Star chaser Un De Sceaux heads Fortria Chase entries
Un De Sceaux heads the list of nine entries for Grade 2 TheTote.com Fortria Chase at Navan on Sunday.
Trained by Willie Mullins, the eight-year-old was runner-up to the brilliant Sprinter Sacre in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March.
Already the winner of 15 of his 20 career starts and over €600,000 in prize-money, Un De Sceaux will be running for the first time since apparently failing to stay the three mile trip of the French Champion Hurdle in June and connections will have welcomed the rain that fell yesterday as he is well suited by an ease in the ground.
There is a rare British raider engaged in the shape of the Kerry Lee-trained Top Gamble who proved successful in the Grade 2 Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse last March while last Sunday’s Poplar Square Chase winner, Tell Us More, is one of two entries from the very much in-form stable of Gordon Elliott as he bids to win the race for the first time. Other notable entries in a quality contest include Enda Bolger’s Gilgamboa, who finished a fine fourth in last April’s Aintree Grand National and Un De Sceaux’s stablemate, Ballycasey, a decisive winner of the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park in October on his most recent outing.
In other races on a high-quality card, Willie Mullins is likely to attempt to win the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle for the third consecutive year courtesy of the very talented Shaneshill but he is likely to face a stiff enough task with the likes of Snow Falcon and Dedigout. Gavin Cromwell’s Jer’s Girl, a dual Grade 1 winner last season, is also entered in what could be an intriguing contest.
The For Auction Novice Hurdle has attracted a couple of promising types with recent winners Wakea, Le Martalin and Sanibel Island likely to clash while former Cheltenham Festival winner, Martello Tower, figures among the entries for the Crystalski.ie EBF Beginners Chase with smart hurdlers Anibale Fly, Squouateur and Tycoon Prince all possible runners in a race which was won by the talented Kitten Rock a year ago.
Peter Killeen, Navan Racecourse Manager, said: “TheTote.com Fortria chase marks the launch of the National Hunt season at Navan and this year we are looking forward to a top-class day featuring three graded races. TheTote.com Fortria chase has produced some famous winners in the past and this year’s entries include some of the best chasers in the country. We’re looking forward to a really competitive contest on Sunday. We are delighted that Tote Ireland continue to support Navan in sponsoring our feature race and are also very appreciative of our local sponsors, Meath Farm Machinery and Crystalski.ie and indeed our overseas sponsor St Johann Ski Resort all the way from Austria. I’d like to thank them all for their ongoing support.”
Tim Higgins, CEO Tote Ireland, said, “Tote Ireland is in our second year of title sponsorship for TheTote.com Fortria Chase and we are delighted to have an association with such a historic race. Previous winners of this race include some of the best two mile chasers in Ireland such as Moscow Flyer and more recently Big Zeb and Flemenstar. This year’s race promises to be hugely exciting as a quality line-up of runners take their chance on Sunday.”