Racecards
14:25 Down Royal (IRE)
Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Soft (Soft to Heavy in places)
- Surface: Turf
- €150,000 added
- Winner: €90,000
- 2nd: €30,000
- 3rd: €15,001
- 4th: €7,500
- Form 21422-2
- Age 9
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 159
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey D N Russell
led, slight mistakes 3rd and 5th where joined, ridden 3 out, soon headed, dropped to 4th 3rd next, soon no impression on leaders, kept on same pace
- Form 3/41152-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 170
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey H Cobden
tracked leader in 2nd, disputed lead from 5th, led after 3 out, joined before next, ridden 2 out, headed before last, kept on same pace in 2nd inside final furlong
- Form 2/1113-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 163
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey Keith Donoghue
held up in touch behind leaders, mistakes 7th and 11th, mistake 3 out and dropped to last briefly, soon ridden, under pressure in 4th 2 out, no impression, 4th and mistake at last
- Form 3/13235-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 166
- Trainer N Meade
- Jockey Sean Flanagan
held up in touch in rear, progress into 3rd 3 out, headway to dispute lead before next, ridden from 2 out, led before last, stayed on well under pressure inside final furlong
- Form 4114-61
- Age 9
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 160
tracked leaders, ridden in 4th before 3 out, dropped to last before 2 out, no impression
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Paul Nicholls takes on the home contingent with CLAN DES OBEAUX, the King George and Denman Chase winner, whose fifth place in the Gold Cup and second to Kemboy at Aintree is the stand-out form. Delta Work couldn't quite get to Nicholls' Topofthegame in the RSA at Cheltenham but made amends in the Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown and, at just six-years-old, looks to have a big future. His trainer also runs Alpha Des Obeaux, runner-up to Kemboy at Clonmel last November but mainly not quite up to this level. Noel Meade also has two entries with Road To Respect, who won this very easily last year but was behind the selection at Aintree, just favoured over Snow Falcon though the latter has a fitness advantage and won the Grade 2 novices' chase on this card last year.
Formwatch
Alpha Des Obeaux (FR) 10-3 (11-0) Led, joined and headed briefly at stages, strongly pressed and joined before straight, kept on well run-in, just denied at finish, 2nd of 6, shd behind Jett (11-8) at Punchestown 3m 1f (1) Yielding in Oct.
Clan Des Obeaux (FR) 11-4 (11-7) Tracked leaders, switched towards outside before 5th, pushed along 4 out, one pace when hung left between last 2, ridden and stayed on to snatch 2nd final strides, no chance with impressive winner, 2nd of 6, 9l behind Kemboy (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gs in Apr.
Delta Work (FR) 13-8fav (11-10) Waited with, 5th from 6th, improved to get on terms before 3 out, soon led travelling smoothly, asserted from 2 out, stayed on well run-in, easily, won at Punchestown 3m 1f (1) Yielding - Soft in Apr beating Discorama (11-10) by 12l, 8 ran.
Road To Respect (IRE) 9-2 (11-7) Held up in touch in rear, took closer order 13th, outpaced 4 out, ridden after 2 out, kept on same pace, never able to challenge, 5th of 6, 15 1/4l behind Kemboy (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gs in Apr.
Snow Falcon (IRE) 7-1 (11-8) Prominent early, soon chased leaders, 3rd halfway, improved to challenge entering straight, disputed 3 out, ridden to lead before last, kept on well run-in, won at Gowran Park 2m 4f (1) Yielding in Oct beating Peregrine Run (11-6) by 6 1/2l, 8 ran.