Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Leopardstown Festival to paraphrase one of the songs on repeat on Christmas FM.

The action takes place from Thursday, December 26th, often a day for the younger crew to get dressed up and get together, through to Sunday, December 29th.

Morgan Treacy of Inpho is generally charged with producing great pictures at the track and in the preparation for the Festival. That is what he has done again this year on a visit to Gavin Cromwell’s yard.

The picture above is of Horse Racing Ireland Commercial Manager Vicki Donlon nuzzling up to Visionarian who is entered to run on the Friday of the meeting.

The Savills Chase on the Saturday is shaping up to be a real Christmas cracker as Galopin Des Champs, the defending champion, dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero and Ireland’s recently crowned Horse of the Year, features among a stellar cast of 21 who have been entered for the €175,000 showpiece.

The entries for all six Grade 1s at Leopardstown’s Christmas festival were revealed last week, as well as the Paddy Power Chase and the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle.

The fact that the first four home from the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown last month all feature in the Savills Chase mean it should be a race to savour. Indeed, seven of the eight runners from the John Durkan have been entered with the only omission being Journey With Me.

On that occasion it was Fact To File who made a seamless transition from novice to open company and shot to the summit of the Cheltenham Gold Cup market when mastering Galopin Des Champs after the last and then having enough in reserve to repel the late surge of Spillane’s Tower on the run-in.

It was in last year’s Savills Chase where Galopin Des Champs produced one of the greatest jumping displays of the modern era when beating Gerri Colombe by a staggering 23 lengths and both horses look set to lock horns again 12 months later.

The three-time Grade 1 winner Fastorslow has also been entered, while Corbetts Cross, Found A Fifty, Grand National winner I Am Maximus, King George hero Hewick and last season’s star novice Monty’s Star are other notable entries.

The other Grade 1 on December 28 is the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle over just shy of three miles. Stayers’ Hurdle hero Teahupoo and the hugely promising Brighterdaysahead are two of Gordon Elliott’s six entries in the race. Last season’s Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles for Tom Gibney also features among the 17 entries, as does Hewick.

 

 

SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

The Christmas Festival is a real tradition, drawing huge festive crowds to see the very best of Ireland’s National Hunt Horse go toe to toe. Leopardstown has upgraded its facilities to a significant degree over recent years and a day out is always great fun.

WHAT’S UP NEXT?

The racing takes place from St Stephen’s Day through to Sunday with tickets available in advance or on the day.

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Horse Racing Ireland as well as Leopardstown, The Curragh and the Galway Races are members of the Sport for Business community.

 

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