SNOW Falcon is set to return to Down Royal next month after a comfortable victory in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park.

The nine-year-old was having his first run since disappointing on the level at Royal Ascot back in June, but he made short work of his seven rivals as he notched a six-and-a-half-length win in the hands of Sean Flanagan.

Trainer Noel Meade is now eyeing the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 2nd. Snow Falcon won a Grade 2 on that same card last year before suffering an injury.

Meade said: “He’s very good when he’s fresh. The ground was too quick for him in Ascot and we let him out and I didn’t think there was any possibility he could be ready for this.

“But Emma (Connolly), who rides him out and loves him more than anyone, kept saying he’s there. We worked him over a mile on Tuesday and he worked brilliant, so we said we’d have to go ahead and run him.

“You would imagine the obvious place to go with him now is Down Royal as it’s the big chase – his owner is from Belfast and I’d say would love him to run there.

“He’s had a few little issues here and there. Last year when he won in the north he cracked a bone behind and that’s why we didn’t see him for the rest of the season.

“He’s been some servant and is a fabulous horse for us to have.”