Will Cadmium Be The One For Willie In A Wide Open Topham?

The professionals get their first chance over the National fences in the Topham today after they got their first airing in the Foxhunters on Thursday and with 30 runners here it’s just as wise to keep your options open here.

The Topham isn’t quite as chaotic as the National but it’s not far off it and luck in running is key again.

Ruby Walsh has opted to sit out the race after his big race victory on Thursday and Paul Townend takes the ride on Cadmium for Willie Mullins who should be suited by the rainfall at the Liverpool track yesterday and is the pick of the bunch at 20/1.

There is a strong Irish challenge in the Topham which also includes the classy Peregrine Run who is an interesting contender but if Cadmium takes to the fences he should give a very good account of himself.

Nicky Henderson’s Janika has top weight but is still likely to go off favourite for the race, which unlike the National Henderson has been able to win in recent years, but he may just struggle to haul that weight around if the rain keeps coming.

Cadmium skipped Cheltenham in favour of going to Navan for the Webster Cup where he was second to the classy Darasso.
That still was a decent effort from the seven-year-old who is still open to plenty of improvement and he holds some good novice form earlier this season.

Horses like Ballyhill and Call It Magic are two of interest with even lighter weights.

The latter ran a blinder over these fences behind Walk In The Mill and you’d think that the rain won’t do Call It Magic’s chances any harm.

Kilcrea Vale ran in the Grand Sefton also over these fences and is another with bottom weight who warrants respect if these fences light him up again.

The top weight Janika is a stable companion of Kilcrea Vale and has been second on all three starts since joining Nicky Henderson. They were three solid runs and the six-year-old is the youngest runner in the field but that shouldn’t be a negative as he has bags of experience from his time in France.

It just looks a big ask in a race like this to carry top weight to open his account for Henderson.

Henry de Bromhead’s Balko Des Flos outran his odds in Thursday’s big race and Rachael Blackmore will be hoping she can get a similar tune out of Sub Lieutenant. At his very best form the veteran would look a great price at 33/1 but he has only one run worth mentioning this season and that was when second to Tout Est Permis at Thurles.

You’ll back worse horses at 33/1 than Sub Lieutenant and a small each-way wager might not be a bad idea on him but Cadmium gets a tentative nod in a wide open race.

*Prices correct at time of publication