Down Royal Dark Horses: Don't Ignore 16-1 Champion Chase Contender The big meeting at Down Royal takes centre stage in Ireland on Saturday afternoon with the Grade 1 BetVictor Champion Chase (2.40) sure to attract lots of attention. Envoi Allen will be going for an historic third win, but Henry de Bromhead's star faces stiff competition from the likes of Spillane's Tower, Found A Fifty, Western Fold and Stellar Story. It's an eight-race card from Down Royal, with action from 11.50-3.50, and we've picked out some dark horses for consideration at the Belfast venue. 12:25 Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle — The Guinness Boys This maiden hurdle was won last year by Romeo Coolio for Gordon Elliott and the Cullentra maestro saddles hot favourite Kalypso'chance now in the Gigginstown silks. He's a leading contender on the formbook and has two wins in four bumpers, including a Listed pot at Navan last December and fair efforts in the Champion Bumpers at Cheltenham and Punchestown. He goes hurdling and is the likeliest scorer. Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue team up with The Guinness Boys for racing blogger/owner Stephen Power. "He's got good a pedigree, but he hasn't been the most straightforward horse to train up until now," was Cromwell's assessment before September's racecourse bow at Listowel. The Jukebox Jury gelding was all at sea that afternoon and finished tailed off but he took a good step forward at Punchestown (2m½f, good to yielding) when fourth of 13 at odds of 66/1. This extra distance should help and if he improves again, he could catch some place money. 13:35 Ampion Testing Handicap Hurdle — Wholelotofbusiness With his notable efforts at the major spring festivals in Cheltenham, Aintree and Fairyhouse, the Gordon Elliott-trained Wendrock is the benchmark for the Ampion Testing Handicap Hurdle. He's rated 133 and gives 7lb and more to the field and will need to be near his best on this first start since April. The Eoin McCarthy-trained Wholelotofbusiness could be a viable alternative to the market leader. He's been in consistent form of late and was duly rewarded with a novice success at Killarney over 2m1f at the start of October. He did that quite nicely and the runner-up has advertised the form by scoring since at Thurles. A mark of 120 could be within range for Simon Torrens' partner with that effort in mind. 14:40 BetVictor Champion Chase — Stellar Story The Grade 1 feature race will see dual winner Envoi Allen going for a record third win, while Spillane's Tower is the younger alternative to the Henry de Bromhead runner. Found A Fifty and Western Fold are both representing Gordon Elliott along with Stellar Story and it's he that might be underestimated in the market. The Gigginstown runner was a supremely consistent novice over fences last season, winning a Grade 2 at Punchestown over this trip first time out and then repeatedly running well in defeat in top races against the best novices in Britain and Ireland. He starts out on this second season over the larger obstacles and it's interesting that Elliott has chosen this lofty target first time out. Envoi Allen is rising 12, while Found A Fifty has stamina to prove and Western Fold is jumping up in class. Stellar Story has an excellent record first time out and quotes of 16/1 are perhaps too dismissive.
