Exciting Sutton embarks on journey to claim a prominent place in chase rankings

Gordon Elliott has seven runners at Tramore and nine at Fairyhouse but there is no doubting which is the most important of the 16 and that is the hugely exciting Sutton Place, who makes his debut over fences in the 2m5f beginners' chase (2.40) at Fairyhouse.

Winner of four of his six starts over hurdles, Sutton Place beat subsequent Coral Cup winner Supasundae at Naas last January while giving him 5lb and is built to be even better over fences than he was over hurdles.

He was due to make his eagerly awaited chasing debut at Leopardstown on Thursday, when he was a late withdrawal owing to ground conditions, and the Fairyhouse crowd will get to enjoy him instead.

Elliott is hoping for a bold show. "Sutton Place is in good form," he reported. "He'll come on for his first run back since April but I've been happy with him and this looks a good starting point."

This beginners' chase was won by subsequent Galway Plate winner Balko Des Flos in 2017 and it looks a typically competitive renewal with Sutton Place facing the 142-rated hurdler Kemboy and Pylonthepressure, both of whom are trained by Willie Mullins, who won the race in 2016 with Sambremont.

Champagne out to regain fizz

It was on New Year's Day a year ago that Champagne West announced himself as a top-notch staying chaser and he returns to Tramore to bid for back-to-back wins in the Listed Savills 'A Different Outlook' Chase (2.15).

Champagne West destroyed Roi Des Francs by a dozen lengths 12 months ago and went on to win the prestigious Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park by a wide margin. Since then, however, things have not gone according to plan.

Only ninth behind Sizing John in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champagne West's seasonal comeback in the Clonmel Oil Chase was terribly tame as he trailed in 66 lengths behind Alpha Des Obeaux.

Henry de Bromhead believes he has him back blooming now and his mark of 162 is 7lb higher than that of main market rival Bachasson.

De Bromhead said: "He was impressive in the race last year and it would be nice if he could repeat that performance.

"He was very, very disappointing at Clonmel but seems to be back to himself now and will certainly love the ground."

Bachasson is out to banish the festive blues for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. It was hard not to be impressed with the way he dismantled his three rivals in a Listed chase at Thurles in November and he looks a young chaser on an upward curve.

The four-runner field is completed by the Gordon Elliott-trained pair A Toi Phil and Lord Scoundrel, but the trainer believes Champagne West will be hard to beat

Elliott said: “Both horse are in good form but, on the ratings, it looks like Henry's horse is thrown in and will be a tough nut to crack.

"It's a decent race with Listed status so we said why not take our chance. They're both solid staying chasers and both should run well."

General Tufto marches on

He may have become a teenager but it is business as usual for Flat veteran General Tufto, who contests the closing handicap at Southwell (3.30) for the fifth year in succession.

The 13-year-old will have the 201st start of his career in the race he won in 2014 with his handicap mark now only 1lb above the rating he last scored off in December 2016.

He has run 110 times at Southwell, scoring there on 15 occasions, and regular jockey Joey Haynes said: "Winning again would be a nice way to start the year off. He has won this before and hopefully can do it again.

"He runs pretty much the same race every time and is showing no signs of having had enough."

New Year's Day cards

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