'The winner will know they've had a race' - Gordon Elliott sends Gerri Colombe on road to Gold Cup in hot Champion Chase

Typically there is a sense of deflation when a Grade 1 only attracts four runners, but the Ladbrokes Champion Chase is an anomaly in that sense as four top-class staying chasers will go to post for the three-mile contest and the Gordon Elliott-trained Gerri Colombe can cement himself as the coming force in the division with a victory over his race-fit rivals.

The seven-year-old is already a three-time Grade 1 winner, landing top-level victories over two and a half miles at Limerick and Sandown before coming agonisingly close to justifying 5-4 favouritism in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham. After jumping the last, he found himself four lengths down on the leader The Real Whacker and he swallowed up the ground from there home but just found the line coming a stride too soon.

Elliott's charge then crowned a season bursting with promise with a stylish victory at Aintree, jumping immaculately en route to a commanding success. The last time there was four runners in this race was 2015 when the Elliott-trained Don Cossack emerged victorious and less than five months later he was muscling his way up the Cheltenham hill to secure Gold Cup glory. The parallels could prove uncanny.

The Cullentra trainer also saddles Conflated, who enjoyed an excellent campaign last season after finishing third to the reopposing Envoi Allen in this race. He landed the Savills Chase at Leopardstown before finishing a commendable third in the Gold Cup behind Galopin Des Champs. The nine-year-old finished a well-held last of five behind Minella Indo last time out but he tends to take a run or two to reach the peak of his powers.

Conflated: multiple Grade 1 winner is a stablemate to Gerri ColombeCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Henry de Bromhead is going for a third success in this race, having landed the spoils with Valseur Lido in 2016 and Envoi Allen last season. Envoi Allen is back to defend his crown and last season's Ryanair Chase winner got his campaign started when third in Grade 2 company over two and a half miles at Gowran six weeks ago.

The ground was very testing at the Kilkenny venue that day, which wouldn't have seen De Bromhead's charge at his best, but he still ran with credit and the runner-up, Gentlemansgame, fended off Bravemansgame to win the Charlie Hall last week. He has been victorious on all four of his visits to Down Royal and has sound claims of repeating last season's triumph, particularly if the ground dries out.

De Bromhead has also elected to run the 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, who returned to action at Punchestown last month where he landed a Grade 3 by a length and three-quarters. The ten-year-old showed plenty of enthusiasm that day and was spring-heeled at his fences.

Things didn't go to plan in last season's Gold Cup and this is a much tougher assignment than Punchestown, but he is an elite staying chaser at his best and it will be interesting to see how he fares back at the top level.

'It's a hot enough race' - acid test for exciting Gerri Colombe

The Champion Chase will be contested by four high-class staying chasers who have amassed an incredible 16 Grade 1 victories between them.

Elliott's Gerri Colombe takes his first step outside novice company and will have to contend with a race-fit and high-class trio in Envoi Allen, Minella Indo and Conflated. The Robcour-owned gelding is currently second favourite to land the Gold Cup in March.

Of his two contenders, trainer Gordon Elliott said: "Gerri Colombe seems in great form and is ready to start back. He hasn't done much wrong in his career and we hope he continues to progress this season.

"It's a small field and a nice starting point for him, but it's still a hot enough race despite the fact there are only four runners and it won't be easily won. The winner will know they've had a race.

"Conflated should come on for his comeback at Punchestown and this will tell us where we stand with him for the rest of the season and whether he can go down the Gold Cup route. 

"If not, there is always the option of going down the cross country road with him. He seems in good form at home and looks to have improved for his reappearance, as we thought he would."

What they say

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Minella Indo, Envoi Allen
Envoi Allen is in great form so we're hoping for a good run. We were disappointed obviously not to win at Gowran but the form has been franked. With hindsight it was a good run and he will definitely improve fitness-wise. Minella Indo was brilliant the last day and will also hopefully improve from his recent run. He was pretty good in Punchestown, we're happy and hopefully he will also give a good account of himself. He only had a couple of runs last season and the Gold Cup was obviously disappointing, but the day at Tramore was incredible.

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