Dual Cheltenham Festival hero Samcro not favourite on return to action

3.00 Down Royal
Lough Construction Ltd. Chase (Grade 2) | 2m3½f | 4yo+ | RTV

Samcro was sent off favourite for his first 12 starts under rules and was the subject of a late surge of support into 4-1 before his thrilling success in the Marsh Novices' Chase when he was last seen, so the big surprise when Paddy Power priced this race up on Thursday was seeing Easy Game installed as their odds-on market leader.

The reason for that is probably down to the fact that Easy Game has an identical rating of 160, gets 2lb from Samcro and is flying fit having run three times already this season.

Samcro has gone well fresh in the past, though, so a 233-day absence might not be the worst thing in the world. He won his beginners chase at this meeting last year by 17 lengths and his trainer reports reports him to be in rude health.

Samcro: seen here trading blows with Melon and Faugheen in the Marsh Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in MarchCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Gordon Elliott said: "He's in great form and you'd love to aim him back at something like the Ryanair at Cheltenham. I'm not going to do what I did last season in running him on bottomless ground during the winter.

"Everyone was saying how good a training performance it was getting him back to win the Marsh but I'd argue it was one of the worst training decisions I have ever made when I ran him on heavy ground at Limerick last winter. I won't make that mistake again. I'm very happy with him since he's come back in. He looks great."

Samcro will be shorter in the market, but don't be one bit surprised to see stablemate Battleoverdoyen have a big say in the outcome as Elliott believes this trip will suit.

Elliott said: "He didn't do a whole pile wrong last year but maybe his form just tapered off a little bit. We have a feeling he will do better over this sort of trip and it could show his jumping off to best effect. He seems to be in really good form."

Faugheen just holds off Easy Game at the end of the Flogas Novice ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Easy Game's recent Gowran Park success over The Storyteller has been franked since, but Willie Mullins, who won the race last year with Real Steel, believes any rain will hinder his hat-trick attempt.

Mullins said: "Easy Game will like this trip and the race conditions suit. He has won his last two races and could make it three in a row here. However, we are hoping that there won’t be too much more rain as he wouldn’t like heavy ground."

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