Weekend tips: Minella Indo hard to beat at Down Royal; Screaming Colours can take Cork Grand National

With King George winner Frodon bringing in some competition from across the Irish Sea, this is a race to savour at Down Royal, but it remains difficult to look beyond Gold Cup champ Minella Indo

Jack Kennedy celebrates on top of Minella Indo after winning the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase during day four of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. Gold Cup winner Minella Indo makes his eagerly-awaited return to action in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday. Photo: Michael Steele/PA Wire.

The Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase has attracted a select field of five runners, all having won at least once at the Cheltenham Festival. With King George winner Frodon bringing in some competition from across the Irish Sea, this is a race to savour, but it remains difficult to look beyond Gold Cup champ Minella Indo.

Henry De Bromhead’s horse was particularly good on his first start of last season, on soft ground at Wexford, where he gave weight and a wide-margin beating to the useful Milan Native. Good as that was, he improved through the season and it culminated in that beating of stablemate A Plus Tard in the Cheltenham showpiece.