Leopardstown Christmas Festival: Affordale Fury wins thrilling Savills Chase

Affordale Fury delivered a first Grade One winner for County Down owner Philip Polly in a thrilling Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Trained by Noel Meade, the seven-year-old started and finished the three-mile race in fine form to tear up the script.

Much of the pre-race narrative focused on a rematch of March’s Cheltenham Gold Cup when Inothewayurthinkin denied Galopin Des Champs a third-straight win, but that duel failed to materialise this time.

Instead, it was those in red and black celebrating as Sam Ewing guided Affordale Fury (7-1) to a big win.

“I can’t believe it – what a week we’ve had,” a delighted Polly told RTE Sport.

“We won the Bumper on Boxing Day and now we’ve rocked up and won the Savills.”

Champ Kiely was an early faller on the flat as Affordale Fury got out in front of what was a bunched field.

It remained wide open heading into the final two hurdles when favourite Galopin Des Champs made a move.

However, the Willie Mullins-trained favourite had to settle for third as Affordale Fury responded brilliantly to surge home from 2024 Grand National winner I Am Maximus in second (50-1).

It capped a superb two days for Ewing, who was onboard Favori De Champdou and Solness for Grade One wins on Saturday.

“I wanted to be good and positive going into the first and see where we landed,” said Ewing.

“He travelled really strong, winged fences for sport and there was no coming back from it. He was gutsy and is a proper horse in the making.”