Holy God! Grey Dawning is 6-4 for the Betfair Chase - which says it all about the race's baffling decline

Last year's John Durkan Chase was some race, wasn't it?

It was won by the subsequent Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File but only after dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs hit an in-running low of 1-5 on Betfair having appeared to have everything cooked in between the final two fences. He finished a valiant third over a trip too short. His nemesis, three-time Grade 1 winner Fastorslow, was fourth. And can anybody remember who trailed in last of the seven finishers? Oh, that's right, it was none other than Inothewayurthinkin. He only went and won the Gold Cup a few outings later.

That eight-runner field now has a staggering 25 Grade 1 wins between them. There might never be another race like it in Ireland again. Or, actually, maybe there will. It might be this year's John Durkan Chase given Fact To File, Galopin Des Champs, Inothewayurthinkin and Fastorslow could all return for another go, while Willie Mullins has also said Gaelic Warrior is heading there. Champ Kiely and Impaire Et Passe are being pointed in that direction too.