Moscow Flyer is primed to beat young pretender

14 April 2012

Graham Cunningham says the favourite in Wednesday's big race Cheltenham Festival has the devastating pace to hold off the strong challenge of Azertyuiop and repeat last year's triumph.

One of them has never been beaten as a chaser when his rider has stayed aboard, while the other is a brilliant youngster on a roll with the promise of even better to come. Something has to give at Cheltenham tomorrow, where Moscow Flyer is the bet to lower the colours of Azertyuiop in a titanic battle for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

This £250,000 contest has all the makings of one of those classic Anglo-Irish duels on which the Festival is founded.

In the blue corner is Azertyuiop, who ran out a rampant winner of the Arkle Chase last year and has taken the move from novice company in his elegant stride.

And in the red corner is Moscow Flyer, who was fast enough to mix it with the mighty Istabraq in his hurdling days and has transferred that running power to his chasing career with devastating effect.

The ante-post market on tomorrow's race has been fascinating to watch.

Moscow Flyer has been a solid favourite since he stormed clear on this day 12 months ago, but Azertyuiop has chipped away at his position at the head of the market. At the turn of the year, Corals went 6-4 about Moscow Flyer with Azertyuiop at 11-4.

Ten days later Azertyuiop put up one of the best handicap performances in years when failing only narrowly to concede 19lb to Isio in Ascot's Victor Chandler Chase.

That form has worked out exceptionally well and, after success in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury, the young pretender is now pushing hard for favouritism.

Reports suggest that some of the Irish contingent are even beginning to edge towards Azertyuiop, but anyone tempted to jump ship is asking for trouble.

Put simply, Moscow Flyer is the sort of horse who comes along very rarely.

The performance which marks him as the one to beat again here came in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown last December. Azertyuiop led the opposition that day and ran a cracker considering he pulled harder than ideal on what was effectively his first run of the season.

But it wasn't good enough to beat Moscow Flyer, who cruised into the lead swinging for home and maintained a fourlength lead from the last to triumph.

The fact that bookmakers are offering at least 14-1 bar two is sure to prove tempting to those who would rather take a flyer on a longshot than trade at short odds about the market leaders. At a top price of 20-1 with AP McCoy aboard, Tiutchev looks the each-way option for those who feel there could be a shock.

However, unless the fences intervene this should boil down to Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop from the second last.

Ruby Walsh will almost certainly try to steal a march on his rival Barry Geraghty by setting sail for home soon after. If the big two jump the last together, Moscow Flyer has the finishing speed which can settle all arguments up that final hill.

MORE ABOUT

Ireland

Irish Sea

Moscow

Moscow Flyer is primed to beat young pretender

Read More