Henry De Bromhead has chosen to run Captain Guinness at Leopardstown over Christmas, rather than take on Jonbon in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park on Saturday.
Despite multiple career victories in Graded company, a Grade 1 success remains elusive for the eight-year-old gelding, who was unlucky to share his novice chasing campaign with stars such as Energumene and Shishkin.
The son of Arakan flourished when switched to open company, securing victory in the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase and BetVictor Chase at Naas during the 2021/22 National Hunt season. Despite struggling to break through at the top level, Captain Guinness placed second in both the Grade 1 Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and the Grade 1 Celebration Chase in 2023, proving his capabilities against the best two mile chasers in training.
He returned with a success in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan in mid-November and De Bromhead believes the gelding requires a longer break between races.
"We changed our minds with Captain Guinness and decided to go to Leopardstown over Christmas instead. He is great and not a bother on him, but we went that route last year and said we'd stick to that," he said.
"The Leopardstown race is always good but with travelling and everything and it being just three weeks since the Fortria, we said we'd wait until Christmas.
"He was brilliant in the Fortria and we were delighted with him."
