Savills Chase 2023 Tips, Runners & Prediction at Leopardstown

What a mouthwatering renewal of the Savills Chase we have in store, with last year's winner Conflated, former winner A Plus Tard, Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and John Durkan, and Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow in the line-up.

Envoi Allen, Gerri Colombe, and Irish Grand National and Drinmore winner I Am Maximus also feature in a stellar field. Let’s take a look at each of the confirmed 11 runners and try to identify the outcome with a potential tip or two.

A Plus Tard

 

• Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
• Jockey: Rachael Blackmore 
• Form: 121PP3
• Odds: 16/1

Signed off last season with a below-par third in the Aintree Bowl behind Shishkin but has a good record here and when fresh. The 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner won this race in 2020 before going close to defending his title in the 2021 renewal with a short-head second.

He failed to complete two of his three starts last season, but he has to be feared back at the scene of some of his great achievements. The fact that Rachael Blackmore has opted to ride him instead of stalemate Envoi Allen speaks volumes about the sort of performance we might expect.

Appreciate It

 

• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Jockey: Sean O’Keeffe
• Form: 134322
• Odds: 25/1

A top-class bumper, hurdler, and chaser who returned a brilliant winner of the 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He has been winless over fences since winning his first two chase starts, but has some strong efforts in defeat to his name, particularly his latest comeback run, where he finished an excellent half-length second in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

In that race, he split the first (Fastorslow) and second (Galopin Des Champs) from the Punchestown Gold Cup, and that was undoubtedly a personal best in this sphere. His only previous run over three miles saw him finish a length-second behind Feronily in the Champion Novice Chase, so he’s not one to entirely write off if he can repeat his latest effort despite the high calibre of the opposition.

Capodanno

 

• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Jockey: Brian Hayes 
• Form: U413P6
• Odds: 50/1

The joint-lowest-rated runner in the field has an uphill task if he’s to get involved. He came in last of six on his return in a much weaker race than today’s assignment. His career highlight to date came in the Champion Novice Chase last year, where he gained breakthrough success at the highest level, but he’s been nowhere near that level in three starts since.

His only previous start here proved inconclusive, as he unseated his rider early on in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase, in which Galopin Des Champs took the honours. He’s a gorgeous-looking horse, but with plenty to find on official ratings and form, he is likely to be outclassed, with his trainer holding stronger candidates in the field.

Churchstonewarrior 

 

• Trainer: Jonathan Sweeney
• Jockey: Michael O’Sullivan
• Form: 22221U
• Odds: 150/1

Unseated his rider early on in the Florida Pearl Novices' Chase on his return but was really progressive in this sphere last season, finishing runner-up three times in succession, including at the highest level over course and distance prior to beating Mahler Mission in the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase.

The second has subsequently gone close in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, so the form has a useful look to it. He is the lowest-rated runner in the field, but I don’t expect him to finish last by any means, and he could sneak into the frame if a few of the other main protagonists underperform.

Conflated

 

• Trainer: Gordon Elliott 
• Jockey: Sam Ewing
• Form: 313P53
• Odds: 14/1

Stepped up markedly from his comeback effort at Down Royal in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase when a close-up third behind Gerri Colombe and should be approaching peak fitness now, with a couple of outings under his belt. The nine-year-old returned a five-length winner of this race last year prior to an excellent third behind Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

He subsequently failed to showcase his best in his final start of the season at Aintree and then again on his return at Punchestown when he finished last, but offered a revival last time out, and the return to a left-handed track will suit better. His comfortable win in the race last year was a second Grade 1 win over course and distance, having taken the 2022 Irish Gold Cup, and he should make a bold bid to not let his crown go lightly.

Envoi Allen

• Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
• Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe 
• Form: 171432
• Odds: 14/1

Stablemate of A Plus Tard, who once looked unbeatable, is still capable of high-class form and looked unlucky to be mugged right on the line by Gerri Colombe in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase on his return at Down Royal, a race he had won a year earlier.

Last season’s Ryanair Chase winner has two course wins to his name, and his fitness should be spot on now. Rachael Blackmore has swerved from riding him this time, but Darragh O’Keeffe is a reliable jockey, and this nine-year-old is dangerous to dismiss.

Fastorslow

 

• Trainer: Martin Brassil 
• Jockey: JJ Slevin
• Form: 255211
• Odds: 4/1

By far and large, the biggest improver in the field, who has raised his game in each of his three starts this year, Following a neck-second in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, he was pitched into the deep end in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup in his next start. Sent off 20/1, he did really well to beat the Cheltenham Gold Cup first and second.

The two in behind probably weren’t at their best that day, but take nothing away from Martin Brassil’s charge, who won by more than two lengths. He then confirmed his status as a top-class chaser by beating Galopin Des Champs for the second time on his return in the John Durkan Chase. Again, he won with a touch up his sleeve and did so in spite of his rider dropping the whip. With plenty more to come, he’s a serious player.

Galopin Des Champs 

 

• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Jockey: Paul Townend
• Form: 111123
• Odds: 15/8

The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner from earlier this year, who was most impressive in that race when winning it by more than seven lengths, He has twice been beaten by Fastorslow, but has had excuses each time. In the first of those defeats, he was probably feeling the effects of his big win in March, yet he was still only beaten a couple of lengths into second and hit the line strongly behind that same rival on his reappearance when he finished third.

Going back left-handed will suit him better, and he’s unbeaten in three starts at this course. He remains the clear highest-rated runner in the field, and his win in the Irish Gold Cup over course and distance earlier this year was pure class. It didn’t go according to plan for connections in the King George Chase with Allaho, but this is a great opportunity for this seven-year-old to bounce back to winning ways, though he will need to reverse form with Fastorslow.

Gerri Colombe

 

• Trainer: Gordon Elliott
• Jockey: Jack Kennedy
• Form: 111211
• Odds: 5/2

Gordon Elliott’s top-class charge has only met with defeat once in ten career starts and should be spot on in regards to fitness after taking Down Royal’s Champion Chase on his reappearance last month. His RPR’s have improved run-by-run, and this three-time grade 1 winner is likely capable of even better.

He could have run in the King George, but the fact that his handler has saved him for this race instead is indeed interesting. This will no doubt be his biggest test to date and his first visit to Leopardstown, but he’s got a serious chance of going close. He is sure to be doing all his best work in the closing stages.

I Am Maximus

 

• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Jockey: Jody McGarvey
• Form: 224411
• Odds: 28/1

Produced a career-best performance when winning the Drinmore Novice Chase on his reappearance earlier this month. That form was boosted by the second, Found A Fifty, just a couple of days ago, who won a hot renewal of the Racing Post Novice Chase when favourite Facile Vega fluffed his lines.

The seven-year-old has some really good form to his name, especially for Willie Mullins, given the fact that he also won the Irish Grand National on his final start last term. A new career-best will be required if he’s to beat a field of this calibre, but he’s improving at a rate of knots and could be the each-way value at the prices.

Janidil

 

• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Jockey: Mark Walsh 
• Form: FP17F2
• Odds: 66/1

Proved no match for Allaho in the Clonmel Oil Chase in his return and has yet to win over this distance. He is a very good horse on his day and would have won a grade 2 very impressively in his penultimate start, but he’s likely to be found out against these.

To his credit, he has made the frame several times at the highest level, but he will do very well to even finish in the first five this time. He is impossible to fancy at this level nowadays and should be a bigger price than Churchstonewarrior.

Savills Chase 2023 Tips and Predictions

In what could be a race for the ages, most of these would have a good chance in their best form, with no fewer than nine grade 1 winners taking to the stage. However, it’s two Willie Mullins participants that take my interest from a betting stance. 

Fastorslow might have beaten GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (best price 15/8) twice already, but I expect the Gold Cup winner to prove a different proposition going back this way around. He has been impressive in all three wins at this course, and the former has a poor record at this venue compared to Punchestown. Even allowing for those couple of defeats, he is still rated 10Ib higher than Martin Brassil’s charge and therefore gets the vote to extend his unbeaten record at this venue. There will be no excuses this time.

At an each-way price, don’t rule out a good showing from Galopin's teammate, I AM MAXIMUS (best price 28/1) who is overpriced. He won the Irish Grand National in his penultimate start and returned with a bang in the Drinmore when beating subsequent top-level winner Found A Fifty. He was tentatively ridden when fourth in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham and has improved tons since. He will love a bit of rain and could easily make the frame, at least.