'We're delighted with him at home' - can Stattler see off a Gold Cup winner?

Sunday: 2.15 Tramore
Savills New Year's Day Chase (Grade 3) | 2m6f | 5yo+ | ITV/RTV

The retirement of Al Boum Photo means there will be a new name on the roll of honour for the first time since 2018.

The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner has won the last four runnings of this New Year's Day showpiece, but could hand the baton over to stalemate Stattler, who makes his eagerly awaited reappearance.

Minella Indo has finished first and second in the last two Cheltenham Gold Cups, yet he is not even favourite to beat a rival rated 10lb inferior who must give him 8lb.

That tells you all you need to know about expectations for Stattler this season. He could be the dark horse of the staying chase division.

Stattler is unbeaten over fences and his stylish display in the National Hunt Chase at the festival in March stamped him as a genuine Gold Cup contender. He is priced between 12-1 and 16-1 for that race.

It may have been the smallest field in recent memory but the National Hunt Chase was still a classy affair. Run Wild Fred was a Troytown winner rated 158 going into the race, while Vanillier was the previous year's Albert Bartlett winner. It was a hot contest and Stattler blew it apart.

His jumping was particularly impressive and he managed to put eight lengths between himself and Run Wild Fred at the line, a performance which earned him an RPR of 164. He has won first time out for two of the last three seasons.

If the ratings are right, Minella Indo should win easily. Theoretically, he has 18lb in hand on Stattler and it is less than ten months since he finished second to A Plus Tard in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He posted an RPR of 179 when he won that race in 2021, so Stattler has a long way to go to reach that sort of level.

The problem for Minella Indo backers is that he has been beaten on his reappearance in three of the last four seasons and tends to improve as the season goes on.

Henry de Bromhead has altered his schedule this season, though, and this will be his first start since the Punchestown Gold Cup. He is likely go to Cheltenham after just one run and is a top-class staying chaser at the peak of his powers.

As well as his record when fresh, the track at Tramore would have to be a worry for Minella Indo, and Stattler may be more nimble. It looks between the pair, as El Barra, Cilaos Emery and Roi have a lot to find on the figures, and ready preference is for the younger of the pair.

Paul Townend: 'We think he's very good but it's a tough ask'

Paul Townend thinks Stattler has it all to do to beat Minella Indo, but reports the National Hunt Chase winner to be in great nick at home before his first start since March.

Townend rode Stattler in his first two victories last year before Patrick Mullins took over for his festival win and he is looking forward to renewing his partnership with the eight-year-old.

Townend said: "It will be a tough ask for him with Minella Indo a Gold Cup winner, but we are delighted with him at home and looking forward to getting his season started."

Speaking in his Ladbrokes blog, he added: "He was a progressive horse over fences last year and we think he will be very good over fences this year. We will obviously know more after this. It is a nice place to start him off."

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Stattler, El Barra and Cilaos Emery
Stattler has all the penalties but he's fit and well, and ready for action. If the real Minella Indo turns up I'd imagine he's going to be very hard to beat, though. El Barra doesn't have the rating to win. He's had a couple of runs and was sixth in the Drinmore last time, so he's fit from racing and that'll be one of his key cards here. Cilaos Emery has had the one run this season and it wouldn't be good enough to win a race like this, but he could improve on his third to Darasso at Thurles a month ago.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Minella Indo
We're looking forward to getting him back out and he seems to be in good form at home. We said we'd do things a bit differently this season and not ask him to run in the first half of the season. It has always been the plan to come here first. It's a lovely race to start off in. It's nice and local and we're delighted to be going there with him.

Read more of Sunday's previews:

1.20 Cheltenham: 'I wouldn't swap him' - who is keen to take on Monmiral in a hot novice chase?

1.35 Musselburgh: 'I couldn't be happier with him' - will the Auld Reekie be won by the home team?

1.55 Cheltenham: 'We might see a different horse' - key quotes for tricky New Year's Day handicap

2.30 Cheltenham: Marie's Rock gifted 'handy allowance' on big-race return

3.05 Cheltenham: 'He looks overpriced at 10-1' - which trainer has high hopes at Cheltenham?

Fairyhouse: 'He should take to fences like a duck to water' - Mullins excited by Berlais

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