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17:25 Punchestown

Tuesday 26 April 2022

All15:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:3519:1019:45

William Hill Champion Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 17:25 | Winning time: 4m 8.2s

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Selected odds by:

Andy Dufresne⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: M P Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 157| BF| CD

16/1

High-class chaser. 10/3, good second of 16 in handicap chase at Cheltenham (15.9f, heavy) 41 days ago. This is a tougher assignment, but it's still early days for him as a chaser and he could pick up some place money here.

Form: 113P-22

Captain Guinness¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 162| CD

28/1

Very smart chaser. Two wins from 6 runs last season. Below form 33½ lengths sixth of 10 to Fakir D'oudairies in Melling Chase (15/2) at Aintree (19.9f, good) 18 days ago. Looks up against it.

Form: U-13316

Chacun Pour Soi⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 176| CD

5/2

Top-class chaser. Decisive winner of this race last season. 8/1, unseated rider in Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham (15.9f, soft) 41 days ago, a race won by stablemate Energumene. Big player.

Form: 131-51U

Energumene⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 175| CD

4/7

Top-class chaser. Didn't need to be at best when winning 7-runner Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham (15.9f, soft, 5/2) 41 days ago by 8½ lengths from Funambule Sivola, kept up to work. The one to beat.

Form: 111-121

Envoi Allen^t⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 161| C| D

11/1

High-class chaser. Course winner. Two wins from 5 runs last season. Creditable 13 lengths third of 7 to Energumene in Queen Mother Champion Chase (10/1) at Cheltenham (15.9f, soft) 41 days ago. No reason to believe he'll turn the tables on that rival here.

Form: FP-1613

Forecasts

Energumene (4/7), Chacun Pour Soi (5/2), Envoi Allen (11/1), Andy Dufresne (16/1), Captain Guinness (28/1)

This is likely to boil down to a shootout between the Willie Mullins-trained duo, CHACUN POUR SOI and Energumene. It's no surprise that Paul Townend sticks with the up-and-coming Energumene following his Champion Chase victory at Cheltenham but preference is for his stablemate, who was bowling along nicely when unseating five-out in that race. Chacun Pour Soi landed this contest 12 months ago and has been beaten just once from nine starts over fences in Ireland. Andy Dufresne is third choice.