'She goes there with a tremendous chance' - can the consistent Dinoblue down Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness?

No El Fabiolo, no Energumene and no Jonbon. We do, however, have the reigning Champion Chase winner, in case you had forgotten. 

Jonbon's withdrawal followed by El Fabiolo's race-ending error at the fifth, on top of Energumene's season-long absence, means the 2024 Champion Chase is remembered for everything that didn't happen. 

What did happen was Captain Guinness finally landed a Grade 1, clinging on courageously in the closing stages to fend off the late surge of Gentleman De Mee. You couldn't begrudge him it either. The strong-travelling nine-year-old had been runner-up in the race the year before and has been holding his own in the top two-mile chases for a number of years. This was his crowning moment. 

But the big question now is whether he can back it up, and it's fair to say the Punchestown festival has not been the happiest hunting ground for Captain Guinness. 

In 2022, he finished last of four finishers in this very race, more than 25 lengths behind Energumene. The year before he unseated Rachael Blackmore at the last in the Ryanair Novice Chase when set to finish a distant third to the same opponent. 

Captain Guinness clears the last under Rachael Blackmore on the way to winning the Champion Chase at Cheltenham last monthCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

That said, he did back up last year's fine second to Energumene in the Champion Chase by chasing home Jonbon in the Celebration Chase at Sandown on the final day of the British jumps season. He produced an Racing Post Rating of 165 there, and a repeat of that will make him hard to beat here. He's a brilliant jumper when at his best and the likelihood is that nothing will be travelling better turning in. 

A word of warning: Captain Guinness was the lowest-rated winner of the Champion Chase since 2000, around 7lb off the ten-year average, and he had the slowest winning split (second-last to the line) from a chaser over the two days on the Old course at the festival. 

It is a pointer to Willie Mullins' faith in Dinoblue that neither El Fabiolo or Gaelic Warrior are here. On paper, she is the Closutton number one as the recently crowned British champion trainer bids to win the race for a sixth year in a row, and a ninth time in all. 

Dinoblue and Mark Walsh on their way to winning at Grade 1 level at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Dinoblue was a beaten favourite in the 2m4½f Mares' Chase at Cheltenham, failing by three-quarters of a length to reel in Limerick Lace, but her form over trips around two miles is top-class. She won a 2m1f Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas in emphatic fashion as Captain Guinness blew out. He was found to be clinically abnormal afterwards. 

Dinoblue's form figures in 2m-2m1f chases read 122211112. She also won the 2m handicap chase at this meeting last year. When you add the 7lb mares' allowance to her official rating of 158 it makes her a big player, and it is no surprise to see her installed as favourite, although quotes of 15-8 seem on the skimpy side. She has every right to be 5-2 at the very least. 

We might not have a superstar in the line-up, but we have some very solid performers at their peak. 

Banbridge, the 2022 Martin Pipe winner who landed the Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree last season, detested the deep ground at Cheltenham and trainer Joseph O'Brien was no doubt annoyed afterwards for letting him take his chase in the Ryanair. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. 

The worry once again for Banbridge is the ground. He simply must have good, or at least yielding, in the description, and the weather forecast is not favourable. If it were good ground, he would be the selection without a second thought. 

Gentleman De Mee wins the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at AintreeCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Gentleman De Mee bounced back to form in the Champion Chase, although that race fell apart somewhat so perhaps he was flattered to get as close as he did. He was held up there, in a complete change of tactics, so it will be interesting to see what Paul Townend decides to do here. 

With Dysart Dynamo, Saint Sam and Maskada in the line-up, there is sure to be a ferocious early gallop so my guess would be that Townend will slot in somewhere with cover and let the others get involved in a battle for early supremacy. 

The last three favourites have obliged at 6-5 or shorter and there has been no winner returned bigger than 9-1 since 2010.

Henry de Bromhead: 'Captain Guinness in great form'

Henry de Bromhead reports Captain Guinness to be in rude health ahead of his bid to become the sixth horse this century to complete the Champion Chase double at the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals in the same season. 

Newmill (2006), Master Minded (2009), Sprinter Sacre (2013) and Energumene (2022 and 2023) have all done the double since 2000, and with no El Fabiolo, Energumene or Jonbon in the way, Captain Guinness would appear to have strong claims of adding his name to that illustrious list. His trainer thinks so too. 

Rachael Blackmore punches the air after winning the Champion Chase on Captain GuinnessCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

De Bromhead said: "Captain Guinness has been in great form and we've been aiming him at this since Cheltenham. We’ve been delighted with him at home. 

"We always felt he deserved to win a Grade 1, and the fact it was the Champion Chase was an added bonus."

The trainer added: "For him to come back after what happened to him at Christmas [clinically abnormal] was really good. He's generally so consistent and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do at Punchestown."

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Ash Tree Meadow and Fil Dor
Fil Dor chased home El Fabiolo in the Hilly Way at Cork the last time he tried two miles, so we said we'd have another go here. Conditions were very testing at Fairyhouse and he just didn't get home. We're back over two miles with Ash Tree Meadow as well. He's obviously a Galway Plate winner over a lot further, but we never thought he was short of speed.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Banbridge
He drops in distance here, but I'm just hoping we don't get any more rain. He seems in good form and, if not too much rain arrives, we'd be very hopeful he'll go well.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Dysart Dynamo, Gentleman De Mee, Saint Sam and Dinoblue
Dinoblue ran a cracker at Cheltenham in the Mares' Chase and there’s going to be a lot of action up front here which I think will suit her. She goes there with a tremendous chance. Dysart Dynamo, Gentleman De Mee and Saint Sam are all very forward types and it’s going to be fascinating to see how the race settles down over the first three fences. There’s going to be a lot of pace on. Saint Sam and Gentleman De Mee have chances on their ratings, while Dysart Dynamo just hasn’t really carried through with his early career promise, but this type of track will suit him. Saint Sam has a high rating, but this is a big step up in grade for him and it might be tough to match his rating. Gentleman De Mee is very used to competing at this level and I think the track will suit.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Maskada
She's being covered so I’d say this might be her last run. We’ll give it a go and see if she can get some Grade 1 black type. She deserves the chance after giving us some big days.

Read more Punchestown previews:

Supreme 1-2-3-4 meet again as Slade Steel bids to confirm superiority over festival rivals    

How dangerous is Daddy Long Legs off an attractive-looking mark of 135 for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend?   

'He might be even better over three miles' - who will come out on top as staying stars clash at Punchestown?    

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