14:45 Leopardstown

Sunday 1 February 2026

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4515:2015:5216:27

O'Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 5m 43.10s

Croke Park^p³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Josh Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 152| C

12/1

Smart course winner. 5/1 and cheekpieces on first time, respectable 23½ lengths third of 7 to Heart Wood in New Year's Day Chase at Tramore (23f, soft). A high-class will be needed to defy top weight.

Form: 127-333

Ile Atlantique^t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 152| C| D

13/2

Smart chaser. Good 8½ lengths second of 7 to Heart Wood in New Year's Day Chase at Tramore (23f, soft, 11/2). Enters calculations.

Form: 15UF/32

Dee Capo³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 150| BF| CD

16/1

Resumed with a career best when readily winning 8-runner handicap chase at Punchestown (21f, soft) in November. Running a little below that form when unseating at the last at Limerick over Christmas but he's the choice of Jack Kennedy from the Elliott trio.

Form: F140/1U

Blizzard Of Oz³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Slevin| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| C

33/1

Latest win in listed chase at Wexford in October but down the field in a 3m course handicap over Christmas. Bounce back needed.

Form: 332/1P-0

Harry Des Ongrais^p1¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 144

33/1

Creditable third on Navan reappearance but pulled up in Thyestes at Gowran since. First-time cheekpieces need to help spark a revival.

Form: 512P/3P

O'Moore Park^t³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 141

20/1

Useful chaser. Eleven runs since last win in 2024. Creditable fifth of 28 in handicap chase at this course (24.5f, good, 33/1) 36 days ago.

Form: 32020-5

You Oughta Know^t³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Anna McGuinness⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 141

50/1

Useful novice chaser but has failed to complete or run poorly on all 3 attempts in large-field handicap chases, including here over Christmas.

Form: 21FP20

Thecompanysergeant³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Eoin Staples⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 140

28/1

Has yet to fire this season but his yard is back among the winners and he's well treated on the form he showed when second in the Plate at last season's Cheltenham Festival. Considered.

Form: 25/96P-0

Kinturk Kalanisi³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: James Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: T Gibney| OR: 138

11/2

Useful chaser. Creditable third of 28 in course handicap (24.5f, good) on reappearance over Christmas. Shorter trip now no problem. Likely to be on the premises if in a similar mood.

Form: 322UP/3

Sa Majeste³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: W P Mullins| OR: 138

18/1

Useful hurdler/chaser (third in last season's Kim Muir at Cheltenham). Fair fourth on Punchestown return in November but well beaten here over Christmas. Bounce back needed under Cobden.

Form: 513P/40

Dreal Deal^t⁷⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-7| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽³⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 133| D

125/1

Latest win in chase at Killarney in July. Sixth of 8 in handicap chase at Cheltenham (2½m, soft, 11/2) 79 days ago. Others are more obvious.

Form: 761246-

Prends Garde A Toi^p1²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott| OR: 133

16/1

Came good over fences in maiden at Naas in December. Bit laboured when below-form fourth of 6 in novice chase back there 23 days ago. Cheekpieces are added now handicapping for the first time in this sphere.

Form: 54/2P14

Where's My Jet³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 133

33/1

Yet to match his useful hurdle form over fences but he wasn't disgraced when tenth of 20 in 2m course handicap over Christmas. This step back up in trip should benefit him.

Form: 2/U47F0

Chosen Witness^t⁹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Mr Elliot Ohgren⁽³⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

80/1

13/2, pulled up in handicap chase at Cork (28f, good to soft) on reappearance 91 days ago, folding tamely after 4 out. Down in trip. Risky proposition at present.

Form: 73UP0/P

Ballybawn Belter³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Simon Torrens| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 131| C

12/1

Useful hurdler/chaser. 6/1, career best when winning 8-runner handicap chase at Limerick (19.4f, heavy) 35 days ago by 11 lengths from Uncle Pat. A 7 lb rise may be enough to find him out.

Form: 4F/2261

Win Some Lose Some²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Aidan Kelly⁽³⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 131| C

33/1

Useful chaser. Sixth of 9 in handicap chase (12/1) at Naas (2m, soft) 23 days ago, unsuited by drop in trip. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 08/3876

Waterford Whispers⁷¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 130| BF

7/1

Useful hurdler/chaser. Didn't get close to justifying strong market support (11/8 favourite) when 20½ lengths sixth of 8 to Dee Capo in handicap chase at Punchestown (21f, soft) 71 days ago but Mark Walsh keeps the faith.

Form: P27/436

Kim Roque⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Conor Stone-Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 128

13/2

Fairly useful chaser. Shaped as if still in good form when fourth of 10 in December Gold Cup at Cheltenham (20.5f, good) 50 days ago. Still early days with this yard and likely has a bigger performance in him soon. Gets the vote.

Form: 1F4224-

A Wave Of The Sea¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Charlie O'Dwyer⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Broderick| OR: 125| C

40/1

Course winner. Latest win in chase at Kilbeggan in September. Good fourth of 14 in handicap chase (11/1) at Thurles (21f, good to soft) 14 days ago, unable to sustain effort.

Form: 131804

Backmersackme^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: S Bowen| T: E Mullins| OR: 125

14/1

Fourteen runs since last win in 2024 and only nineteenth of 28 in 24.5f course handicap over Christmas. However, it's always dangerous to rule out one from this yard and Sean Bowen rides. Also tongue strap back on.

Form: 46782-0

Pride Of Place^p1¹⁰⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Michael Kenneally⁽⁷⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 125

25/1

Fairly useful chaser. Below-form ninth of 15 in handicap chase (8/1) at Limerick (3m, heavy) 105 days ago, doing too much too soon. Cheekpieces on first time.

Form: 1U2219

Buachaillbocht^b,t³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Gavin Brouder| T: T M Walsh| OR: 124| BF| D

16/1

Novice chase winner last spring and 2 creditable efforts in handicaps this winter, including sixth of 28 here (24.5f, good) last month.

Form: PU91/36

Uncle Pat³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Cleary-Farrell⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 123

12/1

Fairly useful chaser. 4/1, creditable 11 lengths second of 8 to Ballybawn Belter in handicap chase at Limerick (19.5f, heavy) 35 days ago, inadequate test. 3 lb out of handicap.

Form: 1/28462

Forecasts

Kinturk Kalanisi (11/2), Kim Roque (13/2), Ile Atlantique (13/2), Waterford Whispers (7/1), Ballybawn Belter (12/1), Croke Park (12/1), Uncle Pat (12/1), Backmersackme (14/1), Dee Capo (16/1), Buachaillbocht (16/1), Prends Garde A Toi (16/1), Sa Majeste (18/1), O'Moore Park (20/1), Pride Of Place (25/1), Thecompanysergeant (28/1), Win Some Lose Some (33/1), Where's My Jet (33/1), Harry Des Ongrais (33/1), Blizzard Of Oz (33/1), A Wave Of The Sea (40/1), You Oughta Know (50/1), Chosen Witness (80/1), Dreal Deal (125/1)

KIM ROQUE has posted 2 decent efforts at Cheltenham since joining Joseph O'Brien and might prove the answer with further improvement possible. Kinturk Kalanisi showed he can cope with the demands of a big-field handicap here when third over Christmas and heads the many dangers along with Dee Capo, last season's Plate runner-up Thecompanysergeant and Waterford Whispers, who failed to fire when a short-priced favourite last time but is the mount of Mark Walsh from the McManus contingent.