PWC Champion Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 4m 50.03s

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Selected odds by:

Ash Tree Meadow^t⁶⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott| OR: 158| D

8/11

Very smart chaser. Eight wins from 21 NH runs. Latest win in chase at Killarney in May. 22/1, respectable twelfth of 22 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good to soft) 66 days ago. Looks vulnerable on these terms.

Form: 417-120

French Dynamite^p,t⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M F Morris| OR: 144| D

5/2

Useful chaser. Eleven runs since last win in 2022. Blinkered for 1st time, below form thirteenth of 22 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good to soft, 33/1) 66 days ago. Probably worth taking on.

Form: 34-2470

Visionarian³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 150| C| D

10/3

Smart chaser. Six wins from 22 NH runs. Eleventh of 15 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (20.5f, good, 16/1) 38 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase.

Form: 5112-P0

Non-Runners

Saint Sam²¹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 7

T: W P Mullins J: Paul Townend

Conflated¹⁵⁷

Weight: 11-3| Age: 10

T: G Elliott J: Sam Ewing

Espanito Bello¹⁸⁷

Weight: 11-3| Age: 10

T: B Connell J: M J M O'Sullivan

Saint Roi⁶²

Weight: 11-3| Age: 9

T: W P Mullins J: Mark Walsh

Solness¹³

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: J P O'Brien J: J J Slevin

Forecasts

Ash Tree Meadow (8/11), French Dynamite (5/2), Conflated (5/2), Saint Sam (11/4), Visionarian (10/3), Saint Roi (5/1), Solness (6/1), Espanito Bello (25/1)

This represents a good opportunity for CONFLATED to get his head back in front, for all that the Willie Mullins-trained pair Saint Roi and Saint Sam will offer stern resistance. The selection hasn't managed to hit the target since landing the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December 2022, but his last six starts (and 13 of his last 14 appearances overall) have been in Grade 1 company and he will appreciate this drop in class.