The re-scheduled Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase is the feature contest on the card at Down Royal on Saturday, with plenty of top class horses winning the contest in the past. Just the four runners head to post for the race this year, but it is a top class four runner fieldd, with multiple Grade 1’s won between all four of the runners.
GG writer Jake Russell previews this years race, before giving his expert verdict on who he expects to win.
Last year’s renewal saw Henry De Bromhead’s ENVOI ALLEN return to form with a superb performance, staying on strongly to fend off the challenges of Kemboy (2nd) and Conflated (3rd):
Key Race Trends
- 11 of the last 12 winners were aged between 7 and 9.
- 4 of the last 12 winners were favourites/joint favourites, 8 of the last 12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting.
- 4 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Ladbrokes Champion Chase , 7 of the last 12 winners ran 186 days or longer ago.
- 8 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Down Royal, 5 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win at Down Royal.
- 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 10 previous chase runs, 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 4 previous chase wins.
- 11 of the last 12 winners were rated 158+.
- 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win in a grade 1 race, 12 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win in a grade 1-3 race.
- 5 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 run that season, 3 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win that season.
Runner-By-Runner Guide
3. Gerri Colombe
(Gordon Elliott/Jack Kennedy)
This is a classy contest, and don’t let the four runner field fool you, there are many Grade 1 wins between each of the four horses in this contest. Essentially a battle of trainers between Gordon Elliott and Henry De Bromhead as the pair train all four of the runners, and Gordon Elliott certainly has the most interesting runner of the field with the young pretender Gerri Colombe.
He is currently a 6/1 shot for the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in March, second in the betting. He probably deserves to be there given how well he faired in his Novice Chasing season last term where he was slightly unlucky not to end it unbeaten. An easy winner on Chase debut at Fairyhouse, he then went on to land the Grade 1 Faugheen Novices Chase in easy fashion, before heading to Sandown where he won the Scilly Isles Novices Chase. He was then pitched into the deep end, stepping up to 3-miles for the first time, where he had a real set to with The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory at the festival, unfortunately just getting beat on the line. A few were left a tad disappointed after that performance, as he was the Festival banker for many, however he put that disappointed behind him when running at Aintree for the Grand National meeting. He lined up in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices Chase, to which he beat Complete Unknown with absolute ease by just under 8 lengths, jumping well and staying on through the line.
He is now into open company for the season ahead, with the Gold Cup the obvious target for him. He is the young pretender in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase on Saturday, and is probably the one they all have to beat given his ceiling is a fair bit higher than the rest of these given he is the youngster.
4. Minella Indo
(Henry De Bromhead/Darragh O’Keeffe)
I really love Minella Indo, and his performance last time out at a trip that is probably on the short side for him shown just how good this lad is when he is on song. That was in the Grade 3 Irish Daily Star – Best For Racing Coverage Chase at Punchestown, and he put in one of the smoothest jumping displays you will see all season long, absolutely loving every fence he pinged over. He is starting to be sparingly campaigned now however, whether that is out of choice by connections or due to niggling injuries, as he was only seen twice last season.
He was a winner on seasonal debut at Tramore before going on to really disappoint in the Gold Cup and pulling up fairly early on, not really travelling an inch for Nico De Boinville. Clearly something wasn’t right that day, as he is a dual Cheltenham Festival winner (Albert Bartlett and Gold Cup winner) therefore we know he can put his best foot forward at the track. He beat A Plus Tard on the 2021 Gold Cup, A Plus Tard who then went on to hack up in the Gold Cup the year after, so the form from his Gold Cup win is class.
I think he is an incredibly underrated horse, although a 10yo now, he shown last time out that he is loving his racing still. One slight concern is the run in the Gold Cup, is he a little vulnerable to producing a poor display like that in a top class Grade 1 contest, potentially so. I think if he can be given an easy lead, and jump like he did on seasonal re-appearance they might not be able to catch him.
1. Conflated
(Gordon Elliot/Sam Ewing)
The second of two Gordon Elliott runners, although he is bang there on the ratings with the other runners being at the top of the ratings, I do have to question his form compared to the main two at the top end of the market.
He was a Grade 1 winner of the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last Christmas time, that was a cracking 5 length win that day. He also was a winner of the Grade 1 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup when sent off 18/1, with Minella Indo in behind that day, earning him a new rating of 168 after that romp. However he has already had the run this season, which was a very disappointing effort when coming last of 5 runners in that contest that Minella Indo won last time.
That does leave a slight question mark with this horse, however it was quite clear to see that a run was needed and he will come on for it, but there would be a slight risk attached with that. That would have blown away all of the cobwebs off this horse, getting him ready for all the staying Grade 1 races as the season progresses. Sam Ewing is booked to ride him, meaning Jack Kennedy has jumped ship and took the ride on Gerri Colombe, therefore this is a fabulous chance for young Sam as he looks to land his first Grade 1 aboard this horse on Saturday.
2. Envoi Allen
(Henry De Bromhead/Rachael Blackmore)
It is crazy to think Envoi Allen is only 9 going on 10, as it feels like he has been around the jumps scene for many years. A horse back in the day that looked a real world beater, winning anything and everything over hurdles for Gordon Elliott before being transferred to the De Bromhead yard. Something changed with this horse as he seemed to have lost his aura of invincibility, however although producing the odd disappointing run every now and then, he can also pop up with arguably a career best to land a top class Grade 1 contest. None more so than when landing the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham festival, when tackling the 2m4f trip for the first time in a while, that seemed to have done the trick as he beat the well fancied Shishkin by a little under 3 lengths.
That was a performance that really put him back up to his best, however he couldn’t reproduce that in the Punchestown Gold cup for his last run of the season. He has already had the run, where coming 3rd in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park in September, he was expected to win, but was fairly well beaten by 9 lengths. He probably does need a run now a days, and that run last time like pretty much the rest of these will set him in good stead for this contest.
Big-Race Verdict
As mentioned earlier on, this is a very good contest given there are just the four runners heading to post. Although I absolutely love seeing Minella Indo ping a fence and win, I just can’t see past the young pretender Gerri Colombe here. There is a real buzz for this horse heading into the new season, and he was arguably very unlucky not to finish his Novice Chasing season unbeaten when coming a neck 2nd in the Brown Advisory at the festival in March, winning all of his other runs. He is currently 6/1 (Skybet) for the Gold Cup next March, which speaks volumes on what people think of this horse. He has been dubbed to be the real threat to Galopin Des Champs for the feature staying chase come next March. I expect him to win here, before going onto bigger things as the season goes on. It is great to finally see him back in action this weekend once again.
SELECTION: Gerri Colombe (Win – 4/5 generally)
*Odds Correct At Time Of Writing – 1.30pm Thursday 9th November*
10 To Follow – Jake Russell’s Horses To Follow For The 23/24 Jumps Season
The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season. Jake Russell is the first to give his selections, which include a Olly Murphy runner who he has down as the most exciting Novice Hurdler to follow this season! JUNTA MARVEL (Willie Mullins)…
Tue 17 Oct 2023Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.