Big names set for Leopardstown showdowns

Six horses, headed by Faugheen and Petit Mouchoir, have stood their ground for the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Willie Mullins has left four horses in the €100,000 event with Faugheen, absent since his 15-length success in this race last year, heading the quartet. The champion trainer could also be represented by Ivan Grozny who has not been seen since winning the Grade 2 Istabraq Hurdle at Tipperary in early October. Nichols Canyon chased home Petit Mouchoir in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival and he is another possible runner along with Footpad who finished fourth in that race. Petit Mouchoir was a most impressive winner at the Christmas festival and he looks set to represent trainer Henry de Bromhead. He certainly heads the challenge to the mighty Faugheen. The field is completed by the Joseph O'Brien-trained Ivanovich Gorbatov, the winner of last year’s JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

A total of eight horses remain in the Grade 1 Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase with a rematch between the Mullins-trained Min and Henry de Bromhead’s Identity Thief very much on the cards. The pair clashed in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day but sadly Identity Thief was pulled-up at halfway. Mullins certainly has a strong team for the €90,000 contest and has left in the promising mare Listen Dear who is unbeaten in three starts over fences along with American Tom, Bleu Et Rouge and Royal Caviar. In addition to Identity Thief, Henry de Bromhead has also left his recent Naas winner Some Plan in the race while Gordon Elliott could run his impressive Fairyhouse Bar One Racing Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase winner Ball D’Arc.
The Grade 2 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors ‘€50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff’ Novice Hurdle has attracted an entry of 20 horses and notable among them look to be the Noel Meade-trained Joey Sasa, successful at Leopardstown over Christmas, Gordon Elliott’s Woods Well, the Henry de Bromhead-trained Monalee and the Willie Mullins’ pair Invitation Only and Let’s Dance. Donald McCain has entered Mr Mcgo.

‘THE FLY’ TO BE IMMORTALISED IN BRONZE 

Leopardstown Racecourse will welcome Hurricane Fly back this Sunday to the Foxrock track. The owners of Hurricane Fly - the Boyd and Creighton families have generously commissioned internationally renowned artist, Siobhan Bulfin to create a bronze statue of Hurricane Fly. This bronze sculpture will on display for everyone to enjoy from this Sunday 29th January on BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle Day. Hurricane Fly holds the world record of 22 Grade 1 races. He won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham twice; no fewer than eight Grade 1 races at Punchestown and another two at Fairyhouse. However, he always saved his best performances for Leopardstown, where he was unbeaten in ten starts at Grade 1 level. He won the Istabraq Hurdle in 2012 and the same race again in 2013 and 2014 when it became the Ryanair Hurdle. One of Hurricane Fly’s finest achievements was winning five successive BHP Irish Champion Hurdles from 2011 to 2015.

To celebrate this occasion, Hurricane Fly himself will visit Leopardstown this Sunday and parade for all his fans before the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at approximately 3.15pm.
Pat Keogh, CEO Leopardstown racecourse commented: “We look forward to welcoming the legend that is “The Fly” back to his favourite racecourse!”