The Leopardstown races on day two of the Dublin track’s Christmas Festival on Friday, 27 December kick things up a notch. This card contains two Grade 1 contests with the the Future Champions Novice Hurdle and Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase.
Away from the top level action at Leopardstown, the Paddy Power Chase is the big betting race and staying handicap of the meeting. It has been an informative guide for the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National in recent years.
With selective watering on the chase course to maintain good to yielding ground, the going looks as though it shall be faster than usual for this point in the season. That’s something both traders on horse racing betting sites and our experts bear in mind when pricing up events and giving their analysis of the card.
Leopardstown Races Preview for 27 December
12:05 – 2m 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle
If Last Kingdom doesn’t score on his Irish and jumping debut, then Galileo Dame is a classy filly off the Flat for Joseph O’Brien. Fourth in the Cheshire Oaks in the spring, she picked up black type for two Listed seconds in the autumn including behind beloved William Haggas veteran Hamish.
Those with actual hurdling experience don’t exactly set a high bar, so the Mullins and O’Brien yards who have both won this event multiple times in recent years definitely look like the stables to concentrate on.
12:35 – 2m 1f Beginners Chase
Plenty of these want further than the distance of this event on day 2 of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown races, that’s for sure. Of those with experience of fences, both NURBURGRING and Birdie Or Bust at the bottom of the card catch the eye. A length and a tail separated them when placed at Navan in November behind Down Memory Lane.
Although Henry De Bromhead’s mare Birdie Or Bust now meets Nurburgring off 2lb better terms, he may still confirm firm. That is because the O’Brien runner came third in the Grade 2 Craddockstown around Punchestown since that effort. Nurburgring’s scintillating Galway Hurdle heroics still stand out over the summer.
Returning from over a year off, meanwhile, is It’s For Me. His fifth place efforts in the Champion Bumpers at Cheltenham and Punchestown still read well for Mullins and owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. It’s For Me also beat the mighty Caldwell Potter on his sole start over hurdles, back form which again looks good.
1:10 – 2m 1f Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase
Arkle hero Gaelic Warrior stays over this trip after flopping at the Dublin Racing Festival over further and despite defeat by old rival Il Etait Temps at Punchestown. Patrick Mullins won aboard him at Limerick this time last year, but conceding race fitness to FOUND A FIFTY, coupled with a tendency to jump right, means he’s opposable.
The selection at the prices is Gordon Elliott’s runner who has won all three starts since the Arkle. That is clear evidence of improvement from Found A Fifty who won’t mind this better ground. There are five other previous course and distance winners in the line-up at Leopardstown races besides him too.
Of those, Dinoblue gets a 7lb sex allowance all-round from the field and landed this 12 months ago. It looks a deeper renewal this time around, however, and an on-song Marine Nationale could be dangerous for owner-trainer Barry Connell. The remainder aren’t the most reliable with Captain Guinness and Gentleman De Mee both capable on going days. Blue Lord hasn’t won a race since landing this two years ago.
1:45 – 2m Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle
Looks to be between two Elliott runners and two of the three Mullins mounts on paper. Of the Cullentra House duo, this trip is more useful to Bleu De Vassy than Romeo Coolio, who shapes like further would better suit him. Karniquet has form on really testing ground, so KARAFON could be the answer to a tricky puzzle.
Daryl Jacob takes the ride for his retainers for just the second time. Connections thought Karafon good enough to pitch him straight in to the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle on St Stephen’s Day at Leopardstown races during the last Christmas Festival. That was his Irish debut and he wasn’t far behind useful horses like Kargese and Nurburgring.
The third Mullins inmate Sea Of Sands has something to find with Romeo Coolio on Royal Bond form from Fairyhouse. He also needs to improve in the jumping department to be effective at this trip. Bleu De Vassy is thus perhaps the biggest danger to the selection after an easy Grade 3 win on yielding ground around Navan.
2:20 – 2m Handicap Hurdle (0-140)
Comfortable 👊
Pinot Gris makes an impressive return to the winners’ enclosure equipped with first-time blinkers in the Fishery Lane Novice Hurdle @NaasRacecourse 🟣@gavincromwell1 🤝 @donoghue_keith pic.twitter.com/mHmpuE0KaO
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 10, 2024
Wide-open, but Gavin Cromwell took this with smart mare Brides Hill in 2021, so Lartigue second and Fishery Lane winner PINOT GRIS may build on an effortless victory up the hill at Naas. The assessor hits this four-year-old with an 11lb rise, but he scored in facile fashion and goes well for Keith Donoghue on a sound surface.
If not Pinot Gris, then the lower end of the handicap could provide the answer. Towards the bottom is Navan winner Clarens for JP Flavin and 5lb claimer Alex Harvey. That race has provided clues for this one before and a 7lb hike might not stop them from going in again.
Emmet Mullins takes Jacovec Cavern from the Greatwood Hurdle to Leopardstown races down in grade, meanwhile. He ran eighth and not too far behind subsequent Ladbroke Hurdle hero Fiercely Proud at Cheltenham in November, yet can run in Ireland off an 8lb lower mark. Connections book 7lb claimer Conor Clarke, so he’s in off a featherweight here.
Punters can also mark Limerick winner Diamond Nora up for his head victory. Declan Queally’s runner was waiting for room two out and still got there after switching. He’s also up 7lb, but again has the aid of a conditional jockey here. Gaucher may have a pot like this in him for Willie and Danny Mullins now eased in grade from the Royal Bond.
3:00 – Listed 3m 100y Paddy Power Chase (0-150)
😬 PANDA BOY – seen finishing second to MEETINGOFTHEWATERS in the €200,000 Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December – is going to be right on the cusp of a run in the Grand National.
🤞 Squeaky bum time for antepost punters…pic.twitter.com/W7fMc4SRik
— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) February 20, 2024
Trends for the big betting race suggest a horse in the low 130s or classy runner towards the top of the handicap. It must be the latter this year as all those who meet the normal ratings profile just aren’t fancied. The obvious starting point is the 1-2 from 2023 with PANDA BOY facing old rival Meetingofthewaters off 16lb better terms, reduced to 9lb by Mullins booking a 7lb claimer for the latter.
Nonetheless, Martin Brassil’s runner only has some 4.5 lengths to find on last year’s form and may well do so. Both Panda Boy and Meetingofthewaters pulled clear of subsequent Munster National hero Real Steel, who won this two years ago. That Limerick form itself has been franked by the fifth, Stuzzikini, landing the Troytown at Navan.
Mullins also claims 7lb off topweight Nick Rockett, who ended last term with a solid third in the bet365 Gold Cup around Sandown. Punchestown Festival 1-2 Hgranca De Thaix and Perceval Legallois take each other on again at Leopardstown races with both hopeful of big runs for the Connell and Cromwell yards.
Galway Plate hero Pinkerton ran a blinder over too sharp a trip at Down Royal in the autumn and this longer distance promises to suit Noel Meade’s runner. He too books a 7lb claimer to ease a 9lb higher mark from Ballybrit. Elliott duo Three Card Brag and Will Do could improve for first-time blinkers and stepping up in trip respectively.
Scottish Grand National hero Macdermott and 2023 Kerry National winner Desertmore House, a stable companion of the selection, may also go well off a strong pace. It’s hard to rule many out, so at bigger prices, the likes of Troytown second Lucid Dreams and Michael McDonagh’s consistent Cork Grand National runner-up Positive Thinker could spring surprises.
