An average start to the weekend for us. Our
NAP Mozzies Sister hung on for third and Galileo Dame surely would have won
but for a slow leap at the last. It was downhill from there on in. Hosaamm
refused to race, Glen Kiln didn’t see out the trip and Rewired, Flight Deck and
The Big Chap all ran stinkers. Hopefully we can do better today, check out
Dave’s 2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday preview below.
12.40 Leopardstown – Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
We have already backed Brucio at 25s for this race but unfortunately,
she has been taken out of the race this morning. I’m not going in again. No
bet.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: No bet
1.10 Leopardstown – Ladbrokes Novice Chase (Grade 1)
Ballyburn’s jumping limitations were exposed behind Sir Gino
at Sandown but he might find things happening a bit more slowly over this
longer trip. There’s no doubting his engine but given how he has jumped on his
first two starts over fences, you’d have to be a bit wary of steaming in on him
at skinny odds.
Impaire Et Passe is another horse with heaps of ability and
he has jumped pretty well in both starts to date. Now, it is a slight concern
that both his chase starts have come on right handed tracks and he is also 0-2
at Leopardstown, albeit over hurdles. Maybe he’ll be fine but with those slight
doubts, I am tempted to take both the market principals on.
Written Off
Croke Park has been written off by the
oddsmakers. He beat Better Days Ahead over three miles here in December, and previously,
he lowered the colours of Firefox and Heart Wood in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse
and the latter horse did the form no harm when running a fine race in fourth in
the Savills Chase.
A confirmed front runner, hopefully Sam Ewing goes hard from
the outset, gets into a good rhythm and puts the jumping of Ballyburn and Impaire
Et Passe under pressure. Maybe they’ll be too good for him but odds of 16/1
look ok to me about Gordon Elliott’s charge, hopefully he’ll make a bold bid.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: Croke Park e/w @ 12/1
1.40 Leopardstown – Tattersalls Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
We have already backed the English raider Good and Clever
for this. I was hoping for a bit more rain for him but there should be
sufficient juice in the ground for him. Fingers crossed they go hard early and
he comes home fast and late.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: Good And Clever already
advised e/w @ 16/1
2.10 Leopardstown – Dublin Chase (Grade 1)
This looks an open renewal. Gaelic Warrior has unseated and
finished second in his two previous chase starts here. He has won one of his
last four so he’s hardly bulletproof. El Fabiolo is a poor jumper. The money
has come for him but if they go a decent clip, it will be interesting to see if
his jumping stands up to the test.
The visibility was poor for the Grade 1 chase here over Xmas
but even so, it was plain to see that Solness beat Gaelic Warrior and Marine
Nationale comfortably. He went from the front, jumped well (from what we could
see) and in the end he won by over 3l.
The son of Konig Turf is only a 7yo so there could easily be
more improvement to come from him and he’ll be happy that Leopardstown seems to
have avoided the worst of the rain. 10/1 looks far too big a price to me and at
those odds, he has to be worth backing e/w.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: Solness e/w @ 10/1 NAP
2.25 Musselburgh – Edinburgh National Handicap Chase (Class 2)
Lord Accord is a horse I have long fancied to win a big pot.
I strongly fancied him for the Kim Muir in 2022 and 2023 but he was a
non-runner the first time and he didn’t get his favoured ground on the second
occasion.
Decent ground is vital for this son of Yeats and he should
get that at Musselburgh. He has tried this sort of marathon trip once before in
the Scottish National and was beaten 20l into ninth but he was running off 135
that day. He’s 7lb lower here in a lesser race and he’s been in excellent form
so far this season.
Inis Orr stays longer than the mother in law and he rates as
a big threat but at odds of 16/1, I’ll take a chance on Lord Accord.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: Lord Accord e/w @ 16/1
2.45 Leopardstown – Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
Adamantly Chosen is a horse we have backed a couple of times
before here. We landed a lovely place with him at 40s in the Grade 1 novice
chase at this meeting in 2023 and I am hoping he can bounce back to that sort
of form today in the first time cheekpieces.
In December 2023 Paul Townend chose to ride him for the
Paddy Power here and he finished a poor tenth off 148. He ran a bit better in
this race last year, finishing seventh, well beaten for the win. He again ran
in the Paddy Power here over Xmas and never figured, so why am I backing him I
hear you ask…
Grade 1 Form
Well, I think this horse has a lot of ability, as he showed
when placing in successive Grade 1 novices in 2023. He is not quite at Grade 1
level but I think he is capable of running to maybe 150-155 at his best. Now,
he has burst before so that could be holding him back but that was over 4m2f in
the Aintree National and it hasn’t happened before over this shorter trip (well
it hasn’t been reported).
I think the drying ground will suit him, he’s dropped to a
mark of 143 and he should be nearing peak fitness after two runs this season.
Given his profile, he certainly isn’t one to be having the house on but I think
he’s going to pop up in one of these big handicaps one day and at 33/1, it’s
worth chancing that today is the day.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: Adamantly Chosen e/w @ 33/1
(5 places)
3.20 Leopardstown – Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
Lossiemouth takes on State Man and the bookies are finding
it hard to split them. Paul Townend has kept the faith with State Man but loyalty
isn’t always rewarded in life. Both horses are short enough and with just two
places on offer, we’ll sit this out.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: No bet
3.50 Leopardstown – Timeless Window Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
We have already backed Irish Panther for this race at 25/1 and
the money has come. Hopefully it is from connections.
2025 Leopardstown & Musselburgh Sunday Tip: Irish Panther already
advised e/w @ 25/1
