Horse Racing

2010 John Durkan Memorial Chase Preview

The 2010 John Durkan Memorial Chase will be held this Sunday December 5 at Punchestown Racecourse. Bet365 has antepost odds for the event, so read on for our early preview.

Top of the odds at Bet365 is Tranquil Sea at 4/1. Coming off a win in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase he took early in November, Tranquil Sea has already gotten off to a strong start this season. If his previous campaigns are anything to go by, Tranquil Sea should do well in this race and any others he runs before February.

Several horses follow at 5/1, including Captain Cee Bee, Cooldine, Golden Silver, and The Nightingale.

Captain Cee Bee came back this season with a win in the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase. He also finished last season with a win at Punchestown in the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase. With that said, the John Durkan Memorial Chase will be the longest race he has been in, a full 4 furlongs more than his usual 2 mile runs.

Cooldine isn’t worth betting on to win at 5/1, but you will want to include him in your exotic box bets later. While he has plenty of Grade 1 wins, Cooldine has never won at Punchestown, and usually come third or fourth there. This race will be shorter than usual for him, but we aren’t convinced this will help Cooldine to do more than place again.

Golden Silver could be a real chance, with his season ending win in the Grade 1 Boylesports.com Champion Chase early this year at Punchestown. His first race back this season was a second place out of four in a Grade 2 chase, however, and he has generally only placed at this distance.

The Nightingale is not as experienced as some of the other likely contenders in this race, but he has had a decent chase record, with 3 wins and a place out of 4 chases. This will be his first Grade 1 chase and first at Punchestown, but he is certainly a prospect. You should consider him if his odds get longer, however he is a bit of a risk at 5/1.

Another group follow at 8/1 in the Bet365 odds, including Glencove Marina, Joncol, Pandorama, and The Listener. Pandorama looks particularly good at this price, despite pulling up in the Hennessy Gold Cup recently. He had a tremendous season last year, and while this season got off to a shaky start, Pandorama is probably the best value in this run.

If you would like to bet on the 2010 John Durkan Memorial Chase at these odds, join Bet365 now! While you are there, don’t forget to bet on other big upcoming events too, such as the December Gold Cup.