2009 Leopardstown Lexus Chase Betting

The Lexus Chase on Monday 28th December is the feature race of the four day Christmas Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse and the betting for the 2009 race looks like finding the winner is going to to be a tough assignment for even the most knowledgeable of form students. Irish Bookmaker, Paddy Power, go odds of 3/1 the field with just four points in the betting separating the top  five in the market.

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The joint favourites for the race are the Paul Nolan trained Joncol and the Jim Dreaper trained Notre Pere. With the former a slight favourite at quote of 5/2 and 11/4 with other bookies. Joncol comes in to the race on the back of an impressive win at Punchestown earlier in December which followed a solid second to Tranquil Sea in October, who is well regarded and followed up that defeat of Joncol with victory at Cheltenham’s Open meeting. Notre Pere was the impressive winner of the Welsh National last Christmas in what turned out to be a excellent season for the Kilsallaghan based runner. His campaign this season started unluckily when falling when looking the most likely to win at Down Royal on his reappearance before being found wanting in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. He will need to bounce back from that disappointment if he is to win the Lexus Chase and confirm his credentials as a realistic Cheltenham Gold Cup hope.

What a Friend represents the best English hope in the race and his trainer will be looking to add to his tally following Denman’s win here in 2007. The Sir Alex Ferguson owned runner was an impressive second to the aforementioned and stablemate in his last run, The Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, where, despite coming up short of the winner, was  far from disgraced and this six year old could have the makings of a very useful performer and is sure to be well backed at 5/1 by the growing band of punters who follow Paul Nicholls given his success rate at the top level of chasing. However, What a Friend will have to prove he has improved enough to reverse the form of his 30 length Royal and Sun Alliance Chase defeat at Cheltenham in march, at the hands of Cooldine who also runs in the Lexus Chase.

Cooldine was a mightily impressive Novice Chaser last term where he was soon touted as the one to challenge Kauto Star and Denman’s monopoly on the Gold Cup, however, doubts were cast when he was a disappointing odds on favourite on his final start at Punchestown in April. If you are willing to risk ignoring that blip, together with this being his first run in eight months then the 11/2 on offer could be cracking value about a horse clearly stacked with ability and is our tip for the race.

The other huge danger in the race is Voy Por Ustedes, who like What a Friend, heads over the Irish Sea for trainer Alan King. A solid performer who is never disgraced and proven at Grade One level looks over priced at 8/1 but the bookmakers clearly think that some of the younger horses in the race may have a bit too much for this runner but don’t forget, he has no fewer than five Grade One wins to his name.

Lexus Chase Tip
Cooldine to win @ 11/2

Lexus Chase Betting Odds – 2:35 Leopardstown, Monday 28th December 2009
Joncol 11/4
Notre Pere 11/4
What a Friend 5/1
Cooldine 11/2
Voy Por Ustedes 8/1
In Compliance 12/1
Money Trix 12/1
Schindlers Hunt 14/1
Aran Concerto 16/1
Cloudy Lane 25/1
Jy Vole 33/1
Cane Brake 50/1
Odds courtesy of Victor Chandler