Grade 1 action lights up Down Royal on Saturday afternoon at 2.40pm as the 2025 BetVictor Champion Chase attracts some of the premier Irish-trained staying chasers in a race that could throw up some early Cheltenham Gold Cup clues. Our tipster Steve Chambers previews the Northern Irish showpiece and picks his 1-2-3 for the race.
Favourites
A battling winner over Hewick in this race 12 months ago, Envoi Allen is looking to win this race for the third time on Saturday and the Henry De Bromhead-trained 11-year-old has been a real dominant figure at Down Royal throughout his career. Having run at this meeting six times previously, the former Cheltenham Festival winner has won an astonishing five times in those six times, so it’s no surprise to see him prominent in the betting. Sure to run a big race, he is a proven class act at the highest level, but there will be some improving younger horses lining up and he could be vulnerable.
A multiple Grade 1 winner as a novice, Spillane’s Tower was expected to deliver the goods at the highest level last season, but he suffered three defeats in his three outings last term, so will be on a comeback mission this campaign. Last seen finishing runner-up in the Punchestown Gold Cup, the seven-year-old is still open to improvement and has to be respected, but could find one too good again.
Gordon Elliott will unleash a three-pronged attack with the Cullentra House team spearheaded by Found A Fifty, who won this card in a Grade 2 contest last year. Fifth in the Queen Mother Champion Chase over two miles, he was then stepped up in trip at Fairyhouse, where he landed a Grade 2 win. He will step up to three miles on Saturday, which is intriguing, as he has certainly shown to lack the pace of a two-miler, so could excel with the step up in distance again.
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Fri 31 Oct 2025The Field
Western Fold is the second shot fired by the Elliott gun and the six-year-old son of Westerner has been in the form of his life over the last six months, but needs to step up again. A fine winner of the Galway Plate in July, he then stepped up with Grade 2 success at Gowran Park last time. Four wins on the spin means he lines up in red-hot form and with race fitness on his side he will have that advantage, but this is so much tougher than he has faced so far, so has it all to do.
Beaten four-and-a-quarter lengths by Western Fold at Gowran Park, Affordale Fury will have that form to reverse in this contest and Noel Meade’s charge has often been the bridesmaid in his races, so will need some of the big guns to falter, if he is to make it into the placings here.
A former winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, Stellar Story was second in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in March, but he could be one that improves for his first outing here and he may just lack the tactical speed to compete.
Verdict
All eyes will be on Envoi Allen who bids for a third victory in this race, but FOUND A FIFTY is a fascinating contender, now stepped up to three miles, and he could well cause a minor shock in this contest. Envoi Allen never seems to run a bad race here, so he can chase home the Elliott raider, while Spillane’s Tower can complete the 1-2-3 in a race that will see the fancied runners dominate.
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