Down Royal Champion Chase 2026
Saturday, 31 October 2026. Down Royal's Festival of Racing runs on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October.
The first Grade 1 chase of the Irish season, over three miles at Down Royal. Seven horses are entered, and below is our early view based on the form and the official ratings. Runners are declared on Thursday, and we'll update it once the field and prices are known.
Also that day: Breeders' Cup 2026 guide · Charlie Hall Chase 2026 guide
Our view
How we read a race. Form and ratings first, then the trip, the ground, course form, the draw and the likely pace, then the race's own trends. Only then the price: a horse can be the most likely winner and still not be worth backing.
What our own record tells us. Every tip we've given is on our results page, so we can see where we're good and where we're not. By advised price: odds-on to evens −5.3% (33 winners from 69); evens to 3/1 +4.4% (131 winners from 371); 3/1 to 6/1 +10.9% (24 winners from 117); 6/1 to 10/1 +32.7% (7 winners from 53); over 10/1 −46.1% (1 winner from 36). So we're wary of short-priced favourites with questions to answer, and of big outsiders.
3.15 Champion Chase (Grade 1, 3m, 7 entries)
Early view, Thursday 29 October, from the entries. Only two of the seven have run since the spring, so fitness matters as much as ratings.
Banbridge
Proven at the top level over three miles: won the King George in 2024 and was 2nd in it last Christmas, then 3rd in the Ryanair. Rated 166, 1lb off the top. He's also had a run this autumn, winning a Flat maiden at Gowran on 1 September, so he should be fitter than most. Against him: he's 10, and unseated in the Grand National.
Affordale Fury
Top-rated (167). Won the Savills Chase over three miles at Leopardstown last Christmas, and was 2nd in this race last year. Against him: pulled up in the Irish Gold Cup last time, and hasn't run for 271 days.
Fleur In The Park
Fit and in form: won the Grade 2 Danoli Chase at Gowran four weeks ago. Won the Grade 1 WillowWarm Gold Cup at 22/1 in April and was 2nd in the Champion Novice Chase over three miles. Against him: rated 157, 10lb below the top, and he's also entered in Saturday's Racing Post Chase.
- Heart Wood won the Ryanair at Cheltenham, but his wins in the last year have come at up to 2m7f, and he was beaten at 6/5 at Aintree last time.
- Romeo Coolio won three Grade 1 novice chases, two of them over 2m1f, then was pulled up over three miles at Cheltenham.
No prices yet: we'll add them once runners are declared on Thursday.
This is our reading of the races, not bets on our record. Our bets, with prices and stakes, go to members on the day and onto the results page, winners and losers. Prices move, so check before you bet. 18+, please gamble responsibly.
Get our next preview free
A free preview of Saturday's big races every Friday evening, the week's results every Sunday (winners and losers) and any tip we give away free. No card needed.
Or by email
Unsubscribe any time.
| Date | Saturday 31 October 2026, 3.15pm |
|---|---|
| Course | Down Royal, Lisburn, Co Antrim |
| Race | BetVictor, Remembering Envoi Allen Champion Chase, Grade 1 |
| Distance | 3m |
| Prize money | €96,000 to the winner |
| Entries | 7 (runners are declared on Thursday) |
| Going | Chase course: yielding, good to yielding in places (Sporting Life, Thursday 29 October). It can change before Saturday. |
The entries
| Horse | Age | Trainer | Official rating | Last run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affordale Fury | 8 | Noel Meade | 167 | Pulled up, Irish Gold Cup, Leopardstown, 2 February |
| Banbridge | 10 | Joseph O'Brien | 166 | Won a Flat maiden, Gowran Park, 1 September |
| Heart Wood | 8 | Henry de Bromhead | 166 | 3rd of 7, Melling Chase, Aintree, 10 April |
| Haiti Couleurs | 9 | Rebecca Curtis | 163 | 14th of 34, Grand National, Aintree, 11 April |
| Fleur In The Park | 7 | Andy Slattery | 157 | Won the Danoli Chase (Grade 2), Gowran Park, 3 October |
| Romeo Coolio | 7 | Gordon Elliott | 157 | Pulled up, Brown Advisory, Cheltenham, 11 March |
| Croke Park | 8 | Gordon Elliott | 146 | 2nd of 4, Grade 3 chase, Punchestown, 14 October |
- The Racing Post Chase (Grade 2, 2m3½f) follows at 3.50pm. Fleur In The Park and Romeo Coolio are entered in both races.
- Friday's card includes a Listed hurdle and a Grade 3 mares' novice hurdle.
Our full record: +147.3 points from 820 bets since October 2025 (2,254 points staked), every one published. See every result or join for £25 a month.
Our record at Down Royal
We haven't tipped at Down Royal yet. When we do, it goes on the record like every other bet.
Our tips for Champion Chase
Members get our selections in Telegram on the day, each with a price and a stake. When we give a tip away it goes on the free tip page, on X @The_Gallop_uk and to our email list.
Big races coming up
Melbourne Cup 2026
Flemington · our guide →
Paddy Power Gold Cup 2026
Cheltenham · our guide →
Betfair Chase 2026
Haydock · our guide →
Coral Gold Cup 2026
Newbury · our guide →
Tingle Creek Chase 2026
Sandown · our guide →
King George VI Chase 2026
Kempton · our guide →
Check who's in form: trainers in form and jockeys in form over the last 14 days, and who wins at Down Royal over five years. Follow a horse with the horse tracker.
Betting on it? Work out your returns with our each-way calculator, check how many places are paid, or use the bet calculator for doubles, trebles and Lucky 15s.
Get our Champion Chase free tip
A free preview of Saturday's big races every Friday evening, the week's results every Sunday (winners and losers) and any tip we give away free. No card needed.
Or by email
Unsubscribe any time.
Every tip, every race day
November is free: join now and nothing is taken until 1 December. Then £25 a month or £250 a year. Every tip goes to members' Telegram the moment it's posted, with a price and a stake, and every result goes on our public record, winners and losers. Cancel any time.
Race details checked against the racecourse's own site. Fixtures can change because of the weather; check before you travel or bet.