Shattered Love out to break the hearts of her rivals

T.A. Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase (Listed) | 2m4f | 4yo+ | ATR

Cheltenham Festival and dual Grade 1-winning chaser Shattered Love sets the bar impeccably high in this Listed Chase.

A brilliant winner of the JLT Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last season, Shattered Love confirmed herself a top-notch prospect for the current campaign when second to Snow Falcon on her reappearance in a Grade 2 second-season novice at Down Royal earlier this month, and this looks a much easier assignment.

Watch: Shattered Love win the JLT Novices' Chase

Officially rated 10lbs higher than her nearest rival Youcantcallherthat, the Gordon Elliott-trained Shattered Love faces that challenger off level weights and looks as though she'll be extremely difficult to beat.

Elliott acknowledged as much, and said: "Shattered Love is a good mare and I'd say she's entitled to win the race on ratings but she'll want a bit of rain overnight."

The trainer also calls upon Dinaria Des Obeaux, winner of this race 12 months ago when she carried just 9st 11lb, but she looks as though she’ll struggle to get the better of her stablemate.

Dinaria Des Obeaux: last year's winner looks to have her work cut outCredit: Patrick McCann

Elliott added: "Dinaria Des Obeaux didn't jump great when second at Wexford and, if she can jump a bit better, hopefully she can get herself involved."

Denis Hogan's Youcantcallherthat went from strength to strength last season winning five times over fences and, while she couldn't take advantage of her mark of just 87 in a handicap hurdle at Wexford last month, more can be expected of her back over fences.

No trainer has a better recent record in the race than Willie Mullins, who has won five of the last eight runnings, with mares like Blazing Tempo (2011 and 2012) and Vroum Vroum Mag (2015).

Camelia De Cotte is Mullins' sole representative this year, and the champion trainer said: "She looks to be up against it. It’s going to be a tough race for her and she might be outclassed by the better ones in the field."

Vroum Vroum Mag: won this race in 2015Credit: Grossick Racing 07710461723

Meanwhile, brothers Seamus and Peter Fahey will be hoping to sneak a bit of black-type with Polar Present and Timeforwest respectively.

"Polar Present will need to bring her A-game and a few of the others would probably have to disappoint if she's to finish in the frame. We're hoping to get some black-type with her and, fingers crossed, it doesn't rain," Seamus said.

Speaking about Timeforwest, Peter added: "We don't have her that long but she's going well and it would be great if she could get some black-type. It's a very good race."

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