| No. |
|
Selection |
Form |
|
Guide |
|
|
|
- Conflated
- Sam Ewing / G Elliott
|
|
173
|
150/1 |
Conflated
Won this race and the Grade 1 Savills Chase over C&D in 2022; no trace of his best form so far this season and not hard to pass over.
|
|
|
|
- Embassy Gardens
- M J M O'sullivan / W P Mullins
|
|
167
|
16/1 |
Embassy Gardens
Grade 3 winning novice chaser but easily put up his best effort to date on his seasonal bow when making all to beat Monty's Star in a Tramore Grade 3 under today's rider; others probably too good but this will tell us more about where he is.
|
|
|
|
- Fact To File
- M P Walsh / W P Mullins
|
|
175
|
7/2 |
Fact To File
The top staying novice chaser last season and started off the season with a narrow victory in the Grade 1 John Durkan at Punchestown (Galopin Des Champs third); took his usual keen tug when ultimately no match for Galopin Des Champs here at Christmas; could get closer but no reason to think he can turn the tables here.
|
|
|
|
- Galopin Des Champs
- P Townend / W P Mullins
|
|
187
|
8/15 |
Galopin Des Champs
Dual Gold Cup winner comes to life at this venue too and was back to his brilliant best when accounting for Fact To File in the Savills here at Christmas; hard to oppose in bidding for a third straight win in this contest.
|
|
|
|
- Grangeclare West
- B Hayes / W P Mullins
|
|
163
|
66/1 |
Grangeclare West
Looked like being among the top staying novice chasers last season before his campaign ended early; well below his best in the Durkan and the Savills here in two runs this season; others preferred.
|
|
|
|
- Hewick
- J C Gainford / Miss T L Cogan
|
|
170
|
33/1 |
Hewick
Fantastic servant to his connections, culminating in his victory in the King George at Kempton 13 months ago; narrow defeat in a Grade 1 at Down Royal was followed by below par effort in Grade 1 staying hurdle here at Christmas; unlikely to get the good ground he wants here and others look more likely.
|
|
|
|
- I Am Maximus
- J S Mcgarvey / W P Mullins
|
|
173
|
28/1 |
I Am Maximus
Brilliant winner of last season's Grand National blotted his copybook with a poor effort in the Savills here at Christmas; clearly capable of much better but might just be best watched here with Spring targets in mind.
|
|
|
|
- Inothewayurthinkin
- K M Donoghue / G P Cromwell
|
|
166
|
16/1 |
Inothewayurthinkin
Very progressive novice chaser last season, winning the Kim Muir and the Grade 1 Mildmay Novice Chase at Aintree; no show in the John Durkan but ran well for a long way in the Savills here at Christmas and could get into the shakeup with a little more improvement.
|
|
|
|
- Minella Cocooner
- D E Mullins / W P Mullins
|
|
164
|
100/1 |
Minella Cocooner
Useful novice chaser last season, winning the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown; has fallen short at Grade 1 level in both runs this season and hard to make a case for here.
|
|
|
|
- Monty's Star
- Rachael Blackmore / H De Bromhead
|
|
160
|
14/1 |
Monty's Star
Excellent second to Fact To File in the Brown Avisory last season and narrowly beaten in the Grade 1 at Punchestown; might have needed the run when beaten by Embassy Gardens at Tramore and probably better suited by this sort of track anyway; contender.
|
