John Durkan Chase rescheduled for next week

Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs due to return.

Horse Racing Ireland has confirmed the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase has been rescheduled to take place on Monday, December 19.

The two-and-a-half-mile Grade One, which was due to stage the seasonal reappearance of Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs, was the centrepiece of Sunday’s Punchestown card that was cancelled due to a frozen track.

Fresh entries for the John Durkan will close at midday on Wednesday December 14, with declarations to run to be made by 10am on December 17.

Trainer Willie Mullins indicated at Cork on Sunday that there was a “good chance” Galopin Des Champs will still head for the John Durkan should it be rescheduled, with the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28 and a race of the same name at Tramore on New Year’s Day other options.

HRI also announced an alteration to the race programme for the scheduled meeting at Navan on Sunday, with the Bective Stud Handicap Hurdle saved and added from last Saturday’s cancelled fixture at the County Meath track.

The move sees the Tara Handicap Hurdle, originally part of the Navan card, transferred to Punchestown’s fixture on New Year’s Eve.

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