2016 Grand National runner profile: Sir Des Champs
Published:
David Metcalf | April 6, 2016
Coral’s horse racing experts profile all 40 entrants in the 2016 Crabbie’s Grand National, the most prestigious steeplechase of the National Hunt season.
Sir Des Champs
Age: 10
Weight: 10st 13lb
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Grand National Record:
2009 Hear The Echo (FELL 30th)
2012 Tharawaat (8th)
2014 Quito De La Roque (PU 21st)
2015 First Lieutenant (16th)
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Grand National Record:
2000 Micko’s Dream (FELL 1st)
2002 Alexander Banquet (UR 6th)
2004 Alexander Banquet (FELL 18th), Hedgehunter (FELL 30th)
2005 HEDGEHUNTER (WON)
2006 Hedgehunter (2nd)
2007 Hedgehunter (9th), Homer Wells (PU 22nd), Bothar Na (PU 29th), Livingstonebramble (UR 6th)
2008 Snowy Morning (3rd), Hedgehunter (13th)
2009 Snowy Morning (9th), Irish Invader (11th)
2010 Snowy Morning (6th), Arbor Supreme (UR 15th)
2011 The Midnight Club (6th), Dooney’s Gate (FELL 6th), Arbor Supreme (FELL 28th)
2012 The Midnight Club (11th), Quiscover Fontaine (FELL 17th), On His Own (FELL 22nd)
2013 Quiscover Fontaine (16th), Quel Esprit (PU 24th), On His Own (FELL 25th)
2014 Vesper Bell (13th), Prince De Beauchene (16th)
2015 Ballycasey (HMP and UR 8th)
Form
1/11/11111/24121/F4/157
Sir Des Champs is a three-time Grade 1 winner over fences and ran a stormer when runner-up to Bobs Worth in the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
He is also a dual scorer at the Cheltenham Festival having landed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle in 2011 and 2012 running of the JLT Novices’ Chase.
Suffered an injury and was off the track for 23 months before showing that he retained plenty of ability when winning a 2m 6f Listed chase at Thurles on November 23rd.
Sir Des Champs has been Well-beaten subsequently in the Lexus Chase and Irish Gold Cup both a Leopardstown, finishing fifth and seventh respectively.
Jumps race record
Sir Des Champs was a formidable force in his prime and has become dangerously well-treated. Clearly not the force of old, but this is the first time that he has run in a handicap for a long time and he has a strike rate of nearly 60 per cent. Capable of going well if taking to the unique fences.
Starts: 18
Wins: 11
2nd: 2
3rd: 0
Career win and place prize money: £499,874
Related
Check out more confirmed Grand National runner profiles and other content on our Aintree page.
