Elliott has strong hand at Down Royal Following the defection of last year's winner Frodon due to the likelihood of soft ground, five horses remain in Saturday's Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal. Runner-up twelve months ago, Gordon Elliott's Galvin has been installed Evens favourite by the sponsors following his recent comeback win at Punchestown. Stablemate Conflated, who landed last season's Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival, is next in at 9/4 with Willie Mullins' Kemboy 5/1. Envoi Allen, trained by Henry de Bromhead, is 7/1 while Noel Meade's Beacon Edge, who has the Grade 2 Eventsec Chase on the same card as an alternative, is the outsider of the quintet at 14/1. In the Eventsec Chase, a 2m4f contest for second-season novices with six entries, Paddy Power make Elliott's Fury Road and Jessica Harrington's Lifetime Ambition joint-favourites at 9/4. Powers bet in full: 9-4 Fury Road, Lifetime Ambition, 11-4 Beacon Edge, 4 Vanillier, 11-2 Fighter Allen, 12 Delvino. Looking forward to the weekend in conversation with Dave Keena, Elliott said: "Galvin and Conflated were both Grade 1 winners last season and they're in good form. Galvin, maybe, has race fitness on his side but we're happy with both horses. "It is important that Galvin has had a run and I thought he was very good in Punchestown the last day with the weight he carried. Conflated is obviously a classy horse as well and they're two nice horses to have in the race. It'll be a competitive race and we're looking forward to it." Elliott will have quite a few of his stable stars in action over the two days at Down Royal including exciting hurdler Pied Piper who is due to line up in the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle on Friday and, as usual, will wear a red hood on the way to the start to settle him. “He wears it to the start. He wore it to the start last year as well but hopefully the freshness will be knocked off him after winning at Cheltenham and we're looking forward to him. "American Mike will start off over hurdles in the 2m6f maiden on Friday. He's in good form, Jack Kennedy schooled him the other day and he jumped very well. He schooled Mighty Potter too and he jumped well. He'll go for the beginners' chase on Friday."
