Haiti Couleurs wins the Denman

Down Royal Saturday preview: Haiti Couleurs could face six rivals

Horse Racing

Tue October 27, 2026 · 3d ago

Rebecca Curtis’ stable star Haiti Couleurs, the winner of last season's Coral Welsh National and the Denman Chase at Newbury, is the sole British raider for the Grade 1 Bet Victor Champion Chase in honour of Envoi Allen at Down Royal on Saturday.

The nine-year-old, last seen behind I Am Maximus in the Randox Grand National at Aintree having pulled up in the Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham is one of seven horses on course for Northern Ireland’s biggest race of the year, which Envoi Allen won in three of the last four seasons.

It looks like a small but select field will go to post as always with Henry de Bromhead confirming Ryanair Chase winner Heart Wood and the others include Noel Meade’s Affordale Fury, second in the race last year. He went on to claim the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas beating Galopin des Champs.

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Joseph O’Brien, who faces a huge weekend with his Breeders Cup hopefuls, has left Banbridge, the 2024 King George VI Chase winner in the race. He warmed up with victory on the flat at Gowran Park last month while earlier this month the same track saw the biggest victory so far for Fleur In The Park, who won the Grade 2 Champion Chase and now tries Grade 1 company for the first time.

Trainer Gordon Elliott has dominated this fixture in recent years and has a bumper entry over the two days, headed by Romeo Coolio and Croke Park in the feature race.

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