Leopardstown lovers and loathers: pointers for the Christmas festival

The Leopardstown Christmas festival kicks off on December 26 and the four-day meeting features eight Grade 1s. Here are leading contenders who have flopped or fired at Foxrock.

LEOPARDSTOWN LOVERS

Apple's Jade
Leopardstown form figures: 11
Leopardstown entries: Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle, Ryanair Hurdle

An unbeaten track record at Leopardstown consists of a last-gasp success over Jer's Girl in the Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle and a similarly late surge in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle last December, when she collared Supasundae close home.

Apple's Jade (left) sets off in pursuit of Jer's Girl in the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in December 2015Credit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Leopardstown form figures: 11
Leopardstown entry: Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle

We have yet to see the imposing son of Stowaway over hurdles but his two bumper appearances at Leopardstown were very easy on the eye. He made a winning racecourse debut at the track last Christmas and supplemented that success with a Grade 2 victory during the Dublin Racing Festival, when he disposed of Rhinestone and Brace Yourself. Could be top-class over hurdles and the Foxrock track might be the place to bring out the best in him.

Blackbow gallops to victory at Leopardstown during the Dublin Racing FestivalCredit: Patrick McCann

Footpad
Leopardstown form figures: 314211
Leopardstown entry: Paddy's Rewards Club 'Sugar Paddy' Chase

Registered his first Grade 1 win at the venue when landing the Spring Juvenile Hurdle in February 2016, where he had subsequent Triumph Hurdle winner Ivanovich Gorbatov back in fourth. Flew home to take second in the Irish Champion Hurdle the following year and his two Grade 1 victories over fences – by a combined total of 16 lengths – came at Leopardstown before he went on to win the Racing Post Arkle at Cheltenham. It seems Footpad is better at Leopardstown than anywhere else.

Leopardstown form figures: 11
Leopardstown entry: Paddy's Rewards Club 'Sugar Paddy' Chase

Two Leopardstown runs, two Leopardstown wins. The fiery front-runner was a winner over hurdles at the track in 2016 and produced a breathtaking performance to beat Don't Touch It, Woodland Opera and Identity Thief in a 2m1f novice chase at the venue in March of last year, when Jody McGarvey defied gravity to stay on board after over-jumping the last fence. His extravagant leaps would certainly suit Leopardstown's back straight provided his recent Cork spill has had no ill-effects.

Jody McGarvey performs a miracle to stay on Great Field to preserve the horse's unbeaten record at LeopardstownCredit: Alain Barr

Min
Leopardstown form figures: 121
Leopardstown entry: Paddy's Rewards Club 'Sugar Paddy' Chase

Min has passed the post first in all three of his Leopardstown outings but was demoted to second in last season's Paddy's Rewards Club Chase after interfering with Simply Ned after the last. His 2016 victory in the Racing Post Novice Chase was flawless, while his 12-length success over Simply Ned in the Coral Dublin Chase in February earned an RPR of 175.

Min: earned an RPR of 175 when winning at Leopardstown in FebruaryCredit: Caroline Norris

Shattered Love
Leopardstown form figures: 1
Leopardstown entry: Savills Chase

The imposing mare has graced the Leopardstown turf only once in her career but what a display that was as she beat the boys in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase last Christmas. Going left-handed on a tough jumping track like Leopardstown is just her cup of tea and she should not be underestimated in the Savills Chase.

Leopardstown form figures: 32312
Leopardstown entry: Paddy's Rewards Club "Sugar Paddy" Chase

Although there has been only one successful voyage to south Dublin, Simply Ned simply saves his best for Leopardstown. The joint-highest RPR of his career was achieved after being awarded the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase in the stewards' room last February following an epic battle with Min. He chased Flemenstar home in the 2015 running of the same race and has never been out of the first three in five visits to Leopardstown.

LEOPARDSTOWN LOATHERS

Bellshill
Leopardstown form figures: 23F
Leopardstown entry: Savills Chase

He has been to Leopardstown three times, and three times he has been beaten at odds of 7-4 or shorter. Unable to overcome Vigil in a bumper in 2014, Bellshill was beaten 18 lengths into third by Bleu Et Rouge when 4-6 favourite for the Deloitte Novice Hurdle in 2016 and fell at the last when out of contention in the Flogas Novice Chase in 2017, a race for which he started 6-5 favourite.

Bellshill: beaten three times in three visits to LeopardstownCredit: Alain Barr

Pairofbrowneyes
Leopardstown form figures: 630
Leopardstown entry: Paddy Power Chase

The ante-post favourite for the Paddy Power Chase has yet to excel around Leopardstown. When in the care of Liz Doyle he was sixth of 24 in a 2m handicap hurdle in January 2015 and third of 18 in a similar contest the following month, both off marks of 120. On his final start for Barry Murphy before joining Willie Mullins, he was tenth of 18, beaten 20 lengths, in a 2m1f handicap chase in December 2017 off a mark of 138. He is now rated 147 over fences.

Pairofbrowneyes and Paul Townend on their way to victory in the Leinster NationalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Presenting Percy
Leopardstown form figure: 5
Leopardstown entry: Savills Chase

It is a very small sample pool and his form has soared since his sole appearance, but it is worth noting the ante-post Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite was only fifth in a 3m handicap hurdle in 2016 off a very lenient mark of 129 on his only visit to Leopardstown.

Philip Reynolds on Presenting Percy's lameness: 'I'm hoping it’s not too serious.'Credit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

Voix Du Reve
Leopardstown form figures: 89
Leopardstown entry: Racing Post Novice Chase

Both of Voix Du Reve's trips to Leopardstown have been bitterly disappointing. At last year's Christmas meeting he was eighth of 29 in a 3m handicap hurdle off a mark of 144, and he was ninth of 16 in a similar event off the same mark at the Dublin Racing Festival in February.

Voix Du Reve and Paul Townend jump the last to win Craddockstown Novice Chase at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Special Tiara
Leopardstown form figures: 53
Leopardstown entry: Paddy's Rewards Club 'Sugar Paddy' Chase

The 2017 Champion Chase hero has never won around Leopardstown. Indeed he has never even come close to scoring in two starts at the venue. He was beaten 12 and a half lengths by Min in the Dublin Chase in February and was fifth of six, beaten 26 lengths by Savello, in a novice chase at the track in 2013.

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