ROMEO'S ON FIRE

Eliott's Coolio looks too classy in the Grade One feature at Leopardstown

- BRIAN FLANAGAN

A carnival of Christmas racing begins at Leopardstown today with the first of four festive meetings taking place at the south county Dublin venue.

Leopardstown at Christmas is a special occasion on the Irish sporting calendar and the track is expecting 70,000 over the fowur days with seven Grade One races scheduled.

Today's feature, the Racing Post Novice Chase, lost its Grade One status in recent years, but it’s been reinstated at the top table and today’s lineup sees a deep field compete for the €60,000 first prize.

Its essentially an Arkle trial but you have to go back to 2017 and Footpad to find the last horse to win this and go on to be successful at Cheltenham in March.

12.05-TRI Equestrian M´dn Hurdle

THE first of two very informative maiden hurdles and a race won by subsequent Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes twelve months ago.

BALLYFAD cost €175,000 having won a point-to-point and has gone on to win two bumpers for the Gordon Elliott (below) and Gigginstown team. He's not flashy but his win at Punchestown last month saw him concede weight to his rivals and it was a good performance and probably sets the standard here.

Mullins' Leader D'allier is very much the unknown having his first run on these shores since arriving from France. He won at Vichy 160 days ago and betting should give a good indication of how strongly he's fancied.

SELECTION: BALLYFAD

Next best: Leader D'allier

12.35 - Thorntons Recycling M´dn H'dle

TYSON FURY looks a fascinating recruit to hurdling for Denis Hogan and a chance is taken on him to be too good for the likely Willie Mullins-trained favourite Doctor Du Mesnil.