Plenty of Cheltenham clues at Leopardstown

Today´s Leopardstown card, including several top races carried forward from last week´s abandoned meeting, should provide plenty of clues for Cheltenham´s N.H. festival, which starts 3 weeks on Tuesday. Unfortunately the Grade One novice hurdle at 15.15 CET has been severely weakened by the news that likely favourite Hurricane Fly is lame and will miss the race. However his trainer Willie Mullins has a strong substitute in Cousin Vinny (Paul Townend), and Pandorama (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry) looks easily the best of his 3 opponents. The main feature is the Grade One Hennessy Conac Gold Cup at 16.50 with 6 runners, with Neptune Collonges (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh) the warm favourite. He was third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but fell when still leading here at Christmas in the Lexus Chase, where The Listener (Nick Williams/ Andrew McNamara) was an early faller. He has a good record here, while Notre Pere (Jim Dreaper/ Andrew Lynch), winner of the Welsh Grand National last ti me, looks the best of the Irish hopes. The Grade One novice chase at 15.45 looks quite open. Trafford Lad (Eamonn Sheehy/ Tom Doyle) finished well in front of Tranquil Sea (Edward O´Grady/ AndrewMcNamara) in November, but had been behind him earlier while Cooldine (Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh) and Forpadydeplasterer (Tom Cooper/ Barry Geraghty) are also serious contenders. Mourad (Mullins/ Walsh) and Jumbo Rio (O´Grady/ McNamara) fought out a furious finish at Punchestown last time, which ended with a short-head victory but subsequent disqualification for Jumbo Rio. Now they meet again in the Grade Two 4yo hurdle at 14.10, but possibly Ebadiyan (Oliver Brady/ Joe Cullen), third then but an impressive winner of his last 2 races, could now prove too strong for the both of them.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Ebadiyan - Mourad - Jumbo Rio
2. Race: Shirley Casper - Coscorrig - Savitha
3. Race: Hurricane Fly - Cousin Vinny - Pandorama
4. Race: Cooldine - Trafford Lad - Forpadydeplasterer
5. Race: Kennel Bridge - Flag Of Honour - Splurge
6. Race: Neptune Collonges - Notre Pere - The Listener
7. Race: Carronhills - Lydon House - Agus A Vic
8. Race: Sicilian Secret - Residencia - Chargen