13:45 Leopardstown

Tuesday 28 December 2021

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 13:46 | Winning time: 6m 4.40s

Abacadabras^t³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 157| C

5/1

High-class hurdler, winning Grade 1s at Punchestown and Aintree last season. 11/2, respectable 12¼ lengths third of 8 to Honeysuckle in Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse (20f, good) on return. Up in trip.

Form: 52F14-3

Commander Of Fleet^b²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Cooper| T: G Elliott| OR: 152| C| D

22/1

Smart hurdler. 40/1, career best when winning 23-runner handicap hurdle at Navan (24.3f, good to soft) 24 days ago. More needed at this level.

Form: 001-5F1

Flooring Porter^t⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 164| BF| CD

16/5

Won this 12 months ago before adding Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Pulled up at Punchestown in April but looked to set to make a winning return at Navan last month until falling 2 out.

Form: 2111P-F

Grand Roi⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 147

22/1

Smart hurdler. 10/3, creditable 7½ lengths third of 5 to Darasso in Lismullen Hurdle at Navan (20f, good to soft) 51 days ago but needs improvement to figure at this level.

Form: 1/3120-3

Klassical Dream^h²⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 164| C| D

7/4

Notched 3 Grade 1 wins as a novice and added another when making light of a 487-day lay-off to win Champion Stayers' Hurdle at Punchestown in April. Absent since but clearly capable when fresh.

Form: 11135/1-

Mr Adjudicator⁸⁷⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: J B Foley| T: W P Mullins| OR: 154| C

80/1

Very smart hurdler but he hasn't been seen since scoring on the Flat at the 2019 Galway Festival.

Form: 28P171/

Ronald Pump^t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: M J Smith| OR: 156| D

12/1

Smart hurdler. 3/1, 18 lengths fifth of 8 to Champ in Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot (24.4f, good to soft) 10 days ago.

Form: F23-525

Saldier³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 162

25/1

Won Galway Hurdle and a Tipperary Grade 3 in the first half of the season but well below par when 31¾ lengths fifth of 8 to Honeysuckle in Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, good) 30 days ago.

Form: 678-115

Sams Profile⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: M F Morris| OR: 152| D

66/1

Won a Gowran Grade 2 hurdle last winter. Disappointed over fences on his reappearance in January and he's tough to fancy at this level back hurdling.

Form: 52/F31-0

Sire Du Berlais^b,t⁵¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 160| D

10/1

High-class hurdler at his best, including chasing home Flooring Porter at Cheltenham in March. Wasn't at his best when 6 lengths second in Navan Grade 2 on return but he'll likely be sharper now.

Form: 41/132-2

Burning Victory²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143| BF

18/1

2020 Triumph winner. Scored twice on the Flat in France over the summer. Also an excellent second in Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October but he wasn't at his best back hurdling latest.

Form: 11/7-70

Forecasts

Klassical Dream (7/4), Flooring Porter (16/5), Abacadabras (5/1), Sire Du Berlais (10/1), Ronald Pump (12/1), Burning Victory (18/1), Grand Roi (22/1), Commander Of Fleet (22/1), Saldier (25/1), Sams Profile (66/1), Mr Adjudicator (80/1)

If FLOORING PORTER is none the worse for his fall at Navan last month then he might up to landing this race for the second year running. Klassical Dream proved well suited by the step up to 3m at Punchestown in the spring and he's feared most ahead of last year's third Sire du Berlais.