/ Alex Steedman / 07 March 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Time For Rupert - a worthy favourite for the RSA
"Time For Rupert jumps, stays, is still improving at the age of seven and his Cheltenham form figures read 12211."
On paper there's no reason not to back Time For Rupert at odds of [3.4] for the RSA Chase - but that was the same story as Dunguib in the Supreme Novices' in 2010 - so are you a backer or a layer?
A friend of mine who works in the city tells me that successive prime ministers have very actively encouraged the capitalist tendencies of his kind. I tell him taxpayers have already bailed out one major firm and are now paying again through swingeing cuts in the public sector. Where I come from, banker is a rude word. But in the lexicon of the Cheltenham festival, banker is what punters dream of, search for and ultimately perhaps, rely on. Time For Rupert is this year's banker.
In the 90s Istabraq carried the hopes and wealth of a nation on his athletic shoulders for several years while favourites like Danoli and Best Mate transformed betting weeks for many in their time. I know punters who went home ten minutes after the festival started last year because Dunguib failed to bring home the bacon. Time for Rupert ([3.4]) looks solid banker material in the RSA but he will be responsible for so much more besides.
There is nothing not to like about this horse. Good enough over hurdles to take silver behind Big Buck's at the festival last year, Time For Rupert has always looked destined for chasing's top table and his two wins over fences this season have served to underline the point.
On his debut at Cheltenham in November he jumped with a surety as though he'd been popping over poles in the womb and had subsequent Grade 2 winner Hell's Bay eight lengths adrift. Returning to the track in December he devoured the famous hill again, leaving soon-to-be Racing Post Chase winner Quinz struggling 17 lengths behind. He jumps, he stays, he's still improving at the age of seven and his Cheltenham form figures read 12211. Time For Rupert will be very, very difficult to beat.
But the challengers are queuing up to take a swipe and for me the biggest threat could prove to be Wayward Prince ([13.0]). He wasn't quite as classy over hurdles but he was still good enough to land a Grade 1 at Aintree last season and has looked full of the business in three chase wins so far this term. An extreme test on decent ground looks his bag and having never finished out of the first two under rules, Wayward Prince is a live one.
Wymott ([13.0]) actually beat Wayward Prince over hurdles last season on very testing ground one day at Haydock and he boasts a similar 100%, three chase race record. He has been beating inferior opposition though and looks as though his mind wanders sometimes but he jumps well and it is really difficult to know how good he might be.
Paul Nicholls is in no doubt on that score with regard to Aiteen Thirtythree ([9.8]). The Champion trainer has hailed him as the new Denman and has already tipped him up to win the Hennessy in November! Well the handicapper might already have scuppered that plan and I'm really not sure this horse is good enough yet. I called him 'a big boat' on a recent preview panel and though exaggerating the point for effect, I honestly don't think he's quick enough, even for a race like this. Aiteen Thirtythree has huge potential but I can see him struggling for pace when it matters.
Gordon Elliot seems very keen on the chance of Jessies Dream ([9.8]) and I can see why. He probably should have won at Leopardstown in January which would have extended his sequence to three and as a second season novice he has more experience than most. Good ground would serve him well but I wonder if he has quite the size for this sort of test. They fancy him though and having chased home Time For Rupert already this season with Chicago Grey, the team probably think they have an idea where they stand.
So the competition is certainly thick with potential and possibility but ask yourself these questions: could any of these have got within a whiff of Big Buck's and is there a prospective Gold Cup winner among them? Florida Pearl, Denman and Cooldine have all landed the RSA for favourite backers in recent years and Time For Rupert has that sort of look about him.
Don't expect to see the Paul Webber-gelding in a pin-stripe with garish shades any time soon, for this guy is blue collar hero through the marrow. Old school or just plain old fashioned, he wouldn't be seen anywhere near a Ferrari but when he tanks it, Time For Rupert fairly resembles a top line machine. It will be brave men or city slickers with too much money who take him on at Cheltenham.
On paper there's no reason not to back Time For Rupert at odds of [3.4] for the RSA Chase - but that was the same story as Dunguib in the Supreme Novices' in 2010 - so are you a backer or a layer?...
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