Noel Meade’s Leopardstown Christmas Festival Preview

In this post, we have a Leopardstown Christmas Festival preview for you from top Irish trainer Noel Meade.

The Co. Meath trainer had plenty of insight into the importance of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, what it means for horses on the road to Cheltenham and his favourite memories from Leopardstown through the years.

Leopardstown is a very, very high class meeting

Number one it is a fabulous racecourse. It is a lovely place to go racing and the racing is top quality. Every day you have a huge race, a big handicap, it is just a very, very high class meeting. 

The atmosphere is brilliant because of the time of year and they have done a marvellous job with all the new facilities such as the new weighing room.

The meeting is a huge pointer for the Irish horses towards Cheltenham

Very much so, because the best horses in Ireland are running. A lot of them won’t run again until Cheltenham. 

As far as the Irish horses are concerned it is a huge pointer. The maiden hurdles will be very strong, the Grade 1 novice hurdle will be strong too, as will the three year old hurdle, same with the novice chase if Marine Nationale comes out. There are Grade 1s abound – and then you have the Savill’s Chase.

Leopardstown Savills Chase Preview

It’ll be a brilliant race this year. The fact that Galopin Des Champs is in instead of going for the Irish Gold Cup has really made it. He will again face Fastorslow and Gerri Colombe if he runs and doesn’t go to the King George. 

He still has a bit to find on Galopin Des Champs. He might need the extra two furlongs of the Gold Cup to see him at his very best.

*Galopin Des Champs is the 6/4 favourite to win the Savills Chase at Leopardstown according to the latest horse racing betting odds at BoyleSports.

Leopardstown Future Champions Novices Hurdle Preview

Willie Mullins has won something like six of the last eight runnings. It is a very strong race again. 

Daddy Long Legs has a huge reputation, and you’d have to be very impressed with what Firefox has done this year. I was talking to Jack Kennedy after his last race in Fairyhouse and he was ecstatic with him. It will rest between those two from Willie and Gordon also has the market leader in Down Memory Lane.

The Christmas Hurdle is not as strong this year but I will be going with Gordon [Elliott] again and Irish Point.

*Daddy Long Legs is an 11/4 second favourite to win the Future Champions Novices Hurdle according to the latest horse racing odds at BoyleSports.

Helvic Dream is one of my best chances at the Festival

I have one in the Maiden Hurdle, Helvic Dream, who I was very happy with at Fairyhouse and he will be competitive in what will be a very competitive race.

Noel Meade’s Leopardstown Memories

Winning the Savills Chase in 2017 with Road to Respect was a fabulous day

It was a fabulous day. I won it a long time ago, before Savills were the sponsors with a horse called Johnny Setaside ridden by Richard Dunwoody. 

One of my happiest memories was seeing Harchibald winning at Leopardstown

One of my happiest was actually when I was watching my horse Harchibald beat the great Rooster Booster in the Christmas Hurdle on the big screen in the parade ring. Rooster Booster went off a mile in front and Harchibald just caught him on the line.

*Prices subject to fluctuation

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