Ricci hoping Aintree wonder Min can be merciless again in Champion Chase

5.30 Punchestown
BoyleSports Champion Chase (Grade 1) | 2m, 5yo+ | RTE2/RTV

Rich Ricci, whose wife Susannah's colours are carried by impressive Aintree scorer Min, is hoping the eight-year-old can deliver another top-notch performance in the feature event on day one of the Punchestown festival.

Min won the Melling Chase over 2m4f by 20 lengths at Aintree to secure his fourth success at the highest level, but now drops back to the minimum trip to tackle five rivals.

They are headed by his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Un De Sceaux, winner of the race a year ago.

Min is likely to be a hot favourite to successfully follow up his excellent effort earlier this month, and Ricci said: "Min was brilliant at Aintree and his win there was a great fillip for us.

"We're really looking forward to it and hopefully his Aintree exertions won't have taken too much out of him."

Sceaux game and able

With Ruby Walsh understandably sticking with Min, Paul Townend comes in for the ride on Un De Sceaux, whom he has ridden five times before, resulting in two wins.

Townend said: "Un De Sceaux is always an exciting ride. He's going to be up against it, though, if Min is in the same sort form that he was in at Aintree.

"He isn't getting any younger, but he produced a big performance to win the race a year ago and hopefully he might be able to do the same again."

Great Field, a faller on his two starts this season but previously unbeaten over fences, also represents Mullins and was a Grade 1 winner over the course and distance as a novice two years ago.

Hell's team hoping for the best

JP McManus, owner of Great Field, is also represented by the Harry Fry-trained Hell's Kitchen, who will be attempting to become the third British-trained winner of the race in the last four years following the successes of God's Own (2016) and Fox Norton (2017).

Hell's Kitchen: runs for the Harry Fry teamCredit: Edward Whitaker

Fourth in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month, Hell's Kitchen was then beaten 39 lengths by Min at Aintree, and Fry said: "Our horse is going to be up against it with the top two [Min and Un De Sceaux] and will need a big turnaround in form. But we decided that, with only a small field, it would be better running him in this than carrying top weight in a handicap later in the week."

Paddy could have the power with rain arriving

Castlegrace Paddy, the mount of Davy Russell, won the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase over this distance at Cork in December and finished sixth behind Altior at Cheltenham last month on his most recent start.

His trainer Pat Fahy said: "Castlegrace Paddy is in great form and the ground looks like it will be right for him.

"We know he has the ability but sometimes he just doesn't finish out his races. We've put a tongue-tie on him and hopefully that will make a difference. I couldn't be happier with him and Davy knows him well."

World unlikely to be enough for Blackmore and De Bromhead

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Ordinary World, the mount of Rachael Blackmore, is the outsider of the field.

He has won only one of his 16 races over fences, but has been placed at Grade 1 level on four occasions. However he was also beaten 20 lengths when third in a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse on his most recent start eight days ago and has to greatly improve on that.

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