2023 Savills Chase at Leopardstown: the runners, the odds, the verdict

The festive gifts keep coming for racing fans with the Savills Chase (2.25) taking centre stage at Leopardstown today. Will Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs return to winning ways or can the improving Gerri Colombe or Fastorslow steal the plaudits? Here's everything you need to know about the big race.

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2023 Savills Chase: the full list of horses for Leopardstown

1 A Plus Tard

Beaten a short head by Galvin in this race two seasons ago as a prelude to 15-length victory from stablemate Minella Indo in the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup; ran only three times last season, pulled up in the Betfair Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup; found nothing at Aintree on final start; begins new campaign with questions to answer.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
Forecast odds: 14-1

A Plus Tard14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Rachael Blackmore Tnr: Henry De Bromhead

2 Appreciate It

Top-class novice hurdler in 2020/21 season; career interrupted before resuming last season with two chase wins against modest opposition; failed to score in four Grade 1 attempts; emerged with reputation enhanced with front-running effort to split Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Sean O'Keeffe
Forecast odds: 16-1

Appreciate It14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Sean O'Keeffe Tnr: W P Mullins

3 Capodanno

Won Grade 1 staying novice chase at the 2022 Punchestown festival; ran only twice last season; no match for stablemates Janidil and Haut En Couleurs in the Red Mills at Gowran; dropped away from two out in the Grand National; poor round of jumping on seasonal debut at Thurles.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Brian Hayes
Forecast odds: 40-1

Capodanno14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Brian Hayes Tnr: W P Mullins

4 Churchstonewarrior

Won 3m Grade 2 Ten Up Novice at Navan in February, a suitable reward after a sequence of seconds; unseated rider at second on seasonal debut at Punchestown; lowest-rated of 11 runners here.

Trainer: Jonathan Sweeney
Jockey: Michael O'Sullivan
Forecast odds: 100-1

Churchstonewarrior14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Michael O'Sullivan Tnr: Jonathan Sweeney

5 Conflated

Beat Minella Indo in the 2022 Irish Gold Cup and won this event 12 months ago; third in Cheltenham Gold Cup before ending the season on a low note at Aintree; tame effort on return at Punchestown and needs to reverse Down Royal form with stablemate Gerri Colombe and Envoi Allen.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Sam Ewing
Forecast odds: 14-1

Conflated14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Sam Ewing Tnr: Gordon Elliott

6 Envoi Allen

Non-runner (due to testing ground)

7 Fastorslow

Non-runner (due to testing ground)

8 Galopin Des Champs

Had won all six completed starts over fences, including Cheltenham Gold Cup, before being mastered by Fastorslow over 3m at Punchestown in April; jumping was untidy at times when suffering another Punchestown reverse behind Fastorslow in last month's John Durkan; longer trip should be a big help, but the same remark applies equally to Martin Brassil's runner.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Forecast odds: 2-1

Galopin Des Champs14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

9 Gerri Colombe

Won his first three novice chases last season (including two Grade 1s) before getting going a bit too late in the Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham; bounced back with an easy win in an Aintree Grade 1 next time; made a perfect start in open company when mastering Envoi Allen and Conflated at Down Royal.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Jack Kennedy
Forecast odds: 9-4

Gerri Colombe14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Jack Kennedy Tnr: Gordon Elliott

10 I Am Maximus

Fourth in two Grade 1 events last season, notably behind The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory; overcame tendencies to race lazily at times and to jump to the left when landing the 3m5f Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse; put his experience to good use when winning the Drinmore at Fairyhouse on his final novice outing; up against it now in open company.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Jody McGarvey
Forecast odds: 25-1

I Am Maximus14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Jody McGarvey Tnr: W P Mullins

11 Janidil

Non-runner (due to temperature)

Verdict: our top Savills Chase betting tip

By Alan Sweetman

Gerri Colombe gets the vote as he has lots of potential to improve for this test. He beat the race-fit pair Envoi Allen and Conflated on his debut in the senior ranks at Down Royal last time.

Gerri Colombe14:25 Leopardstown

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Jky: Jack Kennedy Tnr: Gordon Elliott

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Read these next:

Big clash confirmed as Galopin Des Champs and Gerri Colombe among a field of 11 declared for star-studded Savills Chase 

Could a new rival to Constitution Hill emerge? Willie Mullins declares three in Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown on Friday 

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