Ryanair Chase still an option for French Dynamite
- Planet Sport writer
- 30 January 2023
Connections of French Dynamite are still mulling over whether the eight-year-old is ready for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham after his second in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles.
Mouse Morris' charge enjoyed a good season to date, winning on his reappearance over hurdles and then going down by less than a length in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.
He followed that by showing up well for a long way in the Savills Chase at Leapordstown over Christmas, before dropping back in trip to chase home Fakir d'Oudairies in Grade Two company most recently.
Having settled on the two-and-a-half-mile distance, it now appears that ground conditions could be the determining factor on whether Morris' charge gets a shot at the Ryanair at the Cheltenham Festival - a race for which he is a best price of 33/1.
"I thought French Dynamite ran a cracker on difficult ground," said Morris.
"He is a good ground horse and I think that distance (two and a half miles) is bang on.
"I have a plan if the ground is good and we'll have to think about something like the Ryanair Chase, but will have a meeting first to decide."
