Irish Christmas racing reflections including Gordon Elliott domination

There was that point in the December Hurdle on the final day of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, as they crossed the path that dissects the racecourse and runs across the back straight on the hurdles course just before the fourth last flight, when Patrick Mullins said, ah here, handbrake schmandbrake, and he let Anzadam cut loose.

The race had all been going to script before that.

Casheldale Lad in front, like we knew he would be. No King Of Kingsfield this year, and Casheldale Lad made all when he won at Down Royal, and he led from early in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle too, so it made sense that he would lead. And they slotted in behind: Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead, Anzadam, in that order. Then the rest. If there had been a market on the trifecta at the one-mile pole, the return wouldn't have been great.

But Anzadam was keen in behind, and his jumping was so good, he made ground at just about all his obstacles – his Race IQ Jump Index was 9.3, 0.8 ahead of the next best (Lossiemouth) – that his rider had to restrain him on the landing side. He wasn’t gaining the advantage that his fluency over his obstacles should have brought him. He jumped the fifth flight as well as he had jumped the previous four, and his rider allowed him to stride on.

The race changed complexion from there. It was like shaking the Boggle letters and re-assessing the situation. The pace increased, the leader established a break, and the others reacted.

Lossiemouth led the rejoinder. Paul Townend allowed her to gradually bridge the gap to the new leader. She moved up alongside him as they navigated their way around the home turn, joined him at the two-furlong marker, then moved into the lead and set sail for home. Brighterdaysahead was quickly out after her, and the toe-to-toe that was anticipated came to life.

When Lossiemouth jumped the final flight, she was about two lengths in front of her closest rival. And Brighterdaysahead did close, she got to within three-parts of a length as they raced inside the final furlong under the Jack Kennedy drive, but she got no closer and, actually, on the run to the line, inside the final 20 or 30 yards, the grey mare was moving on again from the bay one.

This was an all-you-hoped-it-would-be race. Lossiemouth is a remarkable racemare. Willie Mullins’ horse was clocking up the ninth Grade 1 win of her career, and her 13th win from 16 races. She fell in one of those defeats, and she finished second in the other two. She never doesn't run her race.

It was brilliant to see Brighterdaysahead back too. This was her first run of the season, her first race since May, and taking on one of the best mares that we have seen in a generation, who had race-fitness on her side. Not only that, but Gordon Elliott’s mare was all set to go chasing this season, but a setback delayed her return and instigated a re-think. It would be surprising if she did not improve from this experience, potentially appreciably, and she could get even closer to Lossiemouth the next time they meet.

What of Anzadam? He is still a work in progress. He hasn’t turned six yet, and this was just his sixth race ever, under any code. He will obviously be capable of improving on this if he can settle better, and a stronger pace will obviously help in that regard. Or could he make the running? Could he settle better in front? Make full use of his fluent and efficient jumping? That will always be an asset, and he will be better still if and when he learns to race more efficiently, a learning that could come with experience.

Elliott on fire

Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy had to give best to Willie Mullins and Paul Townend here, but it was a remarkable week for the trainer and the jockey. It started with Ballyfad in the opening maiden hurdle on Friday, the first of 29 races at Leopardstown, and it rolled on from there.

When Jack Kennedy won the Grade 3 mares’ hurdle on Monday on Wodhooh – another extraordinary mare, who was taking her winning record over hurdles to 10 runs, nine wins – he notched up his eighth win of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. Among those winners were Romeo Coolio in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase on Friday and Skylight Hustle in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle on Saturday and Teahupoo in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle on Sunday.

Jack Kennedy’s eight winners were all for Gordon Elliott, but that doesn't tell even half the Gordon Elliott story for the week. Literally.

The Cullentra trainer had 18 winners at the Christmas festivals, and that is staggering. Two at Down Royal, three at Limerick and into double digits at Leopardstown. There were 29 races run at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, and Gordon Elliott won 12 of them.

As well as those three Grade 1 winners ridden by Kennedy, he won the Grade 2 Defender Novice Hurdle at Limerick on Friday with Kazansky, who got home by a head under Danny Gilligan, and he had the 1-2 in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown on Saturday with Favori De Champdou and Search For Glory.

Seven different riders rode winners for Elliott this week. As well as Jack Kennedy’s eight, Jordon Gainford had three, Danny Gilligan had one, Josh Halford had one, Josh Williamson had one, Carl Millar had one and Sam Ewing had three. Again, that’s not even half the Sam Ewing story.

Saturday was a phenomenal day for the young rider. He started off by winning the opening three-year-olds’ maiden hurdle for Gordon Elliott on Hardy Stuff, coming latest of all to get up and win by a head. And he ended it by winning the Paddy Power Chase, one of the most competitive staying handicap chases on the National Hunt racing calendar, on the unconsidered 66/1 shot Favori De Champdou.

Meade claims fifth Savills

In between, Ewing won the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase on Solness. You have to feel for Solness’ regular rider JJ Slevin, who was stood down after a fall in the beginners’ chase 35 minutes earlier, but, thrust centre-stage at the 11th hour, Sam Ewing was not found wanting. He quickly had Solness into his racing rhythm in front and around the outside, and he stayed on well up the hill to repel the late challenge of Marine Nationale. Then the following day, Ewing went out and won the Grade 1 Savills Chase on Affordale Fury.

Again, it was bad luck for Affordale Fury’s regular jockey Donagh Meyler, who is sitting out a suspension, but Noel Meade’s horse needed a rider, and Sam Ewing stepped up. Ironically, he had ridden Affordale Fury to win his beginners’ chase at Galway in October 2023, when he got home by a length and a half from Favori De Champdou.

And not unlike the ride that he gave Solness, he was in front from early on aboard Affordale Fury, and together the pair of them saw off all comers to get home by two and a half lengths from I Am Maximus. Affordale Fury’s win brought up the ninth Grade 1 win of Sam Ewing’s career, and five of those nine wins have been recorded at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival.

Affordale Fury also brought up a record-equalling fifth Savills Chase for his trainer Noel Meade. His record stretches back to Johnny Setaside in 1996, 29 years ago, and encompasses Pandorama in 2010 and Road To Riches in 2014 and that horse’s nephew Road To Respect in 2017. No trainer has won more than five Savills Chases.

The big trainers were front and centre at Leopardstown, as you expected them to be, at one of the biggest meetings of the year. Willie Mullins had nine winners in Ireland, including Grade 1 wins with Lossiemouth at Leopardstown and with Final Demand at Limerick, and he had 11 if you include Kitzbuhel’s scintillating victory in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Chase at Kempton on Friday and Spindleberry’s win in the listed mares’ chase at Doncaster on Monday.

Henry de Bromhead had five winners and Gavin Cromwell had two and Noel Meade won the bumper at Leopardstown on Friday with The Mourne Rambler, to go with Affordale Fury’s Savills Chase.

Joseph O’Brien sent out Solness to win the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase on Saturday, and he sent out Duke Silver to win the Pertemps qualifier on Sunday, a first winner over obstacles for his rider Hugh Horgan, and the trainer was desperately unlucky not to do even better. Talk The Talk looked set for victory in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle when he came down at the final flight, and Banbridge had a second King George swiped from his grasp when The Jukebox Man dipped at the right time to deprive him by a nose.

Lawlor among lesser lights to shine

Other trainers excelled too. Eric McNamara is always a man to be respected at this time of year, especially at Limerick, and he had two winners there, Starting Fifteen in the maiden hurdle on Friday and Torps in a handicap hurdle at Saturday. It could have been better too if the ball had hopped a little more kindly. County Final was beaten a head, No Flies On Him was beaten a neck, Gaelic Des Chastys was beaten a nose. Lenjoleur De Palma and Decimation also went close. The Rathkeale trainer’s season rocks on. He is now on 20 winners for the season to date, to the end of December, and that is a greater number of winners than he has had in an entire season since 2007/08.

Peter Lawlor won the second maiden hurdle at Leopardstown on Friday with Murat, perhaps a little fortuitously after El Cairos’ fall (replay below), but still, the ball ended up in the back of the next. Remember, Murat was one of the two horses that Peter Lawlor ran at the 2025 Galway Festival, when he won a bumper. The other was Summer Snow, and he won too.

Jonathan Sweeney got on the board with Barnahash Mason, ridden to victory in the bumper on Saturday by Alan O’Sullivan, and Sonny Carey sent out The Nagger Reidy to win the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle on Sunday, under a never-say-die ride from Michael Kenneally. On Monday, Denis Hogan rode his own horse Frankie John to victory in a strong maiden hurdle, and Pat Collins and his son Sean sent out the progressive The Champagne Kid to win the listed premier handicap hurdle on Monday under Eoghan Finegan.

Then Gordon Elliott won the concluding bumper with Keep Him Company, the 29th race of the week at Leopardstown, and it was as-you-were. Shake the Boggle letters again.

www.donnmcclean.com

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