November 02 / 14.40 Down Royal

14.40

Good To Yielding

Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Grade 1)

  • Prize money: £76956.52
  • 3m 0f 0y
  • 5 runners
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Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Grade 1)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £4.30
  • Place: £1.40

Form: /3224- CD

Last run: 204 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 163

Form & Verdict
Seven-time chase winner whose most recent victory came in the 2023 Ryanair; beat Kemboy in this race on his seasonal debut two years; only just touched off by Gerri Colombe here a year ago, but already had a run under his belt then, which probably helped; creditable second in last season's Ryanair; failed to reproduce that form at Aintree.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

13th Mar 2026

Good

3m 2f 70y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Envoi Allen

11st 10lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

His remarkable haul of ten Grade 1 wins includes three at the Cheltenham Festival, and it was at that level that he won at Down Royal in November on his sole outing this season; however, he was a well-beaten third in the Ryanair last March and, now 12, today's task is likely to prove beyond him.

25/1

2

1st Nov 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

14:40 Down Royal

Envoi Allen

11st 10lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Winner of this race in 2022 and 2024, just touched off in 2023; eight chase wins also include a Ryanair Chase; ran just twice after last season's win here, unseating in King George and bit below-best but nonetheless creditable third in Ryanair in March; veteran vulnerable to younger rivals but has to be respected.

9/4

2

1st Nov 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

14:40 Down Royal

Envoi Allen

11st 10lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Winner of this race in 2022 and 2024, just touched off in 2023; eight chase wins also include a Ryanair Chase; ran just twice after last season's win here, unseating in King George and bit below-best but nonetheless creditable third in Ryanair in March; veteran vulnerable to younger rivals but has to be respected.

9/4

4/1

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 163-23 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 165

Form & Verdict
2022 Galway Plate winner and last season's King George hero; ran a fine race in defeat behind Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs in first-time blinkers in the Punchestown Gold Cup; signed off with another high-class display to take second in a Grade 1 hurdle at Auteuil; will be sharper for his reappearance at Punchestown, when conceding 12lb to the winner.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 7f 110y

16:15 Punchestown

Hewick

12st 0lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Has been a fantastic standard-bearer for his yard, winning 12 races between hurdles and fences including the King George in 2023; hasn't been at that level in the last year but ran respectably in the Stayers' Hurdle; has to bounce back from a poor Aintree run.

20/1

3

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

15:05 Aintree

Hewick

11st 10lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Career highlight when winning the King George over fences at Kempton in December 2023; won two conditions hurdles last year; gave it a very good go from the front when seventh in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham (3m, good) last month following wind surgery but this 11yo is probably vulnerable once more.

22/1

7th

5

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Hewick

11st 10lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Career highlight when winning the 2023 King George and he was running well when falling two out in the Gold Cup here that year; won two conditions hurdles last year; soundly beaten behind Impose Toi in Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury (3m, soft) in November last time and, although he's had a wind op and better ground may aid his cause, this 11yo looks up against it.

33/1

OUR TIP

Form: /1221- CD

Last run: 205 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 170

Form & Verdict
Won this race last year on reappearance, just got up to beat Envoi Allen who had the advantage of race-fitness; trounced by Galopin Des Champs in the Savills at Leopardstown; back to form when 3 1/2l runner-up in Cheltenham Gold Cup; showed no ill-effects from a hard race when beating Ahoy Senor at Aintree; runs well fresh, looks a set to repeat last year's win.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Gerri Colombe

11st 10lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Five Grade 1 wins and runner-up in the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup; reappearance at Christmas came after 421 days off and this season's form is well short of his best, but second to Grangeclare West at Fairyhouse was a big step back in the right direction and he comfortably obliged at odds-on for latest outing; cheekpieces last three starts; well handicapped on his old form and could be on his way back.

25/1

1st

3

17th Mar 2026

Yielding

3m 2f 50y

15:38 Down Royal

Gerri Colombe

11st 0lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Five Grade 1 wins; runner-up to Galopin Des Champs in the 2024 Gold Cup; defeated at odds-on here in November 2024; absent until pulled up early in the Savills at Christmas; respectable third at Gowran in the Galmoy Hurdle (heavy) in first-time cheekpieces; good effort behind Grangeclare West in the Bobbyjo; gets 7lb from Nick Rockett, race-fitness in his favour

11/10

2nd

6

21st Feb 2026

Heavy

3m 2f 0y

15:15 Fairyhouse

Gerri Colombe

11st 0lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: Gordon Elliott

Five-time Grade 1 winner was a runner-up behind Galopin Des Champs in the 2024 Gold Cup; defeated at odds-on at Down Royal in November 2024 and didn't reappear for 421 days when pulled up early in the Savills over Christmas; more promise in his third at Gowran in the Galmoy Hurdle (heavy) in first-time cheekpieces, although 18l behind; back over fences now and this is a key test to see if the ability is still there.

14/1

Form: 12-P01 C

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Good strike rate in chases (5-12); however, had looked out of form for a while until his defeat of French Dynamite in a three-runner Gowran conditions event notable for the eclipse of the odds-on favourite who was found to have bled at both nostrils; form franked by French Dynamite, still hard to make a case for him at this level.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

23rd Aug 2025

Good

2m 4f 180y

16:50 Killarney

Visionarian

11st 12lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Dropping down the ratings since he won a three-runner Grade 2 contest at Gowran last autumn; no signs of a revival at Wexford last month when finishing well behind; it is hard to fancy him at the moment.

22/1

9th

1

4th Jul 2025

Good

2m 3f 110y

16:25 Wexford

Visionarian

11st 12lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Winner of a three-runner Grade 2 at Gowran in October (2m4f, good); well held in stronger Graded contests; poor run in a DRF handicap chase and pulled up when last seen in a handicap chase at the Punchestown festival last time from a 3lb higher mark.

18/1

Form: /3662- C

Last run: 203 days

W: 11st 10lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 157

Form & Verdict
Multiple Grade 1 winner whose most recent top-level success was in the 2020 Irish Gold Cup; won the 3m6f cross-country at Cheltenham Festival in 2022 and 2023; ran four times last season when his campaign was geared towards the Grand National in which he ran a terrific race to finish second.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

25th Jan 2025

Good

3m 1f 56y

Class 1

14:25 Cheltenham

Delta Work

11st 4lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Gordon Elliott

held up in rear, mistake 6th, outpaced when not fluent 5 out, some headway 2 out, went modest fourth run-in

20/1

4th

4

25th Jan 2025

Good

3m 1f 56y

Class 1

14:25 Cheltenham

Delta Work

11st 4lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Gordon Elliott

held up in rear, mistake 6th, outpaced when not fluent 5 out, some headway 2 out, went modest fourth run-in

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €12.70
Straight Forecast €14.72
Trifecta €18.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Gerri Colombe

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Gerri Colombe

TOPSPEED:

Gerri Colombe

POSTDATA:

Gerri Colombe

The Irish Sun:

Gerri Colombe