Leopardstown Tips for Sunday 28th December

Last Updated on 28/12/2025 by Andy Clark

More classy jumps racing action goes to post on Sunday, with day three of the Leopardstown Festival offering up more Grade One action with the Christmas Hurdle and the Savills Chase sharing the spotlight on another unmissable day at the Foxrock track.

Sunday’s third day is a seven-race card, and Irish TV punters can see the best of the day’s racing action on RTE2, who will have four races live, including both Grade One feature contests.

1:20 Leopardstown – Ballymaloe Relish Rising Stars Beginners Chase (4yo+) 2m5½f

KOKTAIL DIVAN (SP) might be the one to side with in the first RTE2 televised race, and Henry De Bromhead’s charge can get off the mark at the third attempt over fences.

A winner of a hurdles race here back in March, the Masked Marvel gelding subsequently finished a very good fourth in a Grade One at Aintree, and there was a lot to like about his chase debut at Down Royal in October when chasing home Romeo Coolio.

That winner has won twice since at Grade One level, including here on Boxing Day, and he had reopposing Patter Merchant well beaten back in third that day. He subsequently built on that promising first try over fences when upped to three miles at Punchestown in the Florida Pearl Chase, finishing runner-up having travelled best into the straight but perhaps just failing to last home.

Back down in trip for this latest run could prove a good move, and with the likelihood of more to come from him over the larger obstacles, he can register a first chase win here.

1:55 Leopardstown – Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) 2m7½f

BALLYBURN (6/4) showed a return to hurdling was no issue when denied only by a nose by reopposing Teauphoo at Fairyhouse last month in the Hattons Grace Hurdle, and Willie Mullins’ charge can exact revenge for that defeat.

A three-time winner over hurdles during the 2023/24 season, which featured wins here, Cheltenham and Punchestown, the Flemensfirth gelding spent last season over fences where he won twice, including a Grade One at this venue, before rounding off his campaign by chasing home Champ Kiely at Punchestown in April.

His reappearance at Fairyhouse was a solid run, coming from further back than ideal and just failing to overhaul the eventual winner. Both will be suited by this extra yardage, but drying ground is likely to suit the Closutton inmate more and assuming Paul Townend can get him settled early to conserve his stamina, then he should go close.

2:30 Leopardstown – Savills Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) 3m½f

Galopin Des Champs has won the last two renewals of this contest, but on both occasions, he had had the benefit of a prior run, which isn’t the case this time around. He’s tasted defeat on each of his last two seasonal debuts, so Willie Mullins’ star chaser could prove vulnerable.

With that in mind, it may pay to look towards the John Durkan Chase form where FASTORSLOW (4/1) had Inothewayurthinkin and Lecky Watson both behind when that trio finished out with the washing behind Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File; Martin Brassil’s charge can improve for that outing and confirm that form as well as take this Grade One prize.

The Saint Des Saints gelding doesn’t have too many miles on the clock as a chaser, and he has scored a win over Galopin Des Champs previously when besting that rival at the third attempt in the 2024 Punchestown Gold Cup. He raced just once last term, so probably needed his reappearance over a clearly inadequate trip at Punchestown last month, and he ought to prove a different proposition now he’s blown the cobwebs away, and his race-fitness could tip the scales in his favour, taking on his old rival again.

A few of these rivals like to go forward, so there’s every likelihood of this being run at a decent pace, which will suit Martin Brassil’s star, and he can go close here as he bids to kickstart his career again at the top level.

3:05 Leopardstown – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier) (4yo+) 2m7½f

This race is usually worth plenty of interest as a precursor to the Cheltenham Festival Pertemps Final, and MILLSTREAM LADY (SP) could be worth siding with given the Artic Cosmos mare arrives in good form, and Eric McNamara’s charge can make her presence felt once more.

Already a dual-winner this term, scoring wins at Killarney and Limerick, she has filled the frame in her two other starts at Listowel and Punchestown latest. Her Limerick victory came in a Listed contest where she beat World Of Fortunes, and there was no disgrace in coming off second best, latest to Staffordshire Knot, who has won again since.

She’s only up 1lb for that latest near-miss, which leaves her still potentially well-treated, especially with a good 7lbs claimer up and versatile both trip and ground-wise, she can give a good account of herself, for this is highly competitive fare she finds herself in.