Robbie Power’s Christmas Crackers

Ahead of the busy Leopardstown Christmas Festival in the coming week, here’s my five horses to look out for!

Sizing John
He’s come out of his run in the John Durkan in good form, Jessica’s very happy with him and confirmed him already for the race.

I’m looking forward to the Leopardstown Chase, it looks likes it’s going to be a very strong field.

I read this morning Disko is going to miss the King George and stay at home, it will also feature Road To Respect and Yorkhill if he turns up and I presume we’ll have Djakadam as well. I think he ran a bit below par in the John Durkan, he could be a better horse at Christmas and he’s still a big danger but on his current form, we should be able to hold him off. I’d expect Sizing John’s fitness has come on an awful lot. I worked him on Tuesday morning and as I said, he’s come out of his last race very well, so I’m confident.

Supasundae
He’s running in the three mile Grade One on the same day as Sizing John. I was very pleased with his run in the Hatton’s Grace on December 3rd where he finished third behind Apple’s Jade and Nichols Canyon. They’ll both reappear but of the three horses, Apple’s Jade had race fitness on her side and it was Nichols Canyon’s first run of the season so…

I think Supasundae’s going to improve the most and at 10/1, he represents fantastic each-way value.

He ran very well late on his last day out and three miles will suit him as well as going left handed so hopefully the ground will still be good by the third day which will be a massive advantage for me. I think Apple’s Jade is going to be very hard to beat though, it’s her first time trying three miles and there’s a big question mark over her but if she gets it right, she’ll be extremely hard to beat.

Impact Factor
Possibly running on St. Stephen’s Day, I was very happy with his run at Punchestown where he was second to Willie Mullins’ Getabird, who could be one of the best novices this season. Impact Factor has an awful lot and we’re going to drop him back to two miles which won’t be an inconvenience to him. He’s got a good cruising speed and it depends on what turns up in the maidens but he has a chance! There’ll definitely be a maiden over the Christmas period that is very strong so we’ll be trying to avoid that one.

Someday
He’s also going to run in a maiden hurdle, he was second in his first outing this season to Next Destination in Naas, which I thought was a very good run out.

He was going very well when he fell with three to go in a maiden at Fairyhouse,

…a race I thought he would go on to win as he was travelling very well, but ultimately I had a bad fall after he mistimed the jump. We schooled him since then and he’s reacted well so hopefully he’ll have a big chance, he’ll probably run in the second half of the week in the two and a half mile which I believe will be ideal for him.

Dysios
I’m riding this horse on Stephen’s Day for Denis Cullen. Dysios has won this race before, he came second in it too and Denis specifically trains him with this race in mind. I think he’ll have a big chance, he’ll get a bit of nice ground which he’s better on. He’s won already this season over hurdles and Denis has looked after him well. He’s won over two and a half miles before so he’s not just a two mile speciliast and he could have a big day on Tuesday.