Irish racing tips: Tony Keenan preview for Leopardstown and Limerick

By Tony Keenan

Horse Racing

Mon December 29, 2025 · 1h ago

Irish racing tips: Monday December 29

1pt win Genepi George in 14:52 Limerick at 9/2 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power)

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The feature on the final day of the Christmas meeting at Leopardstown is a fascinating December Hurdle at 14:32 and the tactics are worth considering. In the race last year, Brighterdaysahead, with the help of a pacemaker, blew the race apart from the front to win by 30 lengths, beating Willie Mullins-trained odds-on shot in the process.

She faces a similar opponent this year, albeit Lossiemouth rather than State Man, but the issue is that she wasn’t the same mare after that win, looking like one with a physical issue at Cheltenham and Punchestown in spring.

Connections might be inclined to build her back up now and look to avoid a hard race forcing a strong pace, and her trainer does have the front-running Casheldale Lad in the field, who seems a little overpriced dropping back to two miles and back to a left-handed track which may be some help too.

Lossiemouth herself made the running last time, albeit on different ground, and when you add Anzadam into the mix, who showed quirks last time at Newcastle, we have a race that could be box office.

Lossiemouth is out on her own at Punchestown

Wodhooh is hard to oppose in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Kerrymount Mares Hurdle (13:22) while the big handicap, the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle (15:05), has drawn 16 runners, a boon for each-way backers if all stay in.

There might not be as many well-treated ones in this as it seems and outsiders like Thisistheway and Saint Le Fort are interesting with ground and trip to suit. The former goes well fresh while the latter caught the eye two starts back, finishing well off a steady pace, before finding the ground too slow last time.

The closing race, the Jump Into Hospitality At Dublin Racing Festival INH Flat Race at 15:40, is very competitive and plenty can be given chances. Perhaps the overpriced one is the mare Royal Hillsborough. She is unproven on better ground, but her form looks as good as any and there is a chance she ran into a very talented mare last time in Old School Outlaw, the pair of the third.

Limerick runner stands out

At Limerick, GENEPI GEORGE looks overpriced in the Limerick Racecourse Vets Maiden Hurdle at 14:52, run in memory of Andrew McNamara. He showed little on debut in a bumper at this track in March but better was expected as he was backed from 20/1 to 6/1 for his small yard.

Off for 268 days, he ran much better first time over hurdles earlier this month at Navan. Settled in rear, he travelled powerfully throughout and made smooth headway leaving the back straight before running on well into fifth without getting a hard time.

That looked a strong race of its type, the Timeform timefigure decent. The winner is a promising type for Gordon Elliott while the runner-up was one of the leading fancies for last season’s Champion Bumper and there were other bumper winners in the frame too.

Today’s race is for horses yet to finish in the first four in a jumps race so is a marked drop in class and the selection just qualifies after his last run. He is stepping up in trip here but has stamina in his pedigree and looks a leading chance.

Thank you to all readers who have taken time to look at this column in 2025, your support is appreciated. I wish you a happy and healthy new year.

Published at 08:34 GMT on 29/12/25

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