Who To Follow At Down Royal On Saturday

The somewhat forgotten horse last season, Samcro will not be forgotten this season as the the one of a kind eight year old for Gordon Elliott looks to be back to his best.

The gelding was a superstar over hurdles landing the Grade One Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the 2018 Cheltenham festival and then since then went off the boil.

He was taken chasing and landed his debut over fences nicely before falling in the Grade One Drinmore Novices Hurdle when looking sure to make a challenge.

He was poor again in a Grade One behind Faugheen and he kept scoping wrong and looked to be a horse that could not come back to his best.

However, in the Marsh Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham festival it was him and Melon going to the line and in a head bob Samcro got the decision in what was one of the best races across the four day meeting.

The training performance by Elliott to get him to come back from some dreadful runs and looking like a horse who had completely lost his potential and ability, he can once again this season build off his second win at Prestbury Park now stepping out of novice company.

Instead of doing a trainer to follow at Down Royal on Saturday we have instead done a owner to follow with Cheveley Park Stud having three stand out chances across the day.

The ownership over the last few years have really started to light up the national hunt scene in Ireland with horses like Envoi Allen, A Plus Tard and Malone Road all flying the flag for them.

They have shown that they were not just settling for a few nice horses and have invested again for the upcoming season and three of them will be unleashed on Saturday.

Ballyadam is being talked about as the next Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner and he makes his debut on Saturday, with stablemate Quilixios looking to make it two from two over timber.

Sir Gerhard is a five year old is making his debut for the yard having been bought by the owners off the back of hosing up by 12 lengths in a point to point at Boulta.

The gelding was a very expensive buy, costing £400,000 at the Cheltenham sales in December 2019 and the sky is the limit for this star.

Youngster Denis O'Regan looks to have a handful of nice rides across the card in Northern Ireland on Saturday and we believe he might pay to follow.

The rider has managed to gain a strike rate of over 11% for the last two weeks with three wins from 27 rides and he can extend that at the weekend.

He is arguably picking up one of his best rides of his career when sitting on Presenting Percy in the Grade One Ladbrokes Champion Chase with Davy Russell being injured.

The Cheltenham festival winner has a great chance of landing the spoils on his first ride for new trainer Gordon Elliott.