Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle Tips & Betting Preview

RACE TIP: Apple’s Jade to Win (1/1)

IN SUMMARY:  A classy renewal as expected and one that ought to go to APPLE’S JADE who goes from strength to strength and can shrug off the step up in trip, and may even improve for it. She is quite clearly the one to beat though it would be good to see a big run form Jezki as well who ought to be a lot happier at this trip than last time out over two miles.

1 JEZKI – Now aged nine, Jessica Harrington’s grand servant has won a total of fifteen of his twenty-eight starts and close to a million pounds in prize money, with the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March 2014 the obvious highlight. Last time out he finished a distant sixteen lengths second to Faugheen at Punchestown but finds them a bit too quick for him over two miles these days, and stepped up in trip here he may well do considerably better, though a win may be beyond him.

2 LIEUTENANT COLONEL – One of the outsiders in this field and every chance he will be making the pace for stable companion Apple’s Jade this afternoon. A decent enough hurdler in his own right, he did win this race on 2014 when beating Jetson by half a length but this looks a far stronger renewal on paper at least, and he will need a lot more than his fourth to Monksland at Thurles last time out when beaten over thirteen lengths in a far weaker contest.

3 NICHOLS CANYON – Nine wins and eight places after just the nineteen starts over hurdles and a big big player in this line up for the very much in-form Willie Mullins stable. One run this season saw the seven-year-old finish nine lengths adrift of Apple’s Jade at Fairyhouse and as they meet on the same terms here that form should be confirmed unless he improves more than expected for the run, or connections try different tactics.

4 SUPASUNDAE – Finished ten and three-quarter lengths behind Apple’s Jade and a length and three-quarters behind Nichols Canyon at Fairyhouse and meets them on the same terms here, but ought to be a lot happier back at three miles than he was over the twenty furlongs that day. Sure to strip fitter after his first run in eight months and could be the surprise package here if there are any chinks in the favourite’s armour.

5 BAPAUME – Presumably the Willie Mullins second string with Noel Fehily riding and he has more room for improvement than most at the age of four. Two wins, three seconds and a third since arriving in Ireland from France the son of Turtle Bowl was second to Prince Ali at Auteuil when last seen in action in June in a very valuable contest but this will be his first attempt at three miles, and he looks up against it in this high-class field.

6 APPLE’S JADE – Four wins in a row now for the Gordon Elliott trained mare, all of them over two and a half miles starting with the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and more recently when taking the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse when ahead of Nichols Canyon and Supasundae. She made all that day and stayed on strongly to win with plenty in hand and if she stays this three miles which seems the only question, then she has the form in the book to suggest she is by far the likeliest winner.

7 AUGUSTA KATE – One of the outsiders here after being beaten over thirty-four lengths by Apple’s Jade last time and thus a long way adrift of Nichols Canyon and Supasundae as well. Two wins from six starts over hurdles include a Grade One win at Fairyhouse in a decent Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles, but she has an awful lot to find at these weights and looks up against it here with a top-three spot surely the best connections can hope for.