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Handicap gamble Minella Rocco to target four-miler

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Daryl Jacob riding Vyta Du Roc

Minella Rocco (green and yellow): is 14-1 for the National Hunt Chase

  PICTURE: Getty Images  

 By Lewis Porteous 5:37PM 23 FEB 2016 

MINELLA ROCCO, a major market mover for the Ultima Handicap Chase, was left out of the race as entries for the festival handicaps closed on Tuesday with trainer Jonjo O’Neill confirming the National Hunt Chase as his Cheltenham target.

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The JP McManus-owned six-year-old put two disappointing runs at Prestbury Park this season behind him with a close second to Vyta Du Roc in the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

Despite that improved performance, Minella Rocco’s official handicap mark remained unchanged on 143 on Tuesday, when his price for the opening day festival handicap was cut across the board. He was 8-1 favourite with a number of bookmakers last night. 

“He is going for the four-miler and that’s the only race he’s left in,” revealed O’Neill. “He jumped great on Saturday but he’s been vulnerable and I think for those handicaps you need to be fairly slick. We don’t know whether he will get four miles but he will hopefully be in his comfort zone in that race.”

Minella Rocco is a top-price 14-1 for the National Hunt Chase. O’Neill could still be represented in the Tuesday handicap, however, with leading Crabbie’s Grand National fancy Holywell entered.

Aintree option for rating risers

Despite taking an 11lb rise in the ratings, Saturday’s wide-margin Ascot handicap hurdle winner Different Gravey has been given a Coral Cup entry, although trainer Nicky Henderson said he is far from a guaranteed starter. 

With a new mark of 160, he looks likely to top the weights for the 2m5f handicap.

Henderson said: “He’s in the Coral Cup, along with 20 others, but we won’t be making any decision just yet. He would only be two pound higher than when Volnay De Thaix finished fifth last year but I still would say the most likely place he will go is Aintree.”

Different Gravey

Different Gravey: likely to top the weights for the Coral Cup

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)  

Silviniaco Conti will be officially 6lb well in should he take his chance in the Grand National on April 8 after his runaway success in Saturday’s Betfair Ascot Chase prompted action from the handicapper.

The seven-time Grade 1 winner was raised 5lb to a mark of 169 on Tuesday, but with the BHA’s senior handicapper Phil Smith compressing his previous mark to 163 when revealing the National weights last week, Silviniaco Conti will race off a 6lb lower mark than his new rating.

Frodon up 5lb to 143

Stablemate Frodon, a possible for the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle or the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham next month, has been put up 5lb to a mark of 143 after Saturday’s win at Haydock.

 

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