'He has a great chance off this weight' - Mullins on his Leinster National trio

Sunday: 4.40 Naas
BARONERACING.COM Leinster National Handicap Chase | 3m½f | 5yo+ | RTV

JP McManus was responsible for the 1-2-3 in this €100,000 highlight last year and fields a dangerous trio this time around that includes Champagne Platinum, who could have been an intriguing contender for next week's Kim Muir but instead heads to Naas.

Scoir Mear, now a 12-year-old, returns off just 3lb higher than when scoring by a decisive two lengths in this race last year, while Alfa Mix must have a live chance off just 10st 2lb if putting it all together.

Noel Meade and Gigginstown House Stud teamed up to land the prize two years ago with Cap York, and Thyestes Chase fourth Diol Ker is another with the potential to be well-handicapped if delivering a blemish-free round of jumping.

Diol Ker: live contender for Noel Meade and Gigginstown House StudCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Speaking of the Thyestes, Gowran runner-up Franco De Port will have to defy a 5lb rise and topweight if he's to go one better here.

Stablemate Class Conti, one of three in the race for Willie Mullins, can be hit and miss but was fourth in this contest last year and has the potential to outrun his price.

Stormy Judge brings some useful course form to the table and is bound to improve from his recent reappearance over hurdles, although trainer Pat Fahy has warned that we may not see a peak performance from the unexposed chaser.

Smith hoping switch back to fences can revive Ronald Pump

Four-time Grade 1 runner-up Ronald Pump is better known as a classy hurdler over mid-range to staying distances, but trainer Matthew Smith is hoping a return to fences could spark the 2020 Stayers' Hurdle second.

The €1,000 bargain buy is rated 147 over fences – 7lb lower than over hurdles – and will be partnered for the first time by 7lb claimer Liam McKenna.

After starting the campaign brightly when a second to Honeysuckle in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle for the second consecutive year, he is now set to make his fourth career start over fences having not sparkled in last three outings.

Ronald Pump: makes first start over fences since January 2020Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"He's in good order," said Smith. "We said we'd try a change of plan and go back over fences. He had a few hard races early on and they might have left a bit of a mark in subsequent runs, so we said we'd give this a go and see what happens."

Smith added: "We've done a lot of schooling with him over fences and he's jumping well. I'd be happy with him in that regard, and he seems in good form."

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Franco De Port, Class Conti and Stones And Roses
Franco De Port carries topweight, which is going to be very hard to do. The proper winter ground will suit him but he needs to show the sort of form that saw him finish second in the Thyestes Chase. It’s not ideal having this type of weight but he has an each-way chance. Class Conti disappointed in the Thyestes and it’s going to be tough for him to turn it around. I just hope Sean O’Keeffe gets a tune out of him. Stones And Roses has a great chance off this weight on the ground. He stays the trip, Brian Hayes has won on him before and I love having horses off this sort of weight on going like this.

Franco De Port: Grade 1-winning novice chaser last seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Enda Bolger, trainer of Champagne Platinum
He's been having a good season and will like the soft ground, that's his forte. He was given an entry for the Kim Muir, but the ground and the prize money swayed us to come here. He has a nice racing weight so we're hoping for a good run.

Pat Fahy, trainer of Stormy Judge
We're training him for the Irish National and it's probably a case that we're two or three weeks behind where we'd like to be with him, but he's in serious form and we know he likes the place. He'll come on for his last run over hurdles and schooled well during the week. If he was a bit more forward I'd be expecting him to run a very big race, but we are where we are and ultimately the Irish National is his big aim.

Eddie O'Leary, racing manager to Gigginstown House Stud, owners of Diol Ker, Defi Bleu and Torygraph
Sean [Flanagan] seems to get a good tune out of Diol Ker in terms of his jumping and I think he'll love the trip and the ground. He could have gone to Cheltenham but we decided to come here instead for this. Defi Bleu and Torygraph are similar in the sense that they're two big, idle types with good young riders on board.

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