Northern Ireland’s premier Jumps fixture takes place this weekend with Down Royal hosting their two-day Champion Chase meeting. Friday’s seven-race card has been farmed by top trainer Gordon Elliott in recent years – with the likes of Samcro and Envoi Allen unleashed there. In anticipation of another unforgettable Friday for Elliott we have assessed the chances of all of his Friday runners below, check these out alongside an exclusive QuinnBet sign-up offer of up to £25 As A Free Bet + 100 free Spins.
HOLLOW GAMES – 1:10pm Down Royal (Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle)
Gordon Elliott invariably kicks off the Down Royal Champion Chase meeting with a bang, having sent out five of the last six winners of this maiden hurdle.
His sole representative this year is HOLLOW GAMES, a horse picked up for £255,000 after running out a facile winner of a point-to-point last March.
This gelding was 2-2 for these connections in bumpers last season, accounting for the ill-fated Eurotiep at Leopardstown back in December. He rates as one of the most exciting novice hurdle prospects in training and therefore barring incident should be well up to landing this contest.
Verdict: Will go off a very short price here in a bid to maintain an unblemished career record.
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GLAN & PARTY CENTRAL – 1:45pm Down Royal (Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle)
Gordon Elliott goes double-handed here in a bid to land this Grade 3 contest – picked up last year by subsequent Grade 1 heroine Skyace.
The first of his two runners is GLAN, a daughter of Getaway who got off the mark at the second attempt in this sphere when going in at Fairyhouse earlier this month. This mare has a good turn of foot and if this is run at a decent clip it should help her to settle better in the early part of her race.
The Elliott runner bookmakers feel provides him with the strongest chance of landing this contest, however, is PARTY CENTRAL, who was a Listed bumper winner last season and made a perfect start to life in this sphere when justifying prohibitive odds at Listowel last month.
There is likely to be improvement to come from this Yeats mare – particularly in the jumping department, and Davy Russell retains familiarities this afternoon.
Verdict: A competitive Grade 3 with Party Central preferred of the two Elliott runners.
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ZANAHIYR – 2:20pm Down Royal (WKD Hurdle)
One of Elliott’s most interesting runners on Friday’s Down Royal card is ZANAHIYR, a Grade 2 winning juvenile hurdler for these connections last season.
He was beaten less than a length in Grade 1 company at the Punchestown Festival when last seen, and although he must concede weight all round here, he still comes out best on these terms.
Verdict: Classy juvenile hurdler last season and comes out best on these terms; difficult to oppose.
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EXCELCIOR & ARDHILL – 2:55pm Down Royal (Lough Construction Ltd. Handicap Hurdle)
This 3m handicap hurdle was last won by Gordon Elliott in 2016 and he has two entries this year.
EXCELCIOR has clearly had his issues, having been off the track for over 1,000 days prior to making his stable debut at the start of this year.
He put up his best performance for these connections thus far when sixth at Navan in March, and he should improve now handicapping back up in trip off what looks a workable opening mark of 100, market informative.
Elliott’s second runner is ARDHILL, a 6yo who arrives here an eleven-race maiden. He went close at Limerick around this time last year, but recent performances have left plenty to be desired (beaten 26l latest) and he needs this big jump up in trip and first-time blinkers to unlock significant improvement.
Verdict: Less-exposed Excelsior preferred of the Elliott runners but others in this line-up arrive with less to prove.
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GRAND PARADIS – 3:30pm Down Royal (Tote Ten To Follow Beginners Chase)
One race farmed by Gordon Elliott in recent years has been this extended 2m3f beginners’ chase. The Cullentra House maestro has won each of the last five renewals of this event, the last three winners; Delta Work, Samcro and Envoi Allen, going on to land a Grade 1 later that season.
He relies on GRAND PARADIS here, who is 3-4 in his career to date. The 5yo ran out a dominant 13l winner of a Grade 3 at Thurles when last seen in February, and he is bred to improve now tackling the larger obstacles.
The concern for potential backers is that he comes up against two exciting rivals here in Beacon Edge (158-rated hurdler) and last year’s Albert Bartlett winner Vanillier. If either of those were to run up to their very best form, they should have a little too much for Grand Paradis.
Verdict: Not discounted but both Beacon Edge and Vanillier bring a stronger level of hurdles form into this.
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THE ABBEY – 4:05pm Down Royal (Ladbrokes Handicap Chase)
THE ABBEY remains winless in sixteen starts over obstacles, but he has occupied the runner-up berth in no fewer than six of those starts, most recently in a beginners’ chase at Downpatrick just last month.
Subsequent efforts over hurdles have been underwhelming, but he does look a better horse in this sphere, and the form of his Downpatrick second has been well advertised since with the winner (to whom The Abbey conceded 22lb) placing in Grade 3 company.
Verdict: Should appreciate getting back over fences and recent chase form augurs well, but 0-16 record over obstacles is off-putting.
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LIEUTENANT HIGHWAY & THE MEDIATOR – 4:35pm Down Royal (Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council INH Flat Race)
This bumper has been used by Gordon Elliott to kick-off the careers of the likes of Tombstone, Felix Desjy and Chemical Energy and he has two entries here.
LIEUTENANT HIGHWAY is the first of those. This Fame And Glory gelding was sent off odds-on favourite for a Punchestown bumper on debut sixteen days ago, but he could only finish third of the four runners. He is entitled to have learnt plenty for that initial experience but it is slightly concerning to see Jamie Codd jump ship to ride stablemate THE MEDIATOR.
The Mediator has a useful dual-purpose pedigree being a half-brother to the Listed-placed All For You. He was withdrawn from a Roscommon bumper on last month’s intended debut on account of the quick ground, but these conditions should suit far better and the presence of Jamie Codd in the saddle suggests that connections are anticipating a big run.
Verdict: Both hold chances in a fairly weak looking bumper but the presence of Jamie Codd on The Mediator suggests that he is the stable first string.
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