The fourth running of the Ryanair Chase and the first carrying Grade One status has attracted a
biggest-ever 57-strong initial entry including an unprecedented 18 from Ireland. Last season’s Irish Independent Arkle Chase winner My Way De Solzen, who also has a Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase entry, is among those engaged as is King George VI Chase
runner-up Our Vic while the Michael Hourigan-trained Mossbank chased home Denman in the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on January 28
Other Irish-trained entries include Michael O’Brien’s pair In Compliance and Forget The Past, the Jessica Harrington-trained Knight Legend, a 20-length winner at Tramore on January 1, novice Sky’s The Limit, the 2006 Coral Cup hero and winner of his last three starts for trainer Edward O’Grady, last season’s John Smith’s Grand National third Slim Pickings and Newmill.
Another Promise and his stablemates Aces Four and L’Antartique are also engaged as is Jack
The Giant, Hobbs Hill, winner of all his four starts over fences, The Listener, a dual Grade One winner for Robert Alner, David Pipe’s in-form pair Tamarinbleu and Vodka Bleu, as well as Faasel and Monet’s Garden, trained by Nicky Richards.
Paul Nicholls - who has won two of the three Ryanair Chases to date - has five chances of adding to that record via 2006 Royal & SunAlliance Chase winner Star De Mohaison, Master Minded, New Little Bric, Sporazene and Turko
Edward Gillespie, Managing Director of Cheltenham Racecourse, commented: “The Ryanair
Chase has been a huge success since it was added to The Festival in 2005 and we are delighted to see such an outstanding entry for this year’s race, when it will be run as a Grade One for the first time."