Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File set for stunning Savills showdown
Wednesday, December 04, 2024
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Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File clear the final fence at Punchestown in the John Durkan Memorial Chase, with Fact To File leaping ahead of Galopin Des Champs to take the win.
The Savills Chase is shaping up to be a real Christmas cracker as Galopin Des Champs, the defending champion, dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero and Ireland's recently crowned Horse of the Year, features among a stellar cast of 21 who have been entered for the €175,000 showpiece on December 28, day three of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
The entries for all six Grade 1s at Leopardstown's Christmas festival were revealed on Tuesday, as well as the Paddy Power Chase and the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle.
The fact that the first four home from the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown last month all feature in the Savills Chase mean it should be a race to savour. Indeed, seven of the eight runners from the John Durkan have been entered with the only omission being Journey With Me.
On that occasion it was Fact To File who made a seamless transition from novice to open company and shot to the summit of the Cheltenham Gold Cup market when mastering Galopin Des Champs after the last and then having enough in reserve to repel the late surge of Spillane's Tower on the run-in.
It was in last year's Savills Chase where Galopin Des Champs produced one of the greatest jumping displays of the modern era when beating Gerri Colombe by a staggering 23 lengths and both horses look set to lock horns again 12 months later.
The three-time Grade 1 winner Fastorslow has also been entered, while Corbetts Cross, Found A Fifty, Grand National winner I Am Maximus, King George hero Hewick and last season's star novice Monty's Star are other notable entries.
The other Grade 1 on December 28 is the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle over just shy of three miles. Stayers' Hurdle hero Teahupoo and the hugely promising Brighterdaysahead are two of Gordon Elliott's six entries in the race. Last season's Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles for Tom Gibney also features among the 17 entries, as does Hewick.
The first Grade 1 of the four-day extravaganza is now the Grade 1 Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase over three miles on St Stephen's Day.
Elliott is responsible for a dozen of the 27 entries in the newly-sponsored Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase with last season's Martin Pipe winner Better Days Ahead and recent Drinmore Novice Chase winner Croke Park among them.
Willie Mullins has entered last season's star staying novice hurdler Dancing City, who has yet to jump a fence in public, as well as Impaire Et Passe and Lecky Watson.
Perhaps the most interesting entry of all in the Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase is Slade Steel, winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival who has yet to try further than two and a half miles.
Mullins certainly seems to hold the key to the Paddy Power Rewards Club Chase on December 27 as two-time Champion Chase winner Energumene, last season's Arkle hero Gaelic Warrior and Ferny Hollow feature among the 15 entries. The reigning Champion Chaser, Captain Guinness, has also been entered.
Salvator Mundi is the ante-post favourite for the 2025 Supreme Novices' Hurdle and his name is among the 30 entries for the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle on the same day. The €200,000 Paddy Power Chase is sure to be as competitive as ever with no fewer than 51 entries headed by Nick Rockett.
The December Hurdle on the final day, December 29, could be a corker as last year's winner State Man, his recent Morgiana Hurdle conqueror Brighterdaysahead and last Sunday's imperious Hatton's Grace Hurdle heroine Lossiemouth have all been entered. Also among the 12 entries is multiple Grade 1 winner Mystical Power.
There are 43 entries for the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle also on the final day of the festival and they are headed by Maxxum, while Royal Bond winner Tounsivator could be a fascinating contender.
Entries at weights: Thursday, December 26
Entries at weights: Friday, December 27
Entries at weights: Saturday, December 28
Entries at weights: Sunday, December 29
The entries for all six Grade 1s at Leopardstown's Christmas festival were revealed on Tuesday, as well as the Paddy Power Chase and the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle.
The fact that the first four home from the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown last month all feature in the Savills Chase mean it should be a race to savour. Indeed, seven of the eight runners from the John Durkan have been entered with the only omission being Journey With Me.
On that occasion it was Fact To File who made a seamless transition from novice to open company and shot to the summit of the Cheltenham Gold Cup market when mastering Galopin Des Champs after the last and then having enough in reserve to repel the late surge of Spillane's Tower on the run-in.
It was in last year's Savills Chase where Galopin Des Champs produced one of the greatest jumping displays of the modern era when beating Gerri Colombe by a staggering 23 lengths and both horses look set to lock horns again 12 months later.
The three-time Grade 1 winner Fastorslow has also been entered, while Corbetts Cross, Found A Fifty, Grand National winner I Am Maximus, King George hero Hewick and last season's star novice Monty's Star are other notable entries.
The other Grade 1 on December 28 is the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle over just shy of three miles. Stayers' Hurdle hero Teahupoo and the hugely promising Brighterdaysahead are two of Gordon Elliott's six entries in the race. Last season's Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles for Tom Gibney also features among the 17 entries, as does Hewick.
The first Grade 1 of the four-day extravaganza is now the Grade 1 Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase over three miles on St Stephen's Day.
Elliott is responsible for a dozen of the 27 entries in the newly-sponsored Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase with last season's Martin Pipe winner Better Days Ahead and recent Drinmore Novice Chase winner Croke Park among them.
Willie Mullins has entered last season's star staying novice hurdler Dancing City, who has yet to jump a fence in public, as well as Impaire Et Passe and Lecky Watson.
Perhaps the most interesting entry of all in the Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase is Slade Steel, winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival who has yet to try further than two and a half miles.
Mullins certainly seems to hold the key to the Paddy Power Rewards Club Chase on December 27 as two-time Champion Chase winner Energumene, last season's Arkle hero Gaelic Warrior and Ferny Hollow feature among the 15 entries. The reigning Champion Chaser, Captain Guinness, has also been entered.
Salvator Mundi is the ante-post favourite for the 2025 Supreme Novices' Hurdle and his name is among the 30 entries for the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle on the same day. The €200,000 Paddy Power Chase is sure to be as competitive as ever with no fewer than 51 entries headed by Nick Rockett.
The December Hurdle on the final day, December 29, could be a corker as last year's winner State Man, his recent Morgiana Hurdle conqueror Brighterdaysahead and last Sunday's imperious Hatton's Grace Hurdle heroine Lossiemouth have all been entered. Also among the 12 entries is multiple Grade 1 winner Mystical Power.
There are 43 entries for the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle also on the final day of the festival and they are headed by Maxxum, while Royal Bond winner Tounsivator could be a fascinating contender.
Entries at weights: Thursday, December 26
Entries at weights: Friday, December 27
Entries at weights: Saturday, December 28
Entries at weights: Sunday, December 29
The fact that the first four home from the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown last month all feature in the Savills Chase mean it should be a race to savour.
