'All roads lead to Down Royal' - Galvin set for Frodon rematch after Grade 3 win

Wednesday: Punchestown

Gordon Elliott hailed Galvin as an underappreciated star after the Grade 1-winning stayer warmed up for a Down Royal rematch with Frodon by running out a decisive winner of the Grade 3 Irish Daily Star Chase.

It was Elliott's eighth win across the last 12 runnings of the 3m event he won twice with his Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Don Cossack, and the leading trainer is expecting improvement from this year's five-and-a-half-length scorer, owned by Ronnie Bartlett.

Last season's Savills Chase hero, sent off the 11-10 favourite under Davy Russell, showed slight signs of rustiness when initially asked to get competitive.

However, his class began to show on the turn for home when looming alongside stablemate Run Wild Fred, and he firmly put the race to bed on the run to the final fence.

Elliott said: "I was nervous coming here because a Grade 1 penalty of 12lb is a lot of weight to give away, but good horses can do that. He probably doesn't get the credit he deserves. Every year he turns up and pulls it out. We're lucky to have him.

Gordon Elliott on Galvin: 'Every year he turns up and pulls it out. We're lucky to have him'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"Davy felt the horse had never jumped as well before. Fitness-wise, he's probably a little behind where he was last year. He'll come on from the run, but it was a nice performance, a great starting point, and I'm delighted."

On his bid to go one better than last year's second behind Frodon in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase, Elliott said: "All roads lead to Down Royal. He could be joined there by Conflated.

"Run Wild Fred ran well in second and Jack [Kennedy] said he might be better in a bigger handicap."

Marine marches on

Marine Nationale, the "exceptional" youngster who trainer-owner Barry Connell described as his best-ever bumper performer, looks poised for a crack at a Graded races after making a winning jumping debut in the opening 2m maiden hurdle.

Now unbeaten in three starts, the five-year-old now looks set to follow the same path as My Mate Mozzie – last year's winner of this maiden hurdle – by going for the Grade 3 For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan on November 13, before taking in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on December 4.

Connell said: "I don't think he missed a beat in terms of his jumping, and he had a good blow afterwards. He wasn’t as impressive as he was in his bumpers, but did what he had to do."

Marine Nationale was left unchanged at 25-1 with Betfair Sportsbook for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Chosen survives scare

The Fairyhouse winter festival looks to be on the agenda for Grade 3 Buck House Novice Chase winner Adamantly Chosen, who survived a blunder at the first to record a clear-cut success for Danny and Willie Mullins.

"I was very impressed with his jumping, albeit he made that bad mistake early on," said the champion trainer.

"He's improving and Danny thought he wouldn't have any problem going out in trip either. We'll have to take a look at the [Grade 1] Drinmore Novice Chase."

Replays, results and analysis

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