Leopardstown today announced a strong set of entries for the re-scheduled MCR Hurdle meeting set to be run at Leopardstown this Saturday as part of a two-day feast of top class racing at the Foxrock track with Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle Day on the Sunday.

The MCR Hurdle has lost little in terms of strength through the re-scheduling of the race. The Gerard Keane-trained Steviemac, a significant market mover in the week before the original date, has stood his ground. The son of Accordion, winner of three handicap hurdles in November and December, has seen his handicap rating rise from 87 at the start of November to his current mark of 116, but he is lightly raced over hurdles and he continues to improve.

Another lightly-raced sort is Cockleshell Road from the Edward O’Grady yard. Winner of his maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day last year, the son of Sinndar has run just once this season to date, when he finished sixth behind Thousand Stars in a handicap hurdle back at Fairyhouse at the end of November. The Ballynonty trainer is also represented by Fen Game, sixth in the race last year and a game winner over hurdles on his latest run at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins has entered five, including Thousand Stars, up 8lb for winning that handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse, and Tawaagg, who won on his latest start over hurdles at the Galway Festival, and has since won his maiden on the flat and finished sixth in the November Handicap at Leopardstown. Robert Tyner has entered the 2007 winner Spring The Que and Noel Meade is triple-handed via Sweet Wake, Arch Rebel and Asigh Pearl, while there is a four-strong entry from Jessica Harrington, who won the race in 2006 with Studmaster.

The supporting card includes the Grade 2 MCR Novice Chase, which has attracted some high class novices including Roberto Goldback, Jered, Apt Approach and Dancing Tornado, and the Leopardstown Handicap Chase, in which last year’s Racing Post Chase winner, the Tom George-trained Nacarat, could make the trip from the UK to take on some of the top handicap chasers in Ireland.

Tom Burke General Manager at Leopardstown said: - "The entries for Saturday’s meeting look set to provide a great start to a fantastic weekend of racing at Leopardstown. Currently the ground is described as ‘Heavy’ with favourable weather conditions forecast for the remainder of the week."