Two days on from a thrilling King George comes the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown. Nine runners make up the 2024 field in the race, and Joe Napier gives his verdict for a pulsating clash.
In perhaps the greatest performance of his career to date, Galopin Des Champs annihilated his rivals in 2023, winning his first Savills Chase by 23 lengths.
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
(Willie Mullins/Paul Townend)
The idea of Galopin Des Champs going off at odds against for a second straight Savills Chase success would have seemed extremely unlikely. The eight-year-old has won all five of his chase starts at Leopardstown, rarely looking booked for anything other than comfortable victory at the venue, while he has also added a second Cheltenham Gold Cup in the meantime too.
However, the emergence of new and exciting rivals gives this great champion more to prove than would have been expected. He was overturned once again at Punchestown in May, and has now lost four in a row there after returning by finishing a close third in the John Durkan Memorial Chase. That was potentially his best effort at the track since he won the race in December 2022 though, and he is the one to beat again back at a course he adores.
FACT TO FILE
(Willie Mullins/Mark Walsh)
One of Galopin Des Champs’ new and exciting rivals, Fact To File is officially 1-0 up in their head-to-head. That is due to his thrilling victory in the John Durkan at Punchestown, his first start in open company, in which he overhauled his vaunted stablemate on the run-in before holding off Spillane’s Tower for a third straight Grade 1 win.
It is now four wins on the bounce for him altogether, with the first two of those coming at Leopardstown. He had Gaelic Warrior well in arrears when he fell at the last in a match race in February having won by 17 lengths in a Beginners’ Chase at this meeting last season. He is building quite the profile, stays 3m, and would lay down some marker were he to to make it five wins in a row in this race.
I AM MAXIMUS
(Willie Mullins/Jody McGarvey)
It might well prove in the coming seasons that the Grand National is now a potential stepping stone race for Grade 1 staying chasers. I Am Maximus was not far short of that level anyway last season, winning a Grade 1 novice event when he was last eligible, but scorched to success in the National itself off a mark of 159 in April.
He has not been seen since, but to do what he did off that mark, regardless of the changing nature of the race, speaks to him possessing inordinate ability. Willie Mullins has already stated a second straight win at Aintree is the ultimate goal for this season though, so while it is not impossible he could prove up to this sort of task, especially as he goes well fresh, there may have been some work left for him to do for later in the term.
THE FIELD
Mullins runs two more, with Grangeclare West having won the Grade 1 novice chase over course and distance at this meeting last year. He took a good blow in the John Durkan when ultimately pulling up, and should strip fitter here, albeit he would still need to show a lot more to mix it with the top two in the market.
Minella Cocooner is the other after a respectable fifth in that Punchestown race, but he has not shown enough to suggest he can win a top tier race of this calibre. Conflated did just that in this race two years ago, but it was a far weaker renewal, and he will turn 11 in January with his form turning southward.
Gentlemansgame was a close fourth in the Punchestown Gold Cup in May, and beat I Am Maximus easily here in December 2022. Nevertheless, he looks vulnerable again against such opposition, as does the doughty Heart Wood stepping truly up into open company.
On the other hand, there is probably more to come at some point from Inothewayurthinkin, who almost certainly found the John Durkan too hot over 2m3½f last month, but does stay well, so should appreciate this trip significantly more.
ITV Racing Tips – Three Selections For Newbury And Leopardstown On Saturday 28th December, 2024
There are eight races taking place in front of the ITV Racing cameras on Saturday and not only do they take in Newbury and Leicester, but there’s a real treat from Ireland as they host two Grade 1 contests from Leopardstown, which includes the Savills Chase. Our tipster Steve Chambers previews the action and picks…
Fri 27 Dec 2024VERDICT
Despite being overturned by Fact To File at Punchestown, Leopardstown is GALOPIN DES CHAMPS’ manor and until a rival threatens him with defeat here, he has to be the number one pick. Fact To File is a clear second choice regardless, as he has won both of his chase starts at this track with minimal fuss as well and proved his stamina for 3m at Cheltenham. Grand National winner I Am Maximus has that race as his main aim according to his trainer, so perhaps the placings can be filled by either Grangeclare West, who should step forward considerably for his comeback run, or the strong staying Inothewayurthinkin, who likewise has more to offer.
- Galopin Des Champs
- Fact To File
- Inothewayurthinkin
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