SMALL FIELD’S VERY TELLING

BATTLE-HARDENED The Storyteller might have the edge over Arkle winner Put The Kettle On in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase, feature of today’s Gowran Park action.

Trained by Gordon Elliott, The Storyteller, a Cheltenham Festival winner in 2018, is favoured by the race conditions and comes into the race on the back of two wins in Galway, in a conditions event two days after being pulled up in the Plate and, last time, when conceding weight to My Sister

Sarah over hurdles at the September meeting.

Suited by small fields, the nine-year-old might give Davy Russell a big-race success on his first day back in action since July 30.

But he’ll have to be at his best to see off Henry de Bromhead’s exciting mare Put The Kettle On, a bold-jumping, frontrunner who progressed through her novice season to beat Fakir D’oudairies in the Arkle at Cheltenham.

And the Willie Mullins runner Easy Game, Hardline and Peregrine Run are all closely matched on ratings with the selection. So a cracker is in prospect.

Elliott runs both impressive Punchestown winner Duffle Coat and French import Quilixios in the opening juvenile hurdle.

Duffle Coat had subsequent winner Scolastic in third when scoring on his racecourse debut at Punchestown and looks a good prospect.

But Russell’s mount Quilixios, successful on his only start at Compiegne last March and carrying the Cheveley Park Stud colours is well-regarded and gets the nod.

FASCINATING BATLLE But The Storyteller can pull the plug on Kettle this afternoon