Leopardstown today

As is usual on a Sunday, the best racing today is in Ireland, although - with Cheltenham aroiund the corner- there are no Grade One events on the Leopardstown card. The most interesting event is the Ballsbridge Hurdle over 2 1/4 miles at 15.40 CET, where horses with wildly differing record are entered, including top chaser Forpadydeplasterer (Tom and Bryan Cooper), famous for his run of second places in the top races, inclding Cheltenham´s Champion Chase. He has not run over hurdles for 5 years and is being aimed at the Grand National, and is a most unlikely winner here. German-bred Noble Prince (Paul Nolan/ Davy Russell) is also better known as a chaser- winner at Cheltenham in 2011- and is coming off a break, but looks a good each-way shot, while Won in the Dark (Sabrina Harty/ Danny Mullins) is a CD specialist who won this race in 2010. However the one to beat is surely Blackstairmountain for the all-conquering Willie Mullins- Ruby Walsh team. This versatile performer is e qually proficient on the flat, over hurdles and over fences and is being prepared for the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan, the world´s richest jumps race. In terms of ratings, he is no good thing here, but we still expect him to win with authority.

The bumper at 18.10 is another fascinating contest. Grecian Tiger (Dermot Weld/ Robbie McNamara) was odds-on to score on his debut at Naas in January; he was not overly impressive in landing the odds but is still regarded as a major prospect and this better ground will suit. Three of today´s opponents, all receiving 7 lbs, ran in a similar race at Punchestown 11 days ago, with Ange Balafre (Noel Meade/Nina Carberry) running on well for second place. However we can certainly expect a much better performance now from Aidan O´Brien´s pair, Shield (Kate Harrington) and the very well-bred Egyptian Warrior (with the trainer´s daughter Sarah), who finished fourth and fifth.

The racing at the two British tracks, Huntingdon and Sedgefield, is at a lower level, although we are hoping for two successes for ex-German horses at the former track. Lyssio (Jim Best/ Jamie Moore) makes his hurdling debut at 14.30 and was probably the best in this field on his flat form, while Engai (David Bridgwater/ Tom Phelan), already twice a runner-up this year, has an obvious each-way chance in the handicap hurdle at 17.30. Flat form does not always work out over hurdles, but we shall be surprised of Darley Sun (John Ferguson/ Denis O´Regan) fails to win the maiden hurdle over 2 1/2 miles at 18.00; he was a top stayer on the flast- winning the Cesarewitch in 2009- and was a close third on his hurdling debut at Market Rasen, when his jumping was not fluent. He hope that his team has got that problem ironed out, and his only realistic opponent is Shernando (Nicky Henderson/ Tony McCoy), also decent on the flat, who has been placed twice over hurdles and was last time r unner-up in a jumpers bumper.