Grade One Champion Novice Chase Punchestown Guide 2023

Nine-year-old for Willie Mullins, who sends four to this contest on Tuesday. Makes his sixth start since being sent over fences, after winning numerous grade one hurdle contests during 2020/21. Boasts Grade One Future Champions Novice Hurdle (Leopardstown), Grade One Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle (Leopardstown) and Grade One Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Cheltenham) over hurdles before his winning debut over the larger obstacles at Punchestown in December last year.

Has since finished in the top four on three occasions in graded races, including fourth in the Turners’ at Cheltenham last month and third in Gold Cup Novice at Fairyhouse earlier this month. Has to enter calculations for a top yard, who now send him over three miles. Not dismissed.

One of four in this contest for Willie Mullins is James Du Berlais, who has struggled at this level over fences since winning Fairyhouse beginner over 2m 5f in January this year. The seven-year-old was smart over hurdles in France, before switching to Mullins’ yard to finish ninth in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in March 2021.

His last three starts have yielded sixth, sixth and fourth at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Fairyhouse behind a few of these on many occasions. Looks set for another role towards the back if continuing that form. Steps up to three miles for the first time over fences. Dismissed.

Willie Mullins sends four to the Champion Novice Chase, with eight-year-old Sir Gerhard being one of those. The gelding was an impressive hurdler for the leading Irish trainer, winning Grade One Ireland Novice Hurdle and the Grade One Ballymore at Cheltenham in 2022 before being sent over fences by Mullins at the beginning of 2023.

He made a winning start at Gowran Park despite being far from fluent before finishing a disappointing ninth of ten in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham festival last month, perhaps slightly too inexperienced over fences. Decent second last time out at Fairyhouse in Grade One Gold Cup Novice Chase over 2m 3f prior to heading here.

He finished ahead of fellow runner here Appreciate It that day and now bids for first graded success over fences. Back over three miles here, he has a chance of doing so. One to consider, for sure.

Classic Getaway is one of four runners in the Champion Novice Chase for Willie Mullins, with this seven-year-old returning to the track after 150 days off. Useful over hurdles in early part of his career, winning Punchestown maiden as well as third in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle, he was sent over fences back in November last year, beating 1/1fav Minella Cocooner just under three lengths to win over 2m 4f.

The front two were a long way ahead of the rest of the field on that occasion and step up to 3m could extract further improvement from this gelding after five months off. Tough one to predict but certainly not ruled out on reappearance.

Henry De Bromhead’s seven-year-old Journey With Me travels to Punchestown for the Champion Novice Chase after winning two of his four starts over fences, winning Naas beginner in December last year before Grade Three Novice Chase at the same course last time out in March, beating Limerick Lace by three lengths.

Those wins were sandwiched with a second-place finish in Grade Three Novice here in January, half a length behind Cheltenham Mares’ Chase winner Impervious. Steps up into grade one company here for the first time over fences and should be well worth his place in this company after those Naas successes. Leading player on recent form.

Emmet Mullins sends one to the Champion Novice Chase in the form of six-year-old Feronily, who makes his second start over fences here after finishing second on chasing debut over 3m at Cork earlier this month in a grade three contest. Finished ahead of Chacun Pour Soi there and seemed to take to fences well after just two runs over hurdles at Kelso and Limerick.

Stayed the 3m trip with ease which bodes well for the race here, this is tougher and will demand more of him but he should be open to plenty of improvement given how lightly raced he is. Must not be discounted.