Vyta Du Roc - RSA Chase

Surely this horse is being overlooked in the RSA Chase?

More Of That and No More Heroes dominate the betting and seem to be dominating the discussion especially on the preview circuit. I don't think it's so clear cut and both horses have many questions to answer.

More Of That chance is clearly being heavily influenced by his World Hurdle win. There is too much weight placed on that with regard to his chance in the RSA Chase. Yes he gets up the hill very well as shown by that win and his chase wins this season but he's had an injury since and those novice wins were small fields against inferior opposition. I thought his jumping could have been tidier at some of his fences and he has an extra half mile to race for the first time over fences.

There must be a danger that No More Heroes likes it soft. His form fell apart in the spring of last season and there must be a slight worry the same thing could happen again. I was hugely impressed by his win at Christmas especially his jumping but you look back and assess that race now, it's hardly that impressive. It was a 4 runner race, 2 of which were running in the same ownership as No More Heroes (Rule The World a perennial second) and the fourth runner Monksland hates it soft.

On the other hand, Vyta Du Roc was going to be second in the Neptune last season and still done well to grab fourth after his final flight blunder. That's impressive Festival form something which No More Heroes lacks. He also has a couple of other things which his opponents lacks and that is a recent run and a win over 3m over fences which More Of That doesn't have. That step up in trip in the Reynoldstown really seemed to suit in my opinion and beating the current favourite for the 4-miler Minella Rocco represents much better form than anything No More Heroes or More Of That have beaten over fences.

Of the others, there are plenty of chances and if you can find reasons to oppose the front 2 (of which there are plenty), there is lots to choose from but Vyta Du Roc's past Festival form and his desire for a stamina test make him a stand out. Blaklion has always shaped like 3m chasing might be where he's at his best but his poor run in the Albert Bartlett last season is a worry and there's a feeling he likes it soft too. The Mullins contingent of Black Hercules and Outlander will likely go for the JLT so Gigginstown may leave it to Roi Des Francs to be their second string. He's a danger at a decent price and as I had him earmarked for the 4-miler, I cannot rule him out. 

Still though, that run by Vyta Du Roc is the Neptune last season is eyecatching in the context of this race. He would surely have been second and with more of stamina test this year round, he looks a decent shout to me.