Leopardstown Christmas meeting ends today

the two big Irish Christmas meetings at Leopardstown and Limerick both end today, with by far the best card at the former track, where the main event is the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at 14.55 CET. The race has lost some of its allure with the news that Champion Hurdler Hurricane Fly, who won last year. will not run, but trainer Willie Mullins seems to have an excellent deputy in the shape of Thousand Stars (Ruby Walsh). The grey was an easy winner of the French champion hurdle over 3 miles but is equally effective at today´s much shorter distance. Voler la Vedette (Colm Murphy/ Andrew Lynch) won here yesterday and we cannot imagine that she will turn out again, so the obvious danger now appears to be Unaccompanied (Dermot Weld/ Paul Townend), who as a 4yo filly receives 10 lbs from the other runners and looks a typical dual purpose horse from this high class stable. She was a listed winner on the flat and over hurdles was runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle and can give Thousand Stars plenty to think about. The rest should not really play any part, but The Real Article (Edward O´Grady/ Barry Geraghty) and Oscars Well (Jessica Harrington/ Robbie Power) can fight it out for third place.
Walsh can also win the grade 3 mares hurdle at 14.25 on Paul Nolan´s Golden Sunbird, while the beginners chase half an hour earlier has also attracted a good field. Hidden Cyclone (Shark Hanlon/ J McNamara) is the one beat here, he has won 6 of his 7 races, but the German-bred Shot from the Hip (O´Grady/ Mark Walsh) looks a dangerous opponent; both of them are running for the first time since winning a big race in the spring. Another German-bred we like here is Catch Me (O´Grady/ McNamara) in the big handicap hurdle at 15.30, but with 26 runners this is very difficult. Prince Erik (Weld/ Davy Condon) won this last year and should go close again, but there are plenty of possibilities here.
The British cards today are all of much lower standard, but we expect Willie Amos to have a good day at Kelso. He saddles Lie Forrit in the novice chase at 13.30 - only 3 runners here but all last-time-out winners- Bobs Dream in the handicap chase at 14.35 and Vivona Hill in the handicap hurdle at 15.10, all partnered by Campbell Gillies, while Eurohunter (Lucy Alexander) also has a chance in the handicap hurdle at 15.20, and it will be disappointing if he does not leave with course without a winner or two.
At Doncaster, Harry the Viking (Paul Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob) and Graduation Night (Jamie Snowden/ Tom O´Brien) clash in the handicap chase over 3 1/ 4 miles at 14.45; they are both unbeaten in 3 starts this season, but the lightly-weighted Lively Baron (Donald McCain/ Jason Maguire) can upstage them both. Trainer and jockey can follow up with A Bridge too Far in the handicap hurdle at 15.20.

Betting forecast Leopardstown:
1. Race: Glam Gerry - Noble Commander - Torre Del Greco
2. Race: Hidden Cyclone - Shot From The Hip - Stonemaster
3. Race: Magen`S Star - Golden Sunbird - Oilily
4. Race: Thousand Stars - Unaccompanied - Voler La Vedette
5. Race: Sweet My Lord - Tillahow - Rourke`S Cross
6. Race: Star Neuville - Vesper Bell - Shrapnel
7. Race: Sands Cove - Mumbo Jumbo - Van Diemens Land