14:20 Down Royal
SoftLadbrokes Champion Chase (Grade 1)
- Prize money: £78318.58
- 3m 0f 0y
- 4 runners
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Runners: 4 runners
Type: Chase Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Showers
11/10 (Won)
- Win: £1.40
Form: 11121- C
Last run: 211 days
W: 11st 10lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 162
Exciting young chaser is unlucky not to be unbeaten in his 10 starts under all codes; won his first three novice chases last season (including two Grade 1s) before getting going a bit too late in the Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham; bounced back with an easy win in an Aintree Grade 1 next time; needs to improve now tackling open Grade 1 company but that is likely.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance/ Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 5 |
11th Apr 2024 Soft 3m 0f 210y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Easy win in Grade 1 Mildmay Novices' Chase over C&D (good to soft) at this meeting last year; won Grade 1 at Down Royal (3m, soft) on reappearance and better than ever when fine second in last month's Gold Cup at Cheltenham (3m2f, soft); had a hard race but has run just three times this season; leading claims if Cheltenham hasn't left a mark. |
7/4 |
|
2nd 6 |
15th Mar 2024 Soft 3m 2f 70y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Won three of four Grade 1 chases as a novice and only just failed to overhaul The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory here (3m, soft) last March; again looked all about stamina when making heavy weather of his winning reappearance at Down Royal and he couldn't hold a candle to Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown (also 3m, soft) after Christmas; however, this stiffest test he's tackled so far can suit and may help to narrow the large gap between them. |
8/1 |
|
2nd 9 |
28th Dec 2023 Yielding 3m 0f 100y |
11st 10lb |
prominent |
9/4 |
3/1
Form: 1714-3 CD BF
Last run: 42 days
W: 11st 10lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 163
High-class sort has won 8 Grade 1 races; proved that he stays this trip when winning this race on his comeback run last year; ran poorly in the King George' next time but bounced back with a fine win in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham; goes well fresh, so that isn't an issue and stable jockey prefers him to Minella Indo; a big run is likely.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance/ Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3 |
12th Apr 2024 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Acts on any ground; ran creditably, albeit beaten 4l by Protektorat, at Cheltenham four weeks ago when bidding for a second success in the Ryanair; retains all of his ability aged ten but it's 19 years since a veteran last landed this prize; first visit to Aintree. |
11/2 |
|
2nd 5 |
14th Mar 2024 Soft 2m 4f 127y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Acts on any going; absent since his close second in Grade 1 thriller at Down Royal (3m) four months ago; similarly fresh when he won this race last year, taking Cheltenham Festival record to 3-5, and he holds very solid claims back here despite his age now reaching double figures; veterans have endured a barren spell in the Ryanair for over a decade but 10yos landed this prize in 2006, 2008 and 2011. |
3/1 |
5/1
Form: 313P-5 D
Last run: 31 days
W: 11st 10lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 167
Officially the highest-rated in this field; beat Minella Indo by 6l when winning the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in 2022 and added the Savills Chase at the same track last winter after being 3rd to Envoi Allen in this race; however, was very disappointing when beaten nearly 20l by Minella Indo on return at Punchestown and Jack Kennedy prefers Gerri Colombe.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance/ Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 3 |
1st May 2024 Good To Yielding 3m 0f 213y |
11st 10lb |
jumped left, prominent, led before 2nd |
11/1 |
|
1 |
12th Apr 2024 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Versatile ground-wise; dual Grade 1 winner at 3m in 2022; ran respectably when third behind Protektorat and Envoi Allen in the Ryanair dropped back to 2m4f most recently; however, his chance of reversing those placings appears to depend on how well he responds to first-time cheekpieces. |
9/1 |
4/1
Form: P/1P-1 D
Last run: 31 days
W: 11st 10lb
10 yo Gelding
OR: 162
Beat stablemate A Plus Tard when winning the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup but was no match for that rival in the 2022 edition; only two runs last year, winning a Grade 3 at Tramore before not getting the best of starts and being pulled-up in the Gold Cup; showed enthusiasm to win a Punchestown Grade 3 on return and should run a big race if improving from that.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance/ Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 6 |
13th Apr 2024 Soft 4m 2f 74y Class 1 |
11st 6lb |
Acts on heavy; won the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup and has always shaped as if stamina is a strong suit; while his powers are on the wane, so is his handicap mark and he took well to the Cheltenham cross-country in December when last seen; ante-post favourite for the Festival cross-country race there which was abandoned; it's ten years since any horse aged more than nine has won the National but 15 were placed in the last ten runnings (six in the last five) and 11yos won it in 2012, 2013 and 2014. |
16/1 |
|
4th 1 |
15th Dec 2023 Soft 3m 5f 56y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Has been on a rocky road since winning the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup and his powers are on the wane; encouraging that he still fancied the challenge when digging deep in a Grade 3 chase at Punchestown in October and it was always going to be tough back in a Grade 1 at Down Royal; retains the class to threaten under his big weight if he takes to this unique test. |
13/2 |
Terms and conditions
*Odds displayed on this page are sourced directly from online bookmakers. Please check all details before placing your bet(s). 18+ only.
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | €25.00 |
| Straight Forecast | €28.50 |
| Trifecta | €84.00 |
Selections
SPOTLIGHT:
Gerri ColombeTOPSPEED:
Envoi AllenRP RATINGS (IRE):
ConflatedThe Irish Sun:
Gerri ColombePOSTDATA:
Envoi Allen