William Hill Champion Chase (Grade 1) – Punchestown

Punchestown

18:00

William Hill Champion Chase (Grade 1)

Date 2025-04-29

Distance 2m98y

Class Class 1

Going Yielding

Type Chase

Surface Turf

Age Band 5yo+

Prize €177,000

Winning Time 4m 0.40s (fast by 3.50s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Marine Nationale (IRE) Sean Flanagan · Barry Connell	2/1	Won
2nd	Captain Guinness (IRE) Rachael Blackmore · Henry De Bromhead	28/1	7
3rd	Solness (FR) J J Slevin · Joseph Patrick O'Brien	11/1	4.25
4th	Fact To File (FR) Mark Walsh · W P Mullins	11/10F	27

Non-Runners / Other

Status	Horse	SP
Fell	El Fabiolo (FR) Paul Townend · W P Mullins	5/1
P.U.	Senecia (IRE) Phillip Enright · Vincent Laurence Halley	100/1

Runners (6)

EW Terms: 2 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
3	Fact To File Bay J:Mark Walsh T:W P Mullins	J:Mark Walsh T:W P Mullins	166	—	1-1231	172	179	169	47d	—	—	+8	51.2	0.28/1	11/10 48%
Easy Ryanair Chase winner; last ran over 2m in 2023 Champion Bumper but still major player
4	Marine Nationale Bay J:Sean Flanagan T:Barry Connell	J:Sean Flanagan T:Barry Connell	166	t	5-2321	167	175	165	48d	—	—	+11	37.3	0.56/1	9/4 31%
Career-best when winning Champion Chase at Cheltenham last time; given major respect
2	El Fabiolo Bay J:Paul Townend T:W P Mullins	J:Paul Townend T:W P Mullins	166	—	P2-F2F	168	175	131	25d	—	—	+20	33.5	1.50/1	6/1 14%
Fell at Aintree last time; has the raw ability to run a big race if jumping soundly
6	Solness Bay J:J J Slevin T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	J:J J Slevin T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	166	tp	324114	161	168	152	48d	—	—	+35	42.9	2.75/1	11/1 8%
Won consecutive Grade 1s at Leopardstown; below form behind Marine Nationale at Cheltenham
1	Captain Guinness Bay J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry De Bromhead	J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry De Bromhead	166	—	2-P563	157	170	141	48d	—	—	+28	31	7.00/1	28/1 3%
Second in this last year; this looks a stronger renewal, so looks more of a place prospect
5	Senecia Bay J:Phillip Enright T:Vincent Laurence Halley	J:Phillip Enright T:Vincent Laurence Halley	166	b	U4U3P1	150	155	124	59d	—	—	+34	35.2	37.50/1	150/1 1%
Beat El Fabiolo in a Grade 2 but was getting 9lb then and unlikely to confirm that form

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes	Unibet
Fact To File	10/11	evn	evn	10/11	11/10
Marine Nationale	9/4	9/4	9/4	9/4	9/4
El Fabiolo	11/2	11/2	11/2	5/1	6/1
Solness	10/1	10/1	10/1	10/1	11/1
Captain Guinness	28/1	28/1	28/1	25/1	28/1
Senecia	125/1	150/1	125/1	125/1	125/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Fact To File

51.2

OR: 30 Form: 7 Odds: 14.2

11/10

2nd

Solness

42.9

OR: 27.8 Form: 13 Odds: 2.1

11/1

3rd

Marine Nationale

37.3

OR: 29.3 Form: 0 Odds: 8

9/4

Senecia

35.2

OR: 25 Form: 10 Odds: 0.2

150/1

El Fabiolo

33.5

OR: 29.5 Form: 0 Odds: 4

6/1

Captain Guinness

OR: 26.8 Form: 3.5 Odds: 0.8

28/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Fact To File	172	179	169
El Fabiolo	168	175	131
Marine Nationale	167	175	165
Solness	161	168	152
Captain Guinness	157	170	141
Senecia	150	155	124

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
El Fabiolo	25d ago	Fit
Fact To File	47d ago	Fresh
Marine Nationale	48d ago	Fresh
Solness	48d ago	Fresh
Captain Guinness	48d ago	Fresh
Senecia	59d ago	Fresh