Leopardstown 26-29th December

Interesting what Robbie McNamara said about Mallowney for the Dial A Bet on The Final Furlong podcast yesterday

Lookslike Stan aint your Man Wonky..

I would be very keen on Foxrock myself. Be surprised if he started bigger than 9-2. Could be a momumental public plunge.

If Cham James runs  ,hes another to watch for , he had a nice gallop at Navan on Sunday ..

Agree Stan I backed him in play at Cork and he ran great race just beaten by Felix Yomger. I see De Bromhead still has 4 in it and Willie has 3. It must cut up to single figure field. I'm on at 21/1 would be hoping he will start around 7 or 8/1?

Day 1 decs in

WD again HENRY

Was down at the last fence for the PP ,and Ruby was screaming his dads horse home , something inside me was hoping it would get beat ..Noting against the owner , but the last two runs of this fellow stunk ...

Loved seeing Foxrock get turned over as well, notwithstanding all of the lads here who backed it. Something in me likes to see a hungry man not collect, felt like a winner almost.

Poor old Dessie. A total fking farce.

ATR have re-done the commentary for the replay.

I was there lads and it was quiet dark , the colours were very much alike in all fairness ,not a hard mistake to make given the hustle and bustle of the race ..People who either backed or laid it have only their selves to blame ....First point of betting or laying ,learn your colours...

Thicky , if you could only see the gobshyte you have become ,you'd hang your head in shame , pity your brain didn't grow as well as your body....

EOPARDSTOWN has covered take-off and landing sites on the chase course as it prepares for overnight frost and the potential for freezing fog on Sunday morning.


Clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said: "It's to drop to -4C and may be slow to clear tomorrow morning. We'll cover the fronts and backs of the fences and will be here in good time and do all we can."
Racing and operations manager Nessa Joyce added: "We're not overly concerned about the frost, but if we were to get a freezing fog it would slow down the thaw in the morning and that could be an issue."

The ground was heavy, soft in places on Saturday with fresh ground available on the hurdle course again on Sunday and Monday.

Attendance 17,025 (up 4,000 on 2013), Tote (€434,440) & bookmakers turnover (€1,050,965 as against €869,736 in '13) also up

The going for this afternoon's meeting at Leopardstown is Soft on the hurdles track and Soft to Heavy on the chase course.
There was no overnight rain or frost at the Co. Dublin course. There is fresh ground on the hurdles track both today and tomorrow.

Limerick report the going to be Heavy on the hurdle track and Soft to Heavy on the chase course. There is fresh ground on both tracks.

This afternoon's meeting at Leicester has been abandoned due to snow on the track.

Perhaps ATR will show the interview again in the morning...

9.15am:Racing Review Click to remote record this programme via Sky.comA chance to catch up with the best of yesterday's racing.

LEOP...
12.35 Vivelafrance/Ontheshannon
12.55 Windsor Park/Fortsmith/Royalcaviar.
13.25 Jezki.
2.00 Sirabbott/Peoplespark.
2.35 Fairytaletheatre/Princessleya,
3.05 Donpoli
3.35 Vigil (with Mr Finian Maguire (7) fresh from his first ever winner in Limerick yesterday !)



LEOP 12.35 - Handicap Steeplechase (Rated 0-123)

On The Shannon (11/4)in, Vive La France (4)out, Down Under (7)out, Knocklong (7)out, Behemoth (10)out, Pollywollydoodle (10)out

On the Shannon looks to have a big chance off his light weight.
He lost little in defeat when a length second behind the progressive Federici (touched off in a valuable pot at Limerick on Saturday) at Thurles
and a repeat performance might well see him go one better and that may look good enough for this with Shane Crimin's claim a bonus.
Vive La France has shown enough in his only two runs over fences to suggest that he could go close (though he has plenty of weight) on his handicap debut,
while Knocklong would have a chance if in the same kind of form as when a close third here in January and did run well 3rd over hurdles at Galway last August and may merit shortlist inclusion on his return to chasing duty.
Behemoth didn’t take up his engagement when the opportunity arose from second reserve in the Paddy Power Chase on Saturday, perhaps connections felt this was a better alternative ?
Painted Lady (made a successful debut over fences but hasn't progressed as expected) and Bearly Legal (who may find these conditions against him) are a couple of others to consider.

Forecast: Vive La France (AJM in great form, and won this last year) to beat Oliver Mc's On The Shannon for me.
(by a nose will do - and third time unlucky this week for Oliver McKiernan, two of his five runners here, over the last three days were beaten a nose).

No baw cmiuc

12.55 Windsor Park is going to be tough to beat on his long awaited debut over timber and can make a successful start, on Dermot Weld's double today.

LEOP 3.05 Top class 'cracking contest' novice chase... (obviously, as it's a Grade 1 ffs)

Don Poli (5/2), Mala Beach (4), Shanahans Turn (5), The Tullow Tank (11/2), Apache Stronghold (8), Lots Of Memories (21/2) , Very Wood (14)

Mullins had four entered here at the early stage and relies on Don Poli, looked a chasing prospect of the very highest order when brushing aside Wounded Warrior on his fencing bow at Gowran Park last month, producing a foot perfect round of jumping before powering clear in the closing stages on the heavy ground.

Lots of Memories was hugely impressive in winning last time out and looks good value here, has more on his plate today but it is hard to get away from the nature of his Navan success as he absolutely bolted in.
The collateral form line through Champagne James makes interesting reading, don't think he has much to find with those at the top of the market on that basis.
Step up to 3m is sure to suit and he looks to be improving.

The smart hurdler Shanahan's Turn won a Punchestown Grade 2 in very impressive fashion and he's another to consider.

Apache Stronghold was no match for Valseur Lido in the Drinmore but still ran well to finish a clear second.

Mala Beach is upped to his ideal trip of three miles now and in the testing conditions may be able to out stay most of his rivals although The Tullow Tank (dual Grade 1 winning novice hurdler) has already taken his scalp, before disappointing on his last start at Fairyhouse (tests found a lung infection).

The betting will be just as interesting as the racing spectacle but as of now it's Don Poli to prevail over TTT on his way to Cheltenham success !