Leopardstown Sunday Preview - 27/12/20

The first race of the day at Leopardstown is the three year old maiden hurdle over two miles and the horse that catches the eye is Flying Scotsman for Joseph O'Brien.

The gelding was a smart horse on the flat winning his last two races at Galway over a mile and then in November he was sent over hurdles for the first time.

He made his debut in a decent event at Punchestown and finished fifth behind some promising types, but it was a real learning experience for the youngster.

Last time out he showed improvement to finish third in a similar and we are hoping that he can come on again and break his maiden tag.

Klassical Dream for Willie Mullins is our selection in the Beginners Chase with the gelding making his debut over fences and looking to possibly be a new star over the bigger obstacles.

He came to life two seasons ago being unbeaten on all four of his starts landing three consecutive Grade One contests in the process.

The gelding started that season off at Leopardstown in a 20 runner maiden where he cruised to victory and from that day stamped his authority on the two mile novice hurdling division.

He landed three consecutive Grade one contests throughout the season starting in February at Leopardstown at the Dublin racing festival.

He then headed to the Cheltenham festival and hacked up in the Supreme Novices Hurdle enjoying the soft conditions and to round off his season he took the Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown festival.

Last term he was not as good, coming out of novice company and struggling when unplaced on both his outings in the Grade One Morgiana and Matheson Hurdle.

Mullins will be hoping that the switch to fences can see him find his form of old and if doing so could be a very smart horse again.

The feature race of the day is the Grade One Paddy's Rewards Club Chase over 2m1f and Chacun Pour Soi should take some beating if fully wound up for the contest.

The eight year old has only had four starts for the handler since joining from France back in December 2016 but has shown plenty of ability on all of his runs just losing his unbeaten record last season.

Having not raced since March 2016 he went to Naas for his first run in nearly exactly three years in a Beginners Chase and showed a perfect temperament to take the spoils by 31 lengths.

He was then sent to the Punchestown festival with many punters still unaware of the ability of this horse and he gave one of the stand out performances of the meeting, beating the Arkle Novices Chase winner Duc Des Genievres and JLT Novices Chase victor Defi Du Seuil to land the Grade One Ryanair Novices Chase.

He made his seasonal debut last season over Christmas at Leopardstown in this Grade One Chase against some superb horses and although looking like he had the race wrapped up he found nothing when coming off the bridle and was pipped close home.

He came on a huge amount for that run and got back to winning ways in the Grade One Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival, beating stablemate Min.

The gelding made his seasonal return at Cork at the start of December and although not impressive he still landed the Grade Two Hilly Way Chase in workman like fashion.

We are hoping that this year he can land the event, being fitter and sharper for the blow out at Cork which should have put him spot on for this.

Another cracking race on Sunday at Leopardstown is the Future Champions Novice Hurdle over two miles and it sees a superb clash between Ballyadam and Appreciate It.

We are going with the latter for Willie Mullins with the star always destined for greatness having finished third in his first point to point behind the impressive Envoi Allen.

He ran in four bumpers last term, finishing third on his rules debut at Fairyhouse but since then he has turned into a different animal.

He bolted up at Christmas at Leopardstown in a two and half mile bumper not seeing a rival for the last two furlongs.

At the same track he landed a Grade Two in the same form as his other win and he then went to the Cheltenham festival where he was a narrow second behind stablemate Ferny Hollow in the Grade One Champion Bumper.

Mullins has stepped him up to hurdles this season and on debut was comfortable winner at Cork and that form has been franked with the second placed horse since going on to win.

He will need to be on top form taking on Ballyadam who has since gone on to win a Grade One last time out but for us Appreciate it is the horse to beat.

The final event of the afternoon at Leopardstown is the bumper over 2m4f and Reality Cheque for Willie Mullins is a horse with bundles of talent.

The five year old bounced onto the racing scene having won in a point to point at the second time of asking by five lengths and was then given to Mullins.

He made his rules debut at Fairyhouse in November and finished a good second behind a nice type for Noel Meade.

Today he is being stepped up in trip which should bring more improvement out of the gelding.