Next Race Preview

Sept 30th

Gowran Park

PWC Champion Chase

A new season beckons and we start with this Grade 2 and Easy Game attempts to win it for the third time having won last year and in 2020. However he's up against a formidable opponent in Envoi Allen who won the Ladbroke Champion Chase at Down Royal last November and then won the Ryanair at Cheltenham in between two disappointing runs. Easy Game should have the edge on race fitness having won at Listowel in June and although he was very disappointing in the Galway Plate he has good form around this course. Gentlemansgame has had just the one run over fences winning at Leopardstown last Christmas where he beat I Am Maximus by 8l over 2m5f on Soft ground on what was his last start. He was fairly consistent over hurdles wining twice and placed four times. That win was also his first run since the previous April so he cam go fresh. It's hard to know how good that race was as he beat an out and out stayer who went on to win the Irish National. He's a likely pace setter here. This looks a bit short for Mister Fogpatches who warmed up with a spin on the flat over 1m6f at Listowel eight days ago. He has two wins and fourteen places from thirty five starts and has plenty to find on ratings. Hurricane Georgie has slid down the ratings from a high of 148 to 138. She made a bad mistake in the Galway Plate early and that seemed to knock her confidence although she ran on well up to hill. She gets 14lb and 10lb off the top two and if she can find her form again might grab a place and a bit of Black Type which will be important when her progeny go to the sales. Good As Hell has won five of her twenty starts but on ratings has a lot to find and connections will be hoping that some of the others run below par and she can pick up a bit of Black Type. Envoi Allen is odds on but that doesn't appeal to me for his first start of the season against a race fit Easy Game on Soft ground and with up to 10mm of rain forecast overnight it could be testing conditions out there on Saturday. With a few having seasonal debuts Market moves should be noted but I'll take a chance on Easy Game.

Selection; Easy Game

Best Alternative; Envoi Allen