Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Three points of interest
Ballyburn can reverse Hatton’s Grace form
It is a good renewal of the Christmas Hurdle (13:55) at Leopardstown on Sunday with Hatton’s Grace one-two Tehupoo and Ballyburn set to lock horns again.
Just like the ante-post market for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, both horses dominate the betting, and Ballyburn is fancied to exact some revenge on Teahupoo.
Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old was beaten a nose on his return at Fairyhouse last month, but he shaped like the best horse at the weights, typically taking a strong hold with his head bowed very low, and he would have more than likely won if he didn’t have to switch between the last two flights which halted his momentum.
Ballyburn was given the Horse In Focus Flag as a result, highlighting him as one to follow next time, and he can confirm he’s the one in this division they’ll all have to beat in March.
Jhentong Enki way ahead of his mark
The Rekorderlig Premium Sweedish Cider Handicap Hurdle (14:22) at Leicester doesn’t look the deepest race of its type and it is very hard to oppose Jhentong Enki from a handicapping perspective.
Ben Pauling has enjoyed an excellent couple of days at Kempton with The Jukebox Man winning the King George and then Mambonumberfive looking a very exciting novice in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase and, though Jhentong Enki will unlikely reach similar heights, he’s been very well placed here.
He attracted support on his stable debut two starts ago and proved why there was confidence in him that day when opening his account with ease at Lingfield last week.
That may not have been the deepest race, but neither is this, and he looked well ahead of his mark, storming clear in the closing stages. The conditions of that race mean he escapes a penalty and rise in the weights turned out quickly, so he looks thrown in racing from the same mark and is fully expected to follow up – he’s at least 6lb clear on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
Galopin a fair price for third Savills win
Galopin des Champs is still Timeform’s highest-rated chaser in training and he seems sure to launch another bold bid in search of his third straight win in the Savills Chase (14:30) at Leopardstown.
His record at this track is imperious (seven wins from seven starts over fences) and he has unfinished business with Inothewayurthinkin who famously lowered his colours when chasing a third Cheltenham Gold Cup last season.
Galopin des Champs wasn’t at his best that day, however, not going with his usual zest back on a sounder surface, but he finished his season with a commanding success at the Punchestown Festival, back to looking like the nigh-on unbeatable chaser he so often does.
He missed his usual reappearance in the John Durkan last month having missed a couple weeks of training, but that may be no bad thing given he’s not getting any younger and that trip is sharp enough for him nowadays anyway.
Galopin des Champs hammered Gerri Colombe in this two years ago, then gave stablemate Fact To File a convincing beating 12 months ago, and his master trainer will almost certainly have got him fit and ready for this return. This is his back yard and he can take some revenge on Inothewayurthinkin.
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