Savills Chase a race to savour

The Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Thursday is the most eagerly awaited renewal of the Grade One contest for many years.

The eleven horses in the line up have already notched up a remarkable 33 Grade One races between them including two Cheltenham Gold Cups and two of the last three winners of this coveted prize.

The obvious starting point in trying to figure out which horse is likely to come out on top today is to look back at the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown last month where Fastorslow prevailed in a titanic tussle with Appreciate It and Galopin Des Champs.

A few things to note about that race in comparison to the Savills Chase are that it was each horse's first outing of the season and was run over a distance half a mile shorter than they will encounter here. It was of course also on a right-handed track whereas they will be racing the other way around at Leopardstown. Taking those factors into consideration, coupled with Willie Mullins' recent statement that the reigning Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs will be ridden more positively on this occasion, it seems unlikely that the trio will be as closely matched this time.

Fastorslow has beaten Galopin Des Champs on the two previous occasions they have met, but his record at Leopardstown doesn't read as well as his old rival. Fastorslow has failed to trouble the judge on three previous visits to the Dublin venue, although he was running over an inadequate distance each time. Galopin Des Champs on the other hand can boast three victories at the track. Appreciate It actually has the best Leopardstown record in the field with four previous wins here, but he has never raced over this far at this course.

A Plus Tard, Conflated and Envoi Allen have each won twice before at Leopardstown which bodes well for their chances.

Gerri Colombe is the only horse in the line up that has never raced at Leopardstown. He is however a prolific winner and arrives following a victory over Envoi Allen and Conflated at Down Royal and must be a strong contender.

Jack Kennedy has chosen to ride Gerri Colombe over stablemate Conflated who won this race twelve months ago. Kennedy and trainer Gordon Elliott have teamed up to win the Savills Chase three times in the last six years.

I Am Maximus is an interesting runner at big odds. He famously won the Irish Grand National as a Novice back in April and his reappearance at the same course at the beginning of December reads well. He won the Drinmore Chase over what was certainly an inadequate distance of two and a half miles and the form of that race was franked when the Fairyhouse runner-up Found A Fifty won a Grade One race here on Tuesday.

Rachael Blackmore has chosen to partner A Plus Tard over Envoi Allen which would at least suggest that the former Gold Cup winner is working well, but he has tended to need his comeback race in previous seasons.

All things considered Galopin Des Champs and Gerri Colombe appear the most likely winners, with Fastorslow far from out of things.

Appreciate It, I Am Maximus, Envoi Allen, Conflated and A Plus Tard will also be in there fighting for places at the very least, although it would be a minor surprise if either Capodanno or Janidil made the frame judged on recent performances and Churchstonewarrior appears to have no chance.

With eight of the eleven runners in with realistic chances of making the frame this is more a race to savour than have a strong bet in and the Tote is probably the best way to play here.

The Tote allows you to back horses place only which looks a good option if you fancy the likes of Envoi Allen or Conflated which are both proven at this level and look sure to run their races.

The Tote Exacta and Trifecta are also worth considering for the more adventurous punters looking for a big payout. You can pick three horses and cover all combinations for the Exacta and Trifecta for a total stake of 12 units. The unit stake can be as little as 10c, but the dividend is declared to a €1 stake. If two of your three horses finish first and second in any order you will share in the Exacta dividend and if all three fill the first three places you win on both the Exacta and Trifecta bets.

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