Quel Esprit 14/1 for RSA Chase

Quel Esprit, so good that he ran twice at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, is now a 14/1 shot for the 2011 RSA Chase after winning at Limerick yesterday, on his first outing over fences.

Esprit was always prominent for jockey Paul Townsend and soon saw off main rival Torphichen, to come home clear in the 2 mile, 3 and-a-half furlong Beginners Chase.

The grey was so promising as a hurdler that he was sent off at just 5/1 for the Neptune Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, but fell at the second. Willie Mullins was so sure of his talent and so determined to prove his worth that he sent Quel Esprit out for the Albert Bartlett two days later and he ran well for a long way before his stamina gave out over that three-mile trip.

The Mullins stable has a wealth of talent in the novice chaser department this season with such exciting recruits as Mikael D'Haguenet and Arvika Ligeonniere expected to make their fencing debut's shortly, but yesterday was the turn of the 6 year-old gelding and looking ahead to his next outing Mullins said:

"We'll find another novice and then we'll think about Christmas. It would look the job to step up to three miles at Leopardstown or he could come back here for the Guinness race on the 26th December."

Last weeks impressive Cheltenham scorer Time For Rupert is clear favourite for the RSA at 7/1, with Mikael D'Haguenet, a 10/1 shot. Thus whilst Quel Esprit is a general 14/1 chance, the RSA Chase is not his only possible Festival target and the four-mile National Hunt Chase and new Jewson Novices Chase over 2 and-a-half miles are alternatives for the trainer, who may favour Mikael D'Haguenet for the RSA.

Quel Esprit seems likely to make a chaser