Down Royal Champion Chase: Runner-by-runner Guide The first Grade 1 jumps race of the season in Ireland or Britain takes place at Down Royal on Saturday afternoon as they host the BetVictor Champion Chase over three miles. Cheltenham Gold Cup heroes Kauto Star and Don Cossack are past winners, while this time around Envoi Allen — winner in 2022 and 2024 — has the chance to become the first three-time winner of a race that was first run in 1999. Six runners are set to contest the Grade 1, with €96,000 for the winner, and here is our look at the field for Down Royal's feature on Saturday (2.40). Affordable Fury Noel Meade's seven-year-old remains very low mileage and has one win from four starts over fences, a beginners' chase at Galway 12 months ago over 2m6½f on heavy ground. Most recently, he was second best behind progressive Galway Plate winner Western Fold in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park over an intermediate trip on his seasonal bow and more is demanded now taking his chance in elite company for the first time over fences. Envoi Allen Winner of this race in 2022 and last year, he was denied a neck by Gerri Colombe in 2023 and his Down Royal record reads 111121. He typically comes here on seasonal bow and was last spotted running an honourable third in the Ryanair Chase behind Fact To File in March. He's an 11-year-old now, but these younger rivals will have to dig in if they want to take him down on his favourite patch. Flash Collonges With a lowly-rating of 115, this northern-based runner does appear to be coming here on a sight-seeing mission and he has beaten little of consequence in recent years. Found A Fifty The first of three runners for Gordon Elliott at a meeting he tends to dominate, he's the pick of Jack Kennedy. He's 2-2 around here, albeit both over 2m3½f. This will be his first time beyond two-and-a-half-miles under Rules but he comes in with a top rating of 165 and is more than capable of a big effort when fresh. Spillane's Tower Second in a high-quality John Durkan at Punchestown on seasonal bow last season, he disappointed in the King George afterwards and was second to Galopin Des Champs at Punchestown on his only subsequent start last term. He's far from exposed as a three-miler and very well thought of by connections. A seven-year-old from whom the best is surely still to come. Stellar Story This Gigginstown-owned eight-year-old was a Grade 1-winning novice hurdler at this trip in the Albert Bartlett in 2024 and he mixed it with the best novices over this trip in Ireland and Britain last season. He has an excellent record when fresh and is a second-season chaser with scope for better. Danny Gilligan is his regular partner and seemingly prefers him to Western Fold. Western Fold Sam Ewing rides the final Elliott runner, with Danny Gilligan having been on board for his four recent wins. They include the Mayo National and the Galway Plate before last month's Gowran Park Grade 2 over a shorter trip where he beat Affordable Fury. A highly progressive six-year-old, this should prove his toughest test so far.
