Ladbrokes Champion Chase Guide

Delta Work leads the way in the Grade One market having landed five black type races during his career over hurdles and fences and he looks the class act of the race.

Although finishing fourth in the race last year, the Gordon Elliott trained seven year old went on to land back to back Grade One races at Leopardstown over three miles.

He managed to land the superb Savills Chase and then backed that up at Christmas when taking the Irish Gold Cup under a stellar ride by Jack Kennedy.

Having franked the form of the RSA the season before, he tried his hand at the Gold Cup and although running a fair race never troubled the leaders and that will be his aim this term.

Class angle.

Presenting Percy has been a horse that holds bundles of talent, but over the last few seasons has not been able to replicate his win in the 2018 RSA Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.

Having been quiet under his ex trainer Pat Kelly for the last few seasons, his owner Philip Reynolds this season decided to switch yards with the Grade One winner and now under Gordon Elliott can flourish again.

Having proved his ability in staying contests, he still retains his ability and with his run last time out in the Gold Cup being better than what it looked on the surface, he can build under better tutelage this term.

The Grand National looks to be his big target this term but for now he will mix it with the best chasers in Ireland, starting in this race on Saturday where he has a live chance if back to his best.

Henry De Bromhead will be looking to start the season off with a bang with plenty of superstars at his yard this season and he will be hoping that Chris's Dream can come under that category.

The eight year old is known for going well fresh, but does have a bit to find in this company having being tried at the top level four times and not ran well in either race.

Last season the son of of Mahler won two of his three races, landing the Troytown Handicap Chase with ease on seasonal debut at Navan and then backing that up at Gowran in the Grade Two Red Mills Chase.

He was tried in the Gold Cup but he was ultimately outclassed and he will need to be right at it to lay down a challenge to the two market leaders.

The Storyteller is a highly consistent yardstick for Gordon Elliott having won Graded races over both hurdles and fences and this term looks to be staying over the bigger obstacles.

A Cheltenham festival winner, the nine year old has been in fine form of late racing five times since July, winning three of them and placing in another.

Having been an extremely lucky Grade One winner in 2018, he gave one of his best performances last time out when landing a Grade Three at Punchestown.

He has won 10 races during his career and if he was to go the best in this company he would land a huge scalp for the thriving yard.

Noel Meade is a trainer bang in form across Ireland and he fields Tout Est Permis who will have to give a career best to win this one.

The seven year old has ran to a fair level during his career over both fences and hurdles, finishing third behind Sire De Berlais and The Storyteller in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He started his campaign this season at Punchestown in a Grade Three event and although shaping nice was beaten fair and square by the The Storyteller again and he looks held on that form.

Coming towards the bigger priced runners in the race and the second string for Noel Meade is Snow Falcon who looks opposable on is best form.

Last season the 10 year old started his winter campaign with a win at Gowran Park in a Grade Two, but never kicked on from there being unplaced in his next four races.

He was last of five runners in this event last season and he has not showed anything that warrants him respect now a year older.

Balko Des Flos is a horse that held so much potential since his win in the Ryanair Chase at the 2018 Cheltenham festival, but has not lived up to it.

Since that win he has been seen nine times and has been unplaced in every event, with his best effort being third of six runners in the Betway Bowl Chase behind Kemboy and Clan Des Obeaux.

Rachael Blackmore takes the ride which is a positive, but on his form of the last two years he should not be near the frame.

The penultimate runner in the event is Alpha Des Obeaux and at the age of 10 now will struggle to get involved against this Group One field.

The Gigginstown owned horse has been a very consistent runner for the yard only finishing out the top three in one of his last seven races.

He was third in this event last season beating stablemate Delta Work, who is favourite on Saturday, but having not progressed in Grade One company since it makes it hard to back him.

The final runner and the fifth in the race for Gordon Elliott is Ravenhill who at 50/1 is the right price showing his best efforts over more staying trips.

This season he has been seen twice and he has looked a shadow of the horse that won the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

He unseated his rider on his seasonal debut and then last time out was sixth behind most of this field in the Grade Three at Punchestown.