Rhys Williams' Monday Racing Tips: Chasing newcomer to exceed expectations

More promise in France than rating suggests

Ffos Las 14:20: Gingembre Menthe 1pt win 14/1

Only four runners line up in the novice chase at Ffos Las and there's little between the top three in the market. Mill Green just shades favouritism and he ran quite well behind Enrilo on chasing debut at Newbury. However, although he won over 2m at Sandown in January last year, I think the ground and track played to his strength that day as he stays the trip well. 2m around Ffos Las might be sharp enough for him these days.

Mr One More made a promising chasing debut at Chepstow when finishing a close second to Antunes but he's yet to back that up. He was well held at Kempton next time and fell on his latest start at Sandown and a tongue tie now goes on for the first time. It's difficult to be sure what to expect from him at the moment.

Monsieur Lecoq faced what turned out to be an impossible task last time at Ascot when beaten a long distance by subsequent Maghull Novices' Chase runner up Funambule Sivola. He's shown a fairly good level of ability over fences but I think he may ideally want softer ground or further too so he might not be able to quite run up to his best.

The outsider of the field is Gingembre Menthe. He's the lowest rated in the field by 10lb and that's reflected in the market but I think he's better than that rating suggests and this test could bring out some improvement from him.

All six runs in his career have come in France and I think that's led to the promise in his performances not being identified. As would be expected given the trainer, he made a slow start to his career when finishing well beaten at Compiegne and Fontainebleau before making huge improvement on his next start at Auteuil. He raced keenly early on before settling better just behind the leaders. He made headway into a close third leaving the back straight and he was still travelling strongly turning into the home straight.

Shaken up between the final two hurdles, he tried to challenge Gars En Noir but could never quite get upsides and was beaten three lengths while pulling miles clear of the rest, albeit that extended by the falls/unseats at the last of Golden Doc and Gard Feel.

The winner was bought to join Willie Mullins and although he disappointed on his debut for him, he was sent off 11/10 favourite for a Grade 2. The third was Glorice, who has since won over fences, while the fourth has since won a Listed handicap hurdle.

Gingembre Menthe was off the track for around seven and a half months before returning in a Listed handicap hurdle at Auteuil. Again he raced a bit keenly in midfield early on and was still going well, although some way off the leader, turning the final bend. He stayed on quite well from that point, without ever troubling the leaders, to finish sixth. That was a very strong 4yo handicap hurdle, with Becquarainbow going on to win a Listed race next time, Zurekin finishing fifth in a Grade 1 next time before winning a handicap hurdle at Cagnes Sur Mer and Loradame won a Listed race and a Grade 3 on her next two starts.

Gingembre Menthe was stepped up to 2m3½f for his next start and that proved too far for him. He led for much of the race until being joined in front at the last hurdle in the back straight. He was only just over a length behind at 2 out but gradually faded from that point and had little left on the run in.

He again looked a non stayer in very badly cut up ground on his most recent outing in late November. Having initially raced in midfield, he made headway early in the back straight to go into the lead before being headed leaving the back straight. He was close up at 2 out but again dropped away from that point and eventually finished eighth.

I think those races have been too much of a test of stamina for him and the drop back to 2m on better ground will see Gingembre Menthe in a better light. While I would rather be backing him in a handicap off 122, his rating being the lowest by 10lb has resulted in him being a big price and I think his run against Gars En Noir and the sixth in a Listed handicap hurdle suggest that he's better than that.

This is his chasing debut so there's the unknown of how he will take to fences but he's jumped French hurdles in a manner that suggests he shouldn't have a problem on that front. A potential concern is that he seemed to be slightly hanging/edging right at times so it may be that he will be at his best on a right-handed track although it didn't look a significant issue when racing in France.

I wouldn't be surprised if, under these conditions, Gingembre Menthe is more of a danger to the other trio than the market suggests and any 8/1 or bigger appeals.