Go north – first open hunter chase at Down Royal will again be a big pointer to the season ahead

As the point-to-point season enters its traditional pre-Christmas break, those close followers of this particular realm of the sport will soon be switching their attention to the Down Royal card on St Stephen’s Day. 

The fixture is synonymous for hosting the first open hunter chase of the season, a race that has traditionally provided the first look at how the pecking order within the division is shaping up prior to the big spring contests that follow. 

Twelve months ago, much of the focus had revolved around how the emerging bright new talent within the division, Ferns Lock, would fare up against the reigning champion hunter chaser Its On The Line.

It was Emmet Mullins’ charge who prevailed and that set the tone for the months that followed, as the son of Presenting went on to win big prizes at both Aintree and Punchestown, only missing out on the spring festival hat-trick by three-quarters of a length at Cheltenham. This time around the Down Royal race could be even more insightful in respect of the current pecking order. 

Its On The Line has not yet featured this season. If he does appear at Down Royal he could be vulnerable given that he would be without the prep run that he benefited from in 2023. But who are the most likely pretenders to his crown?

Lifetime Ambition came close to dethroning him in the champion hunter chase at Punchestown, but it is fair to say that he has had an underwhelming start to the campaign. The Pat Doyle-trained nine-year-old has been turned over at short odds in both of his outings in open lightweight company this term. Most disappointingly he was beaten more than 13 lengths on the latest of his two outings at Tinahely last month. 

His conqueror from the Wicklow venue, Willitgoahead, is one of the biggest improvers of late, and his connections indicated that they are toying with the Down Royal option after his latest victory at Tattersalls last Sunday.

Another three-time winner from the autumn campaign, Priory Park, has also had the race earmarked for him. Following the retirement of Billaway, and with Winged Leader on a record-breaking mission of his own in the point-to-point sphere, the upper echelon of the Irish hunter chase division looks set to undergo a transformation. Once again Down Royal is poised to be the perfect platform for a new challenger to Its On The Line to emerge.

Read more here:

Autumn schedule is proving just as fruitful in search for top-level horses 

As Lingstown turnout demonstrated, the unique discipline of banks races is thriving - long may it continue 

Come pointing! You've got a chance to see one of the game's modern-day icons in Winged Leader 

Public or private? Trade at Cheltenham on Friday will signal which way the trend is going this season 

The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here