Pere down for Royal challenge
Monday, 2 November 2009 15:00Notre Pere, winner of the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup in April, is among 14 five-day confirmations for the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.
Jim Dreaper's eight-year-old also landed the Coral Welsh National last winter and features in what looks an open renewal of Northern Ireland's premier jumps race.
Schindlers Hunt, runner-up to Notre Pere at Punchestown, could reoppose and, along with Siegemaster, represents Dessie Hughes.
War Of Attrition, the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero and runner-up in this race later that year, is also a possible.
Casey Jones, Natal, Snowy Morning, Trotsky and Wheresben complete the entry from Northern Ireland and the Republic.
Paul Nicholls, who sent out Kauto Star to lift this prize last year, relies upon John Smith's Grand National third My Will this time.
Kauto Star's owner Clive Smith explained why the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero was not amongst the entries.
He said: 'We are going to go for the Betfair Chase (at Haydock), which is the ideal time to race at three miles, rather than County Down.'
The other hopefuls are Darkness, Joe Lively, Roll Along and The Listener.
