SATURDAY TIPPING: 'He’s always looked like a horse who could develop into a live Gold Cup contender and this may well be the springboard for next March' All seven runners stood their ground on Thursday morning for Saturday’s BetVictor, Remembering Envoi Allen Champion Chase at Down Royal and what a race we have in prospect at 3.15pm. This is a meeting that Gordon Elliott usually farms and back in 2023 he bagged five of the seven winners on the corresponding card. Having won this Grade 1 contest five times in his career including four of the last six renewals he may have the answer again. The master of Cullentra is represented with outsider Croke Park (Danny Gilligan) while Jack Kennedy teams up with triple Grade 1 novice chase winner Romeo Coolio who steps into open company. He cost £420,000 after winning his sole point-to-point start and when sent chasing last season came to Down Royal to win his beginners over a half-mile shorter by 14 lengths. He had won his maiden hurdle here in 2024 by even further, so he doesn’t lack course form. While flopping in the Brown Advisory stepping up to 3m1f last March when a first-time hood was applied (left off here), Elliott has always believed in this seven-year-old. His win in the Drinmore last season, the first of three Grade 1 successes over fences, was scintillating before he added another two big race wins when dropped down in trip. A Grade 1 winner over hurdles in 2024, he’s always looked like a horse who could develop into a live Gold Cup contender and this may well be the springboard for next March. Envoi Allen supplied Henry deBromhead, who won the race with Sub Lieutenant in 2016, with two of his three Champion Chase wins in 2021 and last year. It’s fitting the sponsors in the race title are honouring his dual winner who sadly collapsed and died after finishing down the field in the Gold Cup last March. His Heart Wood, runaway winner of the Ryanair last season, won’t mind the step back up in trip and if he gets into a nice rhythm with his jumping as he did at Cheltenham, he could prove a tough nut to crack on seasonal debut. With Romeo Coolio lining up in the feature event Gordon Elliott relies on both Jacob’s Ladder (Jack Kennedy) and Kala Conti (Danny Gilligan) in the 2m3f Grade 2 chase at 3.50pm. Elliott won this race 12 months ago with Firefox who made a successful return to action following a break and Kala Conti, despite Kennedy siding with his stable companion, might do likewise. He won over hurdles at this meeting following a nine-month break in 2024 and last year returning to action after a seven-month break scored over fences in Cork. On his next start he slammed subsequent Arkle winner Kargese by 18 lengths in a Grade 2 again at Cork. The only real blip came at Aintree last April in a Grade 1 when he fell after creeping closer under Kennedy but a break and no doubt plenty of schooling since should see him arrive here ready to produce a big performance. With a dry forecast over the coming days at the northern track conditions should still suit Ben Hur (Sam Ewing) who faces 17 rivals in the Kildress Plumbing Handicap Hurdle at 2.05pm. Ben Hur’s record over hurdles is 2-1-5-2 and was well backed on his latest start in the Lartigue at Listowel. Upped 3lb for that runner-up finish behind Ray Cody’s Game Point, he shades the verdict over Radiator Springs, trained by Henry deBromhead. She is the only mare in the race but notably the stable pick of Daragh O’Keeffe over last year’s winner Lieber Nicc and stable companion Red Glory. The 3m handicap chase (2.38) has attracted a field of 15 and a chance is taken on this drying ground with Intense Approach for John McConnell and Conor Smithers. This time last year Intense Approach started favourite for a 3m1f Cheltenham novices’ chase but dropped out of contention to finish down the field. He lost his form afterwards but a recent runner-up effort over hurdles following a short break was encouraging. Having dropped down to a mark of 120 (raced off 137 in Britain last February) he could be capable of recapturing the form that saw him score on chase debut at Galway in August last year. Saturday Staking Plan 2.05 Down Royal 1pt win Ben Hur 2.38 Down Royal 0.5pt each-way Intense Approach 3.15 Down Royal 1pt win Romeo Coolio 3.50 Down Royal 1pt win Kala Conti
