WITH THE PRESENCE of three odds-on shots on the opening day of the festival it’s not difficult to find some likely winners, but it may pay to look beyond the obvious for some value propositions. The festival opener, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, has an extremely open look to it this year. There is no outstanding […]
AS THE LEOPARDSTOWN Christmas Festival draws to a close, much of the interest has been lost in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle following the defection of antepost favourite Hurricane Fly. Last week’s rumours proved accurate as Willie Mullins declared himself unsatisfied with last year’s Champion Hurdle victor, leaving Thousand Stars as the yard’s only hope. While […]
The festive racing at Leopardstown continues on Wednesday as the Lexus Chase tops a quality card. The Grade One over three miles has been won by such racing legends as Denman, Beef or Salmon and Best Mate in the past decade, and while the 2011 renewal doesn’t boast such a superstar it promises to be […]
The Leopardstown Christmas Festival continues on Tuesday with a card that centres around the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase and favourite Big Zeb. Colm Murphy’s stable star bids to land a hat-trick in the Grade One over an extended two miles, and comes in to the race in as good form as ever. Despite turning 11 […]
If Christmas is a time of excess, then that is reflected in racing too as 12 meetings take place in Britain and Ireland on St Stephen’s Day. The main focus of attention will be limited to Leopardstown and of course Kempton; where one of the sport’s most significant races plays out in the form of […]
In recent years I have grown to accept the fact that every time I enjoy a few pints with my friends the initial friendly banter will inevitably end in a heated football argument. At one point the intensity of the debates caused some consternation in the group and led to lengthy silences and fraught relationships, […]
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