Savills New Year's Day Chase (Grade 3)

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 6m 20.05s

Stattler²⁹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 158

4/5

Very smart chaser. 2/1, career best when winning 6-runner National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival (29.9f, good) by 8 lengths from Run Wild Fred. Off 9 months. 3-3 over fences and remains open to improvement.

Form: 343/111-

El Barra²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: J B Foley| T: W P Mullins| OR: 153

12/1

Smart chaser. 2 wins from 5 runs this season. 28/1, below form 29¾ lengths sixth of 10 to Mighty Potter in Drinmore Novices' Chase at Fairyhouse (19.8f, heavy) 28 days ago. Paul Townend prefers Stattler.

Form: 31-3U16

Roi Mage^t1⁵¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Griffin| OR: 149| D

50/1

Useful chaser. 2½ lengths third of 11 to Grandgador in listed cross-country race (72/10) at Compiegne (26.8f, soft) on debut over fences 51 days ago. Looks up against it.

Form: 47517-3

Cilaos Emery^h³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 150| D

16/1

Smart chaser. Nine wins from 24 NH runs. 17 lengths third of 5 to Darasso in listed chase at Thurles (22f, good to soft, 11/4) 31 days ago, going off too hard. Stattler is clearly the stable first-string.

Form: 14U62-3

Minella Indo²⁴⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 168

7/4

High-class chaser. 9/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, pulled up in the Punchestown Gold Cup (24.1f, good to soft) when last seen in April. Bit to prove on the back of that but huge chance on these terms nonetheless.

Form: 1/3P22P-

Forecasts

Stattler (4/5), Minella Indo (7/4), El Barra (12/1), Cilaos Emery (16/1), Roi Mage (50/1)

On the face of it, STATTLER faces a tall order here in attempting to concede 8 lb to 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo. However, the 8-y-o impressed when making it 3-3 in this sphere at the Cheltenham Festival in March and he looks destined for big things. Furthermore, significant doubts now surrouned Minella Indo on the back of what was ultimately a disappointing campaign last term. Stattler's stablemates Cilaos Emery and El Barra can scrap it out for minor honours.