Daryl Carter's Tips: 13/8 Ile Atlantique can wash away Lawlor's rivals

• Back Mullins and Townend to land Lawlor's glory

• Holds the strongest time figure in my book

• Has the strongest form

13:42 Naas - Back Ile Atlantique @ 13/82.63 2pt

This is a fascinating renewal of the rescheduled Grade 1 Lawlors Of Naas and is a race that will have a significant ripple effect on the Cheltenham ante-post markets.

Rescheduled is the key word as punters are armed with some already vital pre-race betting info with this contest called off at the final hour on Sunday.

The market that day favoured Mystical Power over the two who heads today's betting - Firefox and Ile Atlantique.

Mystical Power was backed 14/115.00 into 11/26.50 before the abandonment, and the weakness behind the joint favourites was exposed. Interestingly, despite the absence of Mystical Power in the re-formed markets, that theme has continued.

Still, I strongly suspect the money will come in spades for the Willie Mullins runner Ile Atlantique - 13/82.63 on the Betfair Sportsbook if people have the same findings as me this evening.

It's taken me a while to warm to anything in this race, but a few hours of race and clock watching along with collateral form lines have given me a firm opinion.

Firefox is solid. However, the opinion is that he beat an undercooked Ballyburn at Fairyhouse with a fitness edge and was allowed to set extremely slow fractions before quickening at the second last flight. The race was by far the slowest on the entire card.

Ile Atlantique, in turn, clocked a good number at Gowran and was by far the fastest on the card in my book. He galloped relentlessly from pillar to post, showing a high cruising speed and solid finishing effort.

That race at Gowran Park has more substance than I had initially thought. The form looks ok through the second Diamboy Des Carres, who had no answer to the Willie Mullins winner but had previously shown solid form behind Good Land in a bumper last year and has since made Westport Cove work hard at Thurles. Westport Cove chased home the useful Quai De Bourbon at Clonmel on Wednesday, and that winner is one certainly to keep on side.

Ile Atlantique needs to reverse bumper form with Firefox, but that's entirely possible now when tackling obstacles and over a longer trip. The selection was battling back at the finish against an all-out Firefox at Fairyhouse, and he can improve past that rival.

On deep reflection, Ile Atlantique holds some strong form in this contest - his beating of the 155-rated Feronily at Leopardstown is just one example.
He looks like a promising horse for the future and armed with the best speed figure in the race - he can prove to be the best of these over this trip.

There was an interesting interview with Patrick Mullins following the abandonment on Sunday when he said he was shocked to see the price Chapeau De Soleil had drifted to. He also commented, saying he was surprised that Paul Townend had chosen Ile Atlantique and there was little between them.

Those comments are no more than interesting. Chap De Soleil's form has no substance, and his RPR of 122 suggests he has a mountain to climb. Still, he was only being taught his trade and was the yard's number-one Champion bumper horse last season before he suffered some issues. Reports suggest all is ok on that front. Better is expected from the six-year-old, who could have any amount to offer.

Many of Willie Mullins's runners have improved for their first outing, and he could easily be another, but so could the selection Ile Atlantique.

An Tobar sets a standard with a Grade 1 third, but the Royal Bond form is surpassed every year, and he was a weak finisher there while five jumped the last all on terms. I wouldn't say I liked how he responded to pressure, throwing his head from side to side, and his point-to-point form is very questionable.

Croke Park has done little wrong and tops the RPRS in this contest at 141. However, he looks like a stayer and lacks a change of gear, similar to Lecky Watson, while Readin Tommy Wrong looks like one for handicaps down the line.

Il Atlantique gets a good vote of confidence, having deep-dived into this race, and he is fancied to go on to better things, but he already holds the credentials to win this race, and he could prove even better with his return under his belt.

I make him an 11/102.11 chance.

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