Leopardstown & Limerick – Tuesday 28th December

There are times where Horse Racing will continue to test your patience and despite not being far off the mark with our selections for today, we left with not much to show for it. In fact, there were three seconds and a third from the five selections, so it is hopefully a piece of luck that will turn for us sooner rather than later. The fortunate part of the racing at the moment is that there are always opportunities to put things right, and we will attempt to do so on this third day of the Christmas Festival. 

Starting at Leopardstown and the 1.10 race, which is the 3m Pertemps Qualifier and is often the case with these types of races, you are very unsure about what horses might be put into the race and what horse might not be. However, with the majority of bookmakers paying out six places, and the majority of connections wanting to finish in the top six, means we should have some chance. The topweight, Gentlemansgame is a fascinating contender for this race and perhaps might be a cut above these rivals off an opening mark of 143. We have yet to see him this year but his novice form from last year would entitle him to a lot of respect and I am somewhat surprised that he didn’t turn up for the Grade 1 event on the card 40 minutes later. He is a classy individual and if fully wound up, could well be involved in the business end of this race. At a price of 12/1 with Paddy Power, who pay out six places, he should run well. 

The other horse to have a strong look at in this race is Coventry, who represents connections who used this race as a fine stepping stone for Mrs Milner last season. Coventry has had a solid summer of action, when second at Galway two starts back, he was only just beaten a head and he ran a perfectly reasonable race in sixth last time out on his first start at this trip. He should have come forward for that effort again and Bryan Cooper is a great booking as he seems to get the best out of this horse. He is still nicely handicapped and if connections are spying a potential stab at the final of this race in March, he will have to be bang there tomorrow. He’s 25/1 with Paddy Power and is also an each way bet. 

The Grade 1 over the same course and distance as that race is the 1.45 race and will be fascinating from a viewing standpoint alongside a betting one. Despite not being his biggest fan to date, I am quite keen on Flooring Porter in this race, who has Danny Mullins on board. He is an awkward conveyance at the best of times, but don’t let that deter you from the amount of ability this horse has and he will be quite straightforward in terms of race tactics. He has it prove against Klassical Dream based on direct Punchestown form, but it is probably wrong to look into that form with too hard an eye, and this will be a much bigger test of the former’s credentials. Flooring Porter is a price of 11/4 with Paddy Power, which I think is worth availing of. 

Down in Limerick, they have another tough card on heavy ground and you need horses that are going to stand up in these types of conditions. The 12.20 race is the opening 2m maiden hurdle and I like the look of the unexposed Gatsby Grey, who brings any amount of promise to the table having won a bumper for the Queallys last year. He beat The Carpenter, who looks like a horse of significant ability, and he has been bought by current connections for good money to go jumping. He won that bumper at Navan on the testing ground, so the stamina should not be the issue and if taking to his task on hurdle debut, he should go very well. Connections have not had a winner for a while, but they have had plenty running well – so this might be the horse that breaks the duck. At a price of 6/1 with Bet365, he is an each way bet. 

The 2.40 race is the feature race on the day and is the famous Tim Duggan Handicap Chase and looks a typically competitive field for this contest. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see how Ten Ten would fare in today’s Paddy Power, with connections going for this option instead, which does seem to suit this horse given he is a strong finisher over 2m4f. He is going to this race fresh and it’s hard to not assume that connections have been plotting their way to try and get a big pot into this horse over the next few starts. His form from last year reads very well and he should take some stopping in this race, despite its competitive field. At a price of 11/2 with SkyBet, who offer 5 places, he is another each way bet. 

And the final selection of the day comes from Limerick and the 3.10 race, which is a 3m handicap hurdle with 17 runners going to post. Sometimes some horses can fall in love with running at Limerick on heavy ground over Christmas and I am hoping that’s the case with Itsnotinit – who won on this exact card last year in a common canter. He has risen plenty in the weights since that run, but the way in which he won that day would have outlined him as a horse to stay on side with over the next few starts at Limerick. He returns to the same card after a pipe-opener last month and should be fit and ready to do himself some justice. He’s 15/2 with Paddy Power, who offer 5 places, and is another each way bet.