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Curtis eyes more Irish riches with Haiti Couleurs

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Mon 2 Nov 2026

Haiti Couleurs looks set to continue his love affair with Ireland with trainer Rebecca Curtis eyeing the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas as the gelding’s next big target.

The nine-year-old added the BetVictor, Remembering Envoi Allen Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday to a haul that already includes an Irish Grand National as well as a Welsh Grand National and a National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Pembrokeshire trainer Curtis said she was inclined to send him across the Irish Sea again at Christmas with the Savills Chase looking the perfect mid-season target on his way to the big spring Festivals.

“We would be quite keen to go back to Ireland for his next run and will probably look at the Savills Chase with him. The style of racing in Ireland seems to suit him and it seems a nice race to go for,” said Curtis.

Haiti Couleurs was typically courageous under Paul Townend in Saturday’s contest, digging deep on quick ground to beat Fleur In The Park and Banbridge by four-and-three-quarters of a length and a short head.

It delivered proof that a tough season which included winning the Welsh National with top weight and the Denman Chase at Newbury but rather unravelled in the spring with disappointing efforts in the Gold Cup and Grand National, had not left a lasting mark.

“It was exactly as I hoped he would be,” said Curtis of Saturday’s win. “I blame myself last year in that he had one run too many. Some things just went wrong. He was injured in the Betfair Chase so we decided to give the Welsh National a go.

“Because he won that we thought Gold Cup and probably the mistake I made, although he won it, was running him in the Denman Chase in between. Once he won the Welsh National with top weight of 11st 13lb on his back – he probably did have a hard enough race – although he seemed fresh and well at home I should have probably kept him fresh for March and the Gold Cup.

“We dipped one too many times and that was Newbury which he won well. He is one of those horses that puts so much into his races that he needs that recovery.

“The season before he ran every month or six weeks and thrived on it. In those better graded races, the Welsh Nationals and things, they do take a lot out of you so you have to make sure they have plenty of time in between.”

A lighter campaign looks set to see Haiti Couleurs packed up and shipped at Christmas even though Curtis admits, ironically the horse is not the greatest of travellers.

“Although he has taken it well and won in Ireland a couple of times now he gets very sweaty travelling and he doesn’t really eat anything for a couple of days. He is very hard on himself so how he gets away with it I don’t know,” she said

“But you would want him that way because although I hate seeing horses travel like that, it’s when he’s like that that he is at his best.”

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