Dynaste Shortens in RSA Market without Leaving his Stable

Sometimes, it is good to let others do the talking for you.  At Cheltenham on Saturday, Unioniste paid a big compliment to Dynaste, his conqueror of a month earlier, in running away with the seemingly ultra-competitive Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup Handicap Chase at the Prestbury Park track, writes Elliot Slater.

As Unioniste put his rivals to the sword in no uncertain fashion, punters were quick to recall that Dynaste had easily brushed Paul Nicholls’ charge aside when the pair met at the same track in November.

Dynaste came home an eight-and-a-half length third behind David Pipe’s rising star, the now injured Fingal Bay having separated the pair in finishing four lengths behind the exciting winner.

Without setting foot outside his box, Dynaste has now been trimmed to a general offer of 5/1 ante-post favourite for the Grade 1 RSA Chase back at Cheltenham’s Festival meeting in mid-March, although one or two firms still go 6/1 in a bid to balance their books. 

Pipe’s galloping grey, like so many before him, had found himself frustrated by the brilliant Big Buck’s in the three-mile hurdles division last season but has made a fine transition to the larger obstacles in beating last season’s top staying novice Fingal Bay in the Steel Plate & Sections Novices Chase.

He then justified odds-on with the minimum of fuss against the classy Court In Motion in the Grade 2 Fullers London Pride Novices Chase at Newbury on November 30.

Already seen in many quarters as the one they all have to beat in the RSA Chase – although the same was said of his stable companion, Grand Crus, last term before he let the side down in the big race – Dynaste may well take his chance at Kempton on Boxing Day in the Feltham Novices Chase, a contest seen as a key stepping stone to the top of the tree for budding three-mile chasing stars.