THREE-TIME Grade One winner Sir Des Champs will make his first competitive appearance in almost two years in the Listed two-mile-six-furlong chase at Thurles on Thursday.
A dual Cheltenham Festival hero for Willie Mullins and runner-up to Bobs Worth in the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup, the nine-year-old has been sidelined by injury since finishing fourth behind the same horse in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown nine months later. It has been a long road back for the Gigginstown-owned Sir Des Champs and stud manager Eddie O’Leary is keeping his fingers crossed for a clear round.
He said: “He’s well, but he’s obviously going to need the run badly. It will be nice to get him out close to home and hopefully he gets round and comes home safe and sound. We’re hoping everything goes well and he’s all right on Friday morning, that’s the main thing.”
Sir Des Champs is set to face five rivals in this €26k conditions chase and is very well treated at the weights for a horse rated 173 at his peak, with Robbie Hennessy’s stable star Rubi Light (145) conceding weight all round. The 10-year-old won at Thurles and Wexford earlier in the year, before only making it as far as the third fence in the Grand National at Aintree.
Hennessy reports his charge in rude health on his first start since the Punchestown Festival in late April.
“He seems in great form. I couldn’t be happier with him for this stage of the season,” said the County Meath-based trainer.
“Andrew Lynch has been in to ride him for the last couple of weeks and has been very happy with him. He’ll love the heavy ground. I’m sure he’ll come on for the run, but, at the same time, he’s as fit as we can get him at home.
“Hopefully he’ll run a nice race and then we’ll follow a similar programme to last year. We might even bring him over to England for a run or two in those veterans’ races.”
The second highest-rated horse in the field is the Sandra Hughes-trained Lyreen Legend (152), who was sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Punchestown Gold Cup last spring but has been out of action since. Sir Des Champs is popular and might defy his lay-off.
Gigginstown have a pair to represent them in the five-runner novice hurdle with Bryan Cooper opting for Just Cause over Roman Gold (5lb claimer Jack Kennedy).
Both hold engagements in Sunday’s Monksfield Hurdle at Navan. Gigginstown have four entered for this €40k Grade 2, JP McManus also has a quartet to choose from amongst the dozen entries. I thought Just Cause would be plenty good enough here to beat Tongie.
Mullins and Walsh team up with Moyle Parkin the opening beginners chase, but,without a run since December 2013, there might be a question mark against him.
Either way they have Harrington’s Ttebbob to beat despite his absence since his fifth to Jezki at Punchestown in April. Myska has a relatively easy assignment against Princess Lir and Marygale Bridge in the mares’ maiden hurdle.
