Can Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness make another winning return in the Fortria?

Underrated and underappreciated, Captain Guinness makes his comeback in the Fortria at the start of his journey back to the Queen Mother Champion Chase. This feels like the right time to remind you that he actually won the Cheltenham showpiece last year.

Okay, Jonbon didn't run, nor did Energumene, and El Fabiolo took a few fences back to Ireland with him, but Captain Guinness was the last man standing and he won the race. That may have got lost in the wash.

While he might not be the best Champion Chase winner there has ever been, he's not the worst either. His jumping is a thing of beauty and it was the slick way he negotiated his fences in this race last year that paved the way to a seven-length romp over Riviere D'Etel.

If you were thinking the Champion Chase was a pure fluke, a last-gasp defeat at the Punchestown festival would have dispelled that theory. Sent off 6-1, he hit a low of 1.15 in running on the Betfair Exchange before Banbridge collared him in the final stride.

Captain Guinness has won this race first time out for the last two seasons and also landed a Grade 3 at Naas on his reappearance in 2021. He made a winning start in 2019 in a maiden hurdle at this track as well.

He evidently goes particularly well fresh, loves Navan and comes into the race on the back of the best two performances of his career. There is a serious argument that 3-1 is a big price.

Captain Guinness has to give 3lb to a race-fit Found A Fifty, who beat Galway Plate winner Pinkerton on his return to action at Down Royal this month. On official ratings, last season's Maghull Novices' Chase winner at Aintree is only 2lb inferior to the Champion Chase hero.

Then there is Banbridge, who staged a smash-and-grab raid to beat Captain Guinness in the Punchestown Champion Chase, despite the fact he is better over further. The King George seems to be the aim and there is a suspicion this might be a pipe-opener for that.

Gentleman De Mee was closest to Captain Guinness in the Champion Chase, but his first-time-out record is sketchy. How he is ridden here will be fascinating, as he has been a tearaway in the past and is dangerous when getting loose on the lead.

Solness and Senecia look like they have it all to do.

Captain Guinness 'in great order' says De Bromhead

Henry de Bromhead is looking forward to getting Captain Guinness going again and expects to chart a similar course to the Queen Mother Champion Chase as last season.

Captain Guinness is unbeaten in three starts at Navan, which is no coincidence as it is a stiff jumping test and that is the best part of his game. Despite winning last season's Champion Chase, he is a 25-1 shot to defend his crown next March.

De Bromhead said: "He's in great order and, once the ground was safe, we were keen to start him off in this race again. Everyone is happy with him and he'll probably follow the same route to Cheltenham."

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Banbridge and Solness
Banbridge likes top of the ground and this should be a good starting point for him. Solness has been in good form and also enjoys nice ground.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Found A Fifty
We felt there wasn't much for him between Down Royal and Christmas and it was well worth coming here for this. It was a good performance at Down Royal to give weight to a Galway Plate winner in Pinkerton and we feel he has come forward nicely for it.

Read Saturday's previews:

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'The plan has always been to target this race' - top trainers have their say on a riveting Paddy Power Gold Cup

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Is Hamsiyann a handicap blot or will he be blown away now that he's back over hurdles?

Can anyone stop Bleu De Vassy in Grade 3 For Auction after Fairyhouse demolition job?

'He's in great order' - Bob Olinger back to try to repeat his victory of last year under new pilot Darragh O'Keeffe