/ Editor / 24 February 2007 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Two of Ireland's top novice chasers, Schindlers Hunt and Patsy Hall, clash over what is a neutral trip of 2m 4f at Naas on Sunday (15.10).

Schindlers Hunt has earned his reputation over two miles and would have been a major candidate for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival had his stable not forgotten to enter him. Patsy Hall has been a popular outsider in the Betfair ante-post market for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at 29, having established his credentials in three-mile races.

Schindlers Hunt has been most impressive in gaining a pair of Grade 1 victories at Leopardstown and certainly didn't fail due to lack of stamina when beaten by SunAlliance fancy Cailin Alainn over 2m4f at Fairyhouse previously.

Layers may be tempted by Patsy Hall's failure to get round in two of his last four starts, but he jumped soundly when winning at Cheltenham earlier in the season and he was holding his own against the likes of Beef Of Salmon and The Listener when falling five fences from home on his latest outing in the Irish Hennessy.

The 7lb Patsy Hall receives from the favourite makes him an attractive proposition.

In-play punters will want to see how Ambobo copes with the early fences on his chasing debut before speculating, but the ex-French horse, who was transferred to the yard of Grand National-winning trainer Martin Brassil before disappointing at the Punchestown Festival last April, has the hurdling form to ruffle these if at is best.

Mister Top Notch gained his first chase win in a sub standard Grade 1 contest at Leopardstown and he makes no appeal against Schindlers Hunt at level weights.

Benefit Night steps up in class after two wins in minor company at Navan and Naas and the one most likely to complete the placed trio is last season's Royal & SunAlliance eighth, Letterman.

Generator's a power play

Sir Douglas has not won since his racecourse debut a year ago, but he has had three near-misses since the turn of the year and he appeared to give his all on each occasion.

With Paul Hanagan trying his luck on board for the first time and cheekpieces re-introduced, he is sure to be popular in win and place markets for Kempton's 15.30 on Sunday.

His latest Wolverhampton effort has been boosted by subsequent wins for the third and fourth home.

If you fancy Sir Douglas you must seriously consider Methaaly, who finished just a length and a half behind him at Wolverhampton. A lightly-raced sort bought cheaply out of Willie Haggas' yard by Jane Chapple-Hyam, he may have the greater scope for improvement.

Generator ended 2006 in good form with wins at Lingfield and over Sunday's course and distance. The handicapper has not overreacted and, at the weights, he has a sound chance. He may attract layers rather than backers, however, because having run after a break in the past, his 79-day absence must be a concern.

Takitwo was surprisingly made favourite on his seasonal reappearance over a mile in January. The drop back to seven furlongs - the distance of his three turf wins - is a plus, but his seven-week absence is not.

Beneking runs his best races when racing close to the pace so we can probably put a line though his latest effort when he was held up in rear. In-play punters can afford to wait to check that Micky Fenton bounces him out prominently before playing and, in those circumstances, this recent course winner has a sound chance as he battles hard.

Dean McKeown's record on Grand Palace reads 212 and he, along with Kew The Music, are others to consider. Kew The Music would appeal at a big price in the place market as he was beaten little more than two lengths over 1m1f at Wolverhampton last time. He has never won over further than Sunday's seven furlongs.

Kazal can be opposed

A competitive Grade 2 event (15.40) in which Kazal, one of Ireland's leading fancies for the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, faces no fewer than nine other winners.

The Eoin Griffin-trained six-year-old deserves his place at the head of the market, having won four of his five starts over hurdles, the last three in Graded class. However, with so many promising unexposed types in opposition, the favourite is sure to attract layers as well.

Kazal's style is to hit the front some way from home and grind out victories but his occasionally sloppy jumping and the fact that connections are resisting the temptation to run him again over three miles until the Festival suggests he could be vulnerable.

Bridge Run represents the powerful Meade-Carberry combination and, having won a point-to-point, a bumper and his only novice hurdle, it is hard to crab his form.

Offaly, the Meade second string, steps up in class and appears out of his depth, along with Out In Front, whose two recent wins have come in modest handicap company.

Notre Pere made a winning hurdles debut at Navan last weekend. He deserves credit for winning over an inadequate two miles that day as he had already won a 2m 4f bumper. Will appreciate the trip but looks more of a future chasing prospect.

Albanov ran well for a 25-1 chance when fifth in the Grade 2 event won by Orbit O'Gold at Punchestown, although his rider Barry Geraghty has understandably opted for the favourite.

One definitely on your side if you are taking on Kazal is Gripit N Tipit. He should be monitored in the place markets because he is progressive and has run behind some talented novices. He pushed the favourite You Sir hard all the way to the line at Limerick and is reunited with David Casey, who won on him at Navan.

Calherwhatulike needs to improve but Ruby Walsh's booking for the mare is an interesting one. He teamed up with the stable to gain a shock win on Young Desperado in a Grade 2 chase at Fairyhouse last weekend.

Chomba Whomba is another mare who could tempt win and place punters. Countess Messina, who finished behind her at Cork, subsequently beat off Grand National hopes Dun Doire and Numbersixvalverde in a valuable Punchestown handicap hurdle.