Venetia Williams, trainer of L'Homme Presse
We're looking forward to getting him back on track after a lengthy absence and are happy with him.

Gary Moore, trainer of Full Back
He's been off a long time and this is his first run of the year. It's a good place to start him off but it looks like a competitive race. We just need to get a run into him and other targets await.
Reporting by Jonathan Harding

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