14:20 Leopardstown

Wednesday 28 December 2022

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Savills Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 6m 24.01s

Conflated⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 168| CD

2/1

Top-class chaser. C&D winner. 13/2, 4½ lengths third of 5 to Envoi Allen in Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal (24f, soft) 53 days ago. Player.

Form: 211F2-3

Franco De Port²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 156| C

16/1

Smart chaser. Course winner. Below form 30¾ lengths fifth of 11 to Gran Diose in Group 2 Prix Georges Courtois at Auteuil (21.9f, heavy, 36/10) 25 days ago. Difficult ask.

Form: 40-3455

French Dynamite^t⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M F Morris| OR: 151| C| D

15/2

Smart chaser. Six wins from 16 NH runs. 1 win from 3 runs this season. Good second of 14 in handicap chase at Cheltenham (20.2f, good, 5/1) 46 days ago.

Form: 1613-12

Fury Road^p,t⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 155| CD

7/1

Very smart chaser. Didn't need to improve to win 4-runner Gr 2 chase at Down Royal (19.6f, soft, 7/2) 53 days ago by short head from Delvino, digging deep. Back up in trip.

Form: 31523-1

Galvin⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 166| BF| CD

10/3

High-class chaser. 1 win from 3 runs this season. 15½ lengths fourth of 5 to Envoi Allen in Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal (24f, soft, 5/6) 53 days ago, inadequate test. Not taken lightly.

Form: 2146-14

Kemboy^p⁵³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 161| CD

18/5

Top-class chaser. C&D winner. 17/2, good 1¾ lengths second of 5 to Envoi Allen in Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal (24f, soft) 53 days ago, having run of race. Respected.

Form: 34-6222

Royal Rendezvous^h²⁴⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 165| D

20/1

High-class chaser. 1 win from 1 run this season. 12/1, career best when winning 13-runner handicap chase at Punchestown (21.2f, good to soft). Off 8 months.

Form: 1112P1-

Non-Runners

A Plus Tard³⁹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: H De Bromhead J: Rachael Blackmore

Forecasts

A Plus Tard (5/4), Conflated (2/1), Galvin (10/3), Kemboy (18/5), Fury Road (7/1), French Dynamite (15/2), Franco De Port (16/1), Royal Rendezvous (20/1)

The top-class A PLUS TARD clearly wasn't himself in the Betfair Chase on his first start since the Gold Cup but he's well worth another chance to get his season back on track given how dominant he was at Cheltenham. Gordon Elliott holds a strong hand, with Conflated and Galvin feared most.