Leopardstown reports inch of rain on Saturday has left track in great shape

Leopardstown was hit with an inch of rain on Saturday, a timely downpour which has left the track in tremendous condition for the Christmas festival, according to the course's chief executive, Pat Keogh.

After a prolonged dry spell there have been concerns that the surface might be too dry for several big names to take their chance.

But according to Keogh if the meeting were to start tomorrow it would be on yielding, good to yielding in places on the chase course and yielding, yielding to soft in places on the hurdle track.

Keogh said on Monday: "The track is in lovely condition at the moment. We received an inch of rain on Saturday and that was very welcome.

He added: "I was looking back through the records from last year this morning and the Savills Chase was run on yielding ground and the Ryanair Hurdle on soft ground so we are looking at similar conditions this time around.

"The groundstaff here at Leopardstown do a terrific job and the fact that this will be our first National Hunt meeting of the season is a great help as it ensures we have the best possible ground.

"It has been a funny old year. Usually you are hoping for a dry spell ahead of Christmas but this time it has been the other way around. It's December, though, and you can always guarantee plenty of rain in December."

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