Our man in Ireland Tony Keenan with the best bet for this afternoon with his selection running at Limerick.
Conditions at Leopardstown were relatively fast yesterday but that is set to change this afternoon after significant overnight rain (25 millimetres) and more forecast during the day. That may not please racegoers venturing outside post-Christmas but the course executive will be glad ahead of tomorrow’s Savills Chase as the chase track could do with softening to ensure participation from all the big names.
Most of the horses I had in mind at Leopardstown have shortened already so perhaps the feature at Limerick, the McMahons Builders Providers Irish EBF Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase at 1:27, is the way to go.
The ground looked tough work at Limerick yesterday and they too have had rain overnight (13 millimetres) so stamina is likely to be emphasised with should suit HAUTURIERE and she is taken to reverse Cork form with the favourite Harmonya Maker.
Harmonya Maker is capable big performances on occasion but has a tendency to do things wrong in her races, jumping left when racing on right-handed tracks and doing the opposite when going the other way.
Hauturiere got better as she went up in distance over hurdles, one of her best efforts coming when racing over this trip at this track in a Grade 3 last March, and has taken well to fences so far.
She beat a stablemate that was rated 133 over hurdles by 10 lengths on chase debut at Killarney in May over two-and-a-half miles, Paul Townend commenting afterwards that he was ‘at the pin of my collar’ with the trip.
A drop to two miles for her next start at Cork after a 210-day absence was thus unlikely to suit and after getting outpaced four out and making an error three out (jumped well otherwise) she did well to keep on into fourth, beaten three lengths by the runner-up Harmonya Maker.
The choice of race looked like a prep for this contest and Hauturiere is one that often improves plenty for a run – Timeform have her improving 16lbs and 12lbs respectively on the two occasions she has had a second start after a break for Willie Mullins – and if that is the case again today she should go close.
Preview posted at 0850 GMT on 27/12/23
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