Sizing Europe on Track for Opening Day Leopardstown Cracker

St Stephen’s Day at Leopardstown, the first day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, is shaping up to be a top class day’s racing with some of the most exciting novice chasers in the country set to clash in the feature event, the Grade 1 Bord Na Mona With Nature Novices’ Chase.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Sizing Europe has had this race on his radar since he won the Craddockstown Chase at Punchestown last month. The 2008 Irish Champion Hurdle winner has looked very good in winning all three of his starts over fences to date, but this will be his first attempt in Grade 1 company over the larger obstacles.

Trainer Eddie Harty reports Captain Cee Bee to be well and on track for the race. JP McManus’s gelding, an impressive winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March 2008, was off the track for 20 months before he returned in a good beginners’ chase at Naas two weeks ago and, on ground that was softer than ideal, jumped well and battled on well to beat Zaarito.

The Edward O’Grady-trained Osana also holds an entry. Runner-up in the 2008 Champion Hurdle when trained by David Pipe, the son of Video Rock has hardly put a foot wrong this season so far, winning both of his starts over fences, the latest by 12 lengths at Naas 12 days ago. The Willie Mullins-trained Sports Line, impressive winner of his only start to date over fences at Navan last month, is also entered, as is the Tom Mullins-trained Fosters Cross in what is shaping up to be a fascinating contest.

It is another Edward O’Grady horse, Alaivan, who heads the entries for the Grade 2 Inforthenight.ie Juvenile Hurdle on the same day. The son of Kalanisi, like Osana, owned by Thomas Barr and winner of a listed race on the flat at Roscommon for John Oxx and Michael Kinane last July, was most impressive at Gowran Park last Friday on his debut over hurdles, and is already as short as 6/1 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

The feature race on the second day of the four-day festival, Sunday 27^th , the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase, could see Big Zeb bid to land back-to-back runnings of the race, although trainer Colm Murphy has sounded a note of caution this morning that the Oscar gelding is not a certain runner, venturing that the race may come too soon after a disappointing run in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown 12 days ago.

The Tom Cooper-trained Forpadydeplasterer, runner-up to Twist Magic in that Tingle Creek, could take his chance as long as the ground is not too soft, while other notable entries include Tranquil Sea, winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November, and Golden Silver, impressive winner of the Hilly Way Chase at Cork last Sunday.

All of the main protagonists have stood their ground at the latest forfeit stage for the Paddy Power Chase, also on Sunday, with the Tony Martin-trained Lochan Lacha shortening slightly at the top of the betting from 8/1 to 7/1 with the sponsors.

Leopardstown General Manager Mr. Tom Burke said; - "We are delighted with the entries for the first two days and we look forward to some superb races at this year’s Festival. Currently the ground is ‘soft’ and Met Éireann tell us that the cold conditions are to continue until Christmas."