Paddy Power Rewards Club Guide 2021

In what looks a weak Grade 1 affair, should see the return to winning ways for last season’s Champion Chase favourite Chacun Pour Soi, who disappointed in that race when finishing a remote 3rd and done the same in this year’s Tingle Creek when sent off the 13/8 favourite, to only finish a disappointing last of five.

He is a horse that shows so much when running in Ireland and on flatter tracks, winning Multiple Grade 1 races in his home country including an electric display in the William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown in April, when beating Ryanair winner Allaho by 5 and a half lengths, jumping well and really looking like the best 2 miler in training still even after a disappointing Cheltenham run.

This isn’t a top Grade 1 affair like the Tingle Creek, or the Champion Chase at Punchestown for that matter, so should he be his usual self and run up to his high rating of 176 (Highest in the race by far) he will be very hard to beat in this, a race that he won last season at a canter.

Multiple Grade 1 winner and very good on his day, obviously prefers running in Ireland and on flatter tracks, will certainly be the one to beat in this race as he looks to win it for the second year running.

A horse that promised so much two seasons ago, when he went on a 12-race unbeaten streak, including many dazzling displays in Grade 1 races, he hasn’t exactly looked the same since moving yards from Gordon Elliott’s to Henry De Bromhead, only winning once in three races, whilst falling, pulling up and finishing 6th in the other three runs.

He did look back to his best however in his first run of the season at Down Royal, winning a Grade 2 in easy fashion by 22 lengths jumping with fluency and travelling nicely.

However, his good form was short lived as he disappointed in the John Durkan last time out, finishing a well back 6th, beaten by just under 10 lengths looking quite flat in the process.

The yard was unsure on what to make of that run as it was quite disappointing compared to what they were expecting, therefore they made the decision to drop him in trip to 2 miles for this.

But he comes up against a top 2 miler in Chacun Pour Soi, making this a difficult task to win on his return to the shorter trip.

Top horse a few years back when winning everything but did disappoint last time out and now comes up against a top favourite over 2 miles, over a trip that might not suit today, but is very talented when he wants to be so this could be a good contest.

A winner at Galway last time out, that was only a beginner’s chase over 2m6f, so the step back down to this 2-mile trip might be out of his reach against two quicker horses.

This is the first time over this trip since his hurdling days back in 2018 and it doesn’t scream out that the two miles will suit him as much as the longer trips.

But one thing in his favour is that he could make this a real test utilising his stamina that we know he has, catching the other quicker horses out by making it a real test.

Has a fair bit to find on form and looks more like a staying chaser than a two mile horse. Up against two top class horses today might put him way out of his depth in this top-level race.

Again, another horse that might be slightly out of his depth in this, only running in Handicap Chase’s recently apart from a Grade 2 last time out but was well beaten, with his last win coming in December last year.

That was a 10 runner Handicap B affair at Fairyhouse over 2 miles. This might be a bit too much for him and he is best watched in this against two top class rivals.