13:15 Leopardstown

Monday 28 December 2020

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 6m 37.80s

Bacardys²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 154| C| D

12/1

Very smart hurdler who ran up to his best when third in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Entitled to come forward for return in Hattons Grace hurdle in November and he may be sharper now.

Form: 21243-4

Bapaume^t⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 155| C

11/1

Very smart hurdler. 14/1, sixth of 17 in handicap chase at Punchestown (19.7f, heavy) 44 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Up in trip.

Form: 27168-6

Flooring Porter^t²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 150| D

11/1

Developed in to a useful type, career best when winning 20-runner handicap hurdle at Navan (24.3f, heavy, 22/1) 23 days ago, kept up to work. This demands another jolt of improvement, however.

Form: 62-1321

French Dynamite^p,t1⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: M F Morris| OR: 149| D

8/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Excellent ½-length second of 8 to Sire Du Berlais in Lismullen Hurdle at Navan (20f, soft, 10/1) 50 days ago, having run of race. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: 11514-2

Fury Road^t⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G Elliott| OR: 151| D

13/8

Smart hurdler. Didn't need to be at best when winning 5-runner Celebration Hurdle at Punchestown (21.6f, heavy, 4/11) 43 days ago by 3½ lengths from Dewcup. Trainer going well.

Form: 11143-1

Sire Du Berlais^b,t⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 158| D

11/4

Landed Pertemps Final in March. Didn't need to be at best when winning 8-runner Lismullen Hurdle on return at Navan (20f) 50 days ago by ½ length from French Dynamite. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 8/4941-1

The Storyteller⁵⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 153| D

7/1

High-class chaser. 9/2, career best when winning 9-runner Champion Chase at Down Royal (3m) 58 days ago by neck from Chris's Dream. No surprise to see him give another good account back over hurdles.

Form: P11211

Non-Runners

Ronald Pump²⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: M J Smith J: Keith Donoghue

Sixshooter⁵⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: Sean Flanagan

Forecasts

Fury Road (13/8), Sire Du Berlais (11/4), Ronald Pump (7/2), The Storyteller (7/1), French Dynamite (8/1), Flooring Porter (11/1), Bapaume (11/1), Bacardys (12/1), Sixshooter (16/1)

A dual winner of the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, SIRE DU BERLAIS took the step up to graded company in his stride when landing a Navan Grade 2 on return in November. He earns the vote to continue the good work now tackling Grade 1 company. Ronald Pump, back at 3m, is feared, ahead of Fury Road and The Storyteller.