Affordale Fury Secures Thrilling Victory in Savills Chase

In a stunning display, Affordale Fury mounted a remarkable comeback to claim top honors in the prestigious Savills Chase at Leopardstown. All attention was focused on dual Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Galopin Des Champs as he made his highly anticipated seasonal debut as the 6-5 favorite, initially seeming poised for a triumphant return in the extended three-mile event. However, Affordale Fury, ridden by Sam Ewing, proved to be an incredibly resilient competitor, maintaining a front-ranking position throughout and briefly being overtaken by Galopin Des Champs before surging back to the lead at the last hurdle. He then successfully fended off a late surge from 2024 Grand National winner I Am Maximus, who finished two and a half lengths behind in second place, with Galopin Des Champs a further three-quarters of a length back in third. As a result, Affordale Fury's odds for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March have been slashed to 10-1 from 50s with Paddy Power, marking trainer Noel Meade's first top-level victory since Beacon Edge won the 2021 Drinmore Novice Chase. Meade expressed his delight, stating, 'It's fabulous... We haven't too many horses, but the ones we have are turning to gold.' Never miss the latest racing news, interviews, and features on your phone. Find out more. Meade reflected on Affordale Fury's journey, saying, 'When he finished second in the 2023 Albert Bartlett as a novice hurdler, we were really looking forward to him as a chaser. He won his novice chase, but then things went wrong, and he missed the entire next season.' Prior to his Savills Chase victory, Affordale Fury had three runs, notably finishing second to Envoi Allen in Down Royal's Champion Chase and winning a Thurles Listed contest. Meade added, 'They changed the rules when the new season began, and he had to have another run, so I ran him in Gowran over two and a half miles, and he performed very well, perhaps too well, as the handicapper raised him five pounds.' See the latest horse racing news, interviews, and features from Sky Sports Racing. Meade continued, 'Then he went to Thurles, which he didn't handle particularly well, but he still managed to win. Philip asked me before the race what I thought, and I said that whatever happened was up to the horse, as he couldn't be in better shape.' After a spectacular workout, Meade remarked, 'He was unbelievable. I said, 'This horse is in some nick.'' With regular rider Donagh Meyler suspended, Meade turned to Sam Ewing, saying, 'Getting Sam to ride wasn't a step down by any means, given his great performance at the meeting.'