Leopardstown Tips: Three horses to make your Boxing Day
December 26
The busiest racing day of the year is upon us as we are treated to 11 meetings across Britain and Ireland on Boxing Day.
Here we look at some of the major races on Boxing Day’s Leopardstown card, how they might influence the rest of the season and how you might go about finding some winners.
Leopardstown Tips: 1.10 O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle
The Grade 2 juvenile hurdle is a fascinating contest and at the head of the market is the Susannah Ricci-owned and Willie Mullins-trained Willy De Houelle, but it’s bizarre to see Joseph O’Brien’s NATURALLY NIMBLE trading at so much bigger than him.
A winner on the Flat over 1m2f, the son of Too Darn Hot produced a brilliant display on his second start over hurdles when defying odds of 33/1 to see off Willy De Houelle by a length and a half in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse over the extended 2m last time out.
There seemed to be no fluke about it either. Held up in rear early under Richie Deegan, the three-year-old made steady progress and, despite being hampered, forged to the front to see off the market leader.
This will be slightly tougher as Naturally Nimble will have a graded winner’s penalty to carry so he will have to give the favourite 3lb here, but there should only be further improvement to come from this lad.
Leopardstown Tips: 2.20 Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase
The feature extended 3m Grade 1 is set to be a thriller and it’s a race that Gordon Elliott will be licking his lips about as he sends BETTER DAYS AHEAD and potentially Croke Park to do battle.
Better Days Ahead saw off Waterford Whispers in the Martin Pipe handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival back in March and had to concede 7lb to that rival on the day, so it was a top performance.
The six-year-old son of Milan looked really good on his chasing bow when comfortably disposing of last season’s Supreme Novices’ winner Slade Steel at Navan last month over close to 2m5f.
A comfortable winner of his sole point, this lad was always going to make a fine chaser and the step up in trip holds no fears. He could take some beating, but would prefer if the heavens opened to make it as soft as possible.
Leopardstown Tips: 2.55 Racing Post Handicap Chase
This 2m1f handicap chase will be run at a frantic clip but it might be worth siding with last year’s winner, THE FOLKES TIARA, who arrives here in top form off the back of a win over 2m1f at Fairyhouse last time.
The eight-year-old son of Shirocco is 7lb higher than this time 12 months ago, but that’s more than reasonable and he was value for more than the half-length winning margin when scoring last time off 5lb lower.
Henry de Bromhead has triumphed in this contest four times since 2017 and he won it back-to-back with Tisamystery, so there’s no reason why The Folkes Tiara can’t do the same.
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