Chacun in the frame for Newlands Chase task

PA Sport Reporters
February 21, 2023 3:57 pm

Grade Three entry for top-level scorer.

Chacun Pour Soi could bid to get back to winning ways in Sunday’s Newlands Chase at Naas.

Willie Mullins’ multiple Grade One winner is now 11 and has struggled to recapture his former glories this season, coming home a well-beaten third on each of his two starts.

He is one of eight entries in the two-mile Grade Three, with Gordon Elliott responsible for Battleoverdoyen and the novice, Hollow Games.

“Hollow Games is the young horse in the line-up and is still a novice, but we are going to target the spring festivals with him and we decided to give him an entry for this race to give us the option,” said Elliott.

Hollow Games needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Christmas (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He was very good when he won his beginners’ chase but disappointed us a bit at Christmas, so we’ve freshened him up and he’s ready to go now again. The stiff two miles should play into his strengths, but it looks a good race so we’ll make a call later in the week.”

Henry de Bromhead’s Coeur Sublime is also among the eight entries.

Elliott could also run Found A Fifty in the Grade Two Johnstown Novice Hurdle, which has the potential to be very informative.

“Found A Fifty couldn’t have done any more the last day and we’ve been happy with him since,” said Elliott.

“He is a horse we’re hoping to target at the big festivals this spring, so hopefully he’ll give a good account of himself this weekend and we’ll take it from there.”

Easy 👀
EURO 200,000 buy Jackpot de Choisel scores in good style to shed the maiden tag over hurdles at the second time of asking for @McConnellRacing & @Sean_Bowen_ @ayrracecourse pic.twitter.com/vboBkn3n2s
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 1, 2023

Emmet Mullins’ Corbetts Cross, the Mullins-trained Tactical Move and Stuart Crawford’s Lily Du Berlais all hold claims.

As does John McConnell’s Jackpot De Choisel, a wide-margin winner at Ayr when last seen.

“We were delighted with his win at Ayr earlier this month,” said McConnell.

“The plan is to run him in the Grade Two at Naas on Sunday to get another run into him which will be good experience for a young horse. Sunday will be against older and more experienced horses as well, so hopefully that should stand to him and we’ll go to Cheltenham then, all being well.

“He has an entry in the Triumph Hurdle and Sunday should give us a steer towards there or the Boodles at Cheltenham. This will only be his third run, so hopefully there’s more to come from him.”