Tony Keenan is back with a bet on this afternoon's cracking card at Leopardstown.
Irish racing tips: Saturday December 27
0.5pt e.w Midnight Our Fred at in 15:00 Leopardstown at 10/1 (General - 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
It has been a very wet winter so far, much more so than in the 2024/25 jumps season, yet we have arrived at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting with going that is mainly yielding and little rain forecast for the coming days.
The chase track was even being watered selectively yesterday and the horse perhaps most suited by this in the day’s feature, the Grade 1 Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at 13:12, is Marine Nationale. He went through last season never having to race on slower than yielding, winning a pair of Champion Chases in spring, albeit helped along by his biggest dangers falling late on each occasion.
A concern is his stable being quiet – Barry Connell has had one winner from 25 runners since the start of August – though his main market rival may have more pressing questions over his claims after an underwhelming return at Cork where his jumping was errant.
Going back left-handed will suit, but he may not be fast enough to compete with the best in open company over two miles on decent ground, often looking a strong stayer in his youth. It would not be the greatest surprise if there was an upset here, with Only By Night and Solness two potential candidates for that role.
The other big race over fences today is the Paddy Power Chase at 15:00. Buachaillbocht is a danger to all if getting in after shaping well over hurdles at Navan earlier this month, but MIDNIGHT OUR FRED is most interesting if the field stays as is.
He enjoys decent ground, and finished second in the race last off a one pound lower mark, beaten only by a well-treated track specialist and likely paying for being the on that had to chase down the leader from three out, leading over the last and only caught on the run-in.
That form worked out well, the winner following up over hurdles at the DRF and the fourth winning both the Thyestes and Grand National, and while Midnight Our Fred failed to reproduce that form at Cheltenham, he looked back to form last time over hurdles at Cork on ground slower than ideal.
The market for the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at 13:47 is headed by the maiden hurdle form of Le Divin Enfant and Skylight Hustle, while the Graded form of Talk The Talk and Koktail Brut is being dismissed a little.
Both of those look a little overpriced, Talk The Talk impressing with his strength at the line at Fairyhouse last time while Koktail Brut showed an excellent attitude to win the Royal Bond for all that he may want further in time.
The feature at Limerick is a strong running of the McMahons Builders Providers Irish EBF Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase at 13:27 where The Big Westerner looks a beatable favourite. She ran to a high level on chase debut when chasing home Jimmy De Seuil at Fairyhouse but didn’t fully convince with her attitude, briefly hanging in behind in the straight, while the form of the Henry De Bromhead yard is a worry.
He had winner yesterday along with others running well, but overall, he has had just two winners from 65 runners, flat and jumps, so far in December.
Another interesting race at Limerick is the opening Earl Of Harrington Mares Maiden Hurdle at 12:17 where the favourite Galileo Dame has a bit to prove after some ordinary recent efforts on the flat. Perhaps the unpenalised runners could offer some value, with Champagne Venture and Belladona Princess most interesting having shaped well on their most recent starts.
Published at 0800GMT on 27/12/25
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