River City Heads Chance Trio At The Open On Sunday

Dual totesport Gold Cup-winning trainer Noel Chance has a smart trio primed for action on the final day of The Open on Sunday, November 18, headed by the high-class River City who returns to action over fences in a fascinating renewal of the #50,000 paddypower.com Handicap Chase (2.20pm) over two miles.

Chance revealed yesterday: 'River City is a definite runner in the paddypower.com Handicap Chase and should run a nice race.'

The 10-year-old gelding, six and a half lengths third to Voy Por Ustedes in the Grade One Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at The Festival in March, is set to renew rivalry with Alan King's charge, from whom he is receiving 9lb.

River City has had two spins on the Flat this autumn, most recently at Lingfield on November 6, when he led for most of that mile and a half contest before being outpaced in the final furlong to finish sixth. Chance hopes that the run will have brought his charge nearer to peak fitness.

The Upper Lambourn handler continued: 'It was a good run on the Flat at Lingfield. He led until about the last furlong of that race and would have come on considerably.

'He's a horse with a back problem and as a result he can't go up hills, so we have to train him on the level, which takes us twice as long to get him fit as it would a horse that didn't have a back problem.

'We're just getting there and he's coming close, but whether he's close enough to fitness on Sunday I'm not so sure - I'm happy with him.'

Chance's team also includes Commander Kev, who is primed for the #20,000 Gideon Kasler Novices' Hurdle (3.30pm) on Sunday, which has been won in the past two years by Massini's Maguire (2006) and Black Jack Ketchum (2005), who both added the Grade Two Spa Novices' Hurdle at The Festival the following March.

Commander Kev returned from a 614-day absence to finish third to Snap Tie in the Club 16-24 Maiden Hurdle over an extended two miles at Cheltenham on October 19.

Chance revealed: 'Commander Kev will run in the Gideon Kasler Novices' Hurdle. Unfortunately, he's a 115 horse and because he's had a few runs over hurdles he keeps getting eliminated from races.

'He ran a blinder last time after more than 600 days off and he wouldn't have been suited by two miles - he wants further.

'One thing you can depend on at Cheltenham is safe ground and he'll appreciate that, as he had a year off with a leg problem. If we were lucky enough to win, we'd go chasing with him after that. He's crying out for a fence.'

Chance's smart trio is completed by the lightly-raced seven-year-old Mendo, who bids for a hat-trick in the #25,000 Browne's Gazette Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm) over two miles and five furlongs, having won at Market Rasen and Ascot in March.

'Mendo will run in the Browne's Gazette Intermediate Handicap Hurdle and he's doing excellent. He might just need the run but he won his last two last year and it's a 0-135 for second-season novices, so is a good place to start him out.

'The ground may not be ideal, as he would want it softer, but he takes his chance.'

The prestigious Paddy Power Gold Cup is the feature event of The Open, which runs from Friday, November 16, 2007, to Sunday, November 18.

Friday is Countryside Day, with a traditional country fair atmosphere plus a dressage display, hound parades and over 80 trade stands offering something for everyone.

A fantastic six-race card on Friday features the #35,000 BGC Cross Country Steeplechase (2.30pm), which has 15 declared runners headed by the amazing Enda Bolger-trained 14-year-old Spot Thedifference, who bids for a remarkable fourth success in the race and a seventh victory in total over the unique course.

He is set to face stablemate Freneys Well, along with the Paul Nicholls-trained pair of Royal Auclair, runner-up in the 2005 John Smith's Grand National, and Le Duc.

The prestigious #35,000 Grade Two Anglo Irish Bank Private Banking Novices' Hurdle (3.05pm) over an extended two miles has nine acceptors, including the exciting Jonjo O'Neill-trained Spectait, winner on the Flat of the totesport Mile Handicap at Glorious Goodwood in August, 2006, and impressive when victorious on his hurdles debut at Aintree on October 27.

Other declared runners include the Philip Hobbs-trained Snap Tie, winner of the Club 16-24 Maiden Hurdle over the course and distance on October 19, as well as recent Wincanton winner I'msingingtheblues from Paul Nicholls' yard and the Irish raiders Kirbybroguelantern and Dark Bolero.

The Open kicks off with a competitive renewal of the #15,000 Royal Bank Of Canada Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (12.45pm) which has 24 declared runners.

Latest Going

Simon Claisse, Clerk Of The Course at Cheltenham, reported yesterday morning: 'The going is GOOD on the chase and hurdle courses with a Going Stick reading of 7.6 and the Cross Country course is GOOD TO FIRM at 9.7.