JNwine.com Champion Chase
Grade 1, Down Royal 14:40 £140,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m
Saturday 31st October 2015

1 Don Cossack 2/11F
2 Rocky Creek 7/1
3 Roi Du Mee 11/1
4 ran Distances: 8l, hd, 19l
TIME 6m 28.00s (slow by 43.00s)

Class prevailed in the Champion Chase at Down Royal: Don Cossack - the highest rated chaser in training

Don Cossack
© Caroline Norris

Gordon Elliott's Gold Cup contender added another Grade One to his increasingly impressive CV with a typically commanding performance.

Bryan Cooper's companion glided into the lead four fences from home, after Rocky Creek and Roi Du Mee had jousted for the lead for a long way, and the race was essentially over.

The 2-11 favourite ended up winning by eight lengths from Rocky Creek but Don Cossack was never really out of first gear - even though he got a shade close to a few fences.

Cooper said: "He was a little lazy and wasn't really in love with the ground, but I was always confident.

"He keeps stepping up."

Elliott said: "Bryan said he never came out of second gear but, at the same time, he never took hold of the bridle. He only had a school around.

"He's a fair horse. I just thought if Bryan let him lengthen we would have seen the real him but all he could do was win.

"I've never been so nervous about a horse.

"You see him there, he wasn't even doing a stroke. He never put him into second gear and he was just doing what he had to do.

"He would have to improve on that run again but we know there is plenty of improvement there and I think the better the race, the better he'll be.

"When you give him a squeeze and wake him up he starts to stretch. But Bryan never even gave him a squeeze there."

When asked about future plans, Elliott said: "Kempton (King George) and the Gold Cup and then Punchestown, if everything is OK.

"He's a good horse, so we have to mind him.

"I wouldn't swap him for anything."

JNwine.com Champion Steeplechase
£140,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m
4 ran
Going: Yielding, Soft in places

Pos	Dist	Horse SP	Jockey Weight	Trainer	Age
1st		Don Cossack (GER) 2/11f	B J Cooper 11-10	G Elliott	8
2nd	8	Rocky Creek (IRE) 7/1	Sam Twiston-Davies 11-10	P F Nicholls	9
3rd	hd	Roi Du Mee (FR) 11/1	R Walsh 11-10	G Elliott	10
3rd	19	Texas Jack (IRE) 40/1	S W Flanagan 11-10	N Meade	9