Leading Irish racing journalist and TV analyst Donn McClean marks your card for the quality action at Leopardstown this afternoon.
Mullins team in scintillating form
It was some day for Willie Mullins yesterday.
Of course, Tornado Flyer’s win under the trainer’s nephew Danny Mullins in the King George VI Chase at Kempton was the highlight, but there was also Ferny Hollow’s classy performance in the Grade 1 Racing Post Chase at Leopardstown, and Sir Gerhard’s impressive hurdling debut in the maiden hurdle there, as well as Henn See’s maiden hurdle win at Limerick and the victorious racecourse debut for Quevega’s son Facile Vega in the bumper at Leopardstown.
Team Mullins’ stellar cast for the second day of the Christmas festivals has obviously been weakened by the unfortunate defection of Chacun Pour Soi.
His absence is obviously a blow to the race, to the day’s racing, but it will still be interesting to see Envoi Allen back over two miles and a furlong. He hasn’t raced over that type of trip since he won the Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December 2019. A superstar novice, you would love to see the Cheveley Park Stud horse rediscover his best form, and the fact that his optimum trip is still not unequivocally determined just heightens the interest.
Largy has big chance of following up
You can understand why Largy Debut is Sky Bet’s favourite for the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
Henry de Bromhead’s horse beat Kilcruit on merit in a maiden hurdle at Cork three weeks ago, with the pair of them clear of their rivals. That was his first run in over 600 days, and it was his hurdling debut, so there is every chance that he will progress from it.
Mighty opportunity in Royal Bond
Mighty Potter should progress from his last run too though, in the Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse. Not much went right for Gordon Elliott’s horse that day. He was keener than ideal behind a sedate pace, he was wider than ideal around the home turn, and he got caught a little flat-footed when they quickened.
Only sixth jumping the second last flight, he stayed on well for Bryan Cooper over the last and up the run-in to finish a close-up third behind Statuaire and My Mate Mozzie, and he would have been even closer had he enjoyed a clear path up the run-in.
An impressive winner of his bumper last season, and winner of his maiden hurdle on his debut this season at Down Royal by 29 lengths, after the departure of his stable companion The Greek (who won at Leopardstown yesterday) at the second last flight, he should benefit from his latest experience at Fairyhouse.
The faster pace that he should get today, the stiffer track and the softer ground should all be in his favour, and he could run a big race.
Sea to star in tricky handicap
Sea Ducor could also run a big race in the Paddy Power “I’ve Had More Vaccines Than Nights Out” Handicap Hurdle. We haven’t seen Arthur Moore’s horse since he finished last of 19 in the apprentices’ Derby at The Curragh in June when he was sent off as favourite, but we know that he can go well fresh.
He won a hot four-year-olds’ novices’ hurdle at Gowran Park on his debut last season, when he stayed on well down the outside to get home by a half a length from subsequent Grade 1 winner Galopin Des Champs, with subsequent winner Get My Drift back in third and subsequent listed race winner Mighty Blue back in fourth. That is really strong form. He meets Get My Drift on 6lb better terms today, and he is a bigger price.
Sea Ducor finished second in this race last year behind Master McShee, who won the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick yesterday, so we know that he can operate at the track and under today’s conditions. And he is only 2lb higher today than he was last year, which is more than fair.
Suprise Package was tempting, Peter Fahey’s horse should appreciate the drop back down in trip today, after he appeared to run out of stamina in the Tara Hurdle over two and a half miles at Navan last time. He travelled like the most likely winner that day between the final two flights, he traded at 1.33 in-running, so it was remarkable that he was run out of the first six up the hill.
Winner of the valuable Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Final at Punchestown last April, he has the potential to go beyond his handicap rating of 128, but the ground may be softer than ideal for him today and, consequently, marginal preference is for Sea Ducor.
Noble effort expected in Paddy Power
The Paddy Power Chase is obviously hugely competitive, but Noble Yeats has lots in his favour. An impressive winner of his bumper last January at Thurles over two and a half miles, Emmet Mullins’ horse stayed on well to win his maiden hurdle at Navan last March over two miles and six furlongs.
Out of a three-mile hurdle winner and a half-brother to a three-mile hurdle winner, he has shaped for a while like a staying chaser in-waiting, so he did well to win his beginners’ chase at Galway in October over an extended two and a quarter miles.
He stayed on well that day to just get up and beat Gabynako by a head, with Magic Daze eight lengths back in third, with those two horses both enhancing the form since.
Only fourth at Cork next time over two and a half miles behind his stable companion Cape Gentleman, he was well beaten last time back at Cork over an inadequate two miles, when he was reported clinically abnormal post-race by the vet, so you can allow him that.
He should appreciate the step up to three miles today for the first time, a step that could bring about significant improvement, and Derek O’Connor is a great booking.
Paul Byrne’s horse is progressive anyway, a six-year-old who has raced just three times over fences and just seven times under all codes, and the fitting of a hood for the first time could elicit further improvement. He has the potential to go beyond the mark of 142 off which he races today.
For more of Donn's work visit www.donnmcclean.com
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