Come join the Halloween races at Down Royal
Dual winner Envoi Allen and the ever-improving Western Fold feature among a remaining entry of 10 horses for the €160,000 BetVictor Champion Chase, the first Grade 1 of the National Hunt season, at Down Royal on Saturday. (Report courtesy of HRI).
Successful in 2022 and again last year, Envoi Allen is bidding to become the race’s first three-time winner. He lost out by a neck when runner-up in 2023 but regained his title when outpointing Hewick 12 months ago.
Western Fold, the Tote Galway Plate hero and more recently successful in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park, could bid to extend his winning unbeaten to run to five in Saturday’s big race.
His trainer Gordon Elliott could also be represented by Found A Fifty, winner of the Grade 2 Kildress Plumbing Chase on the same card last year, and the Cullentra team might also call upon Croke Park, the winner of two Grade 1 chases, and the Cheltenham Festival winners Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story.
A possible contender from across the Irish Sea is Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law, third to Willie Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior and Appreciate It on his most recent start at Sandown in April.
Noel Meade is looking for a fourth win in the race and Affordale Fury could carry his hopes while Jimmy Mangan could run his two-time Grade 1 winner Spillane’s Tower. A more locally-trained hope would be Keith Watson’s Flash Collonges.
Both Western Fold and Croke Park have also been entered for the Grade 2 Kildress Plumbing Chase. Firefox, placed in three Grade 1 chases last season, and this month’s Cheltenham winner Speculatrix are also there Gordon Elliott while Henry de Bromhead has entered Gorgeous Tom, with Rockstown Girl and Ivar The Boneless possibles for Anthony McCann and Keith Watson respectively.
Already jumping winners, Ross O’Sullivan’s Bibe Mus, Gordon Elliott’s Mange Tout and the Bill Durkan-trained Wizard Of Odds lead the way in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Three-Year-Old Hurdle.
