I Am Lorenzo

(Gavin Cromwell)

Leopardstown, December 26th

Mywayofthinkin was an eyecatching newcomer for Gavin Cromwell on day one of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival when second in a deep-looking bumper, but there was also a noteworthy introduction from the same trainer’s I Am Lorenzo in the two-mile maiden hurdle won by exciting prospect No Flies On Him. Keith Donoghue was particularly patient on the €120,000 store purchase and the manner in which he came home was highly promising, beaten only four and three quarters of a length. He didn’t appear to be especially fancied on this occasion, sent off at 18/1, but the four-year-old will have learned a bundle from how he was ridden here and can go on to better things. He looks fairly useful. (MB)

Spasiba

(Sam Curling)

Limerick, December 26th

Spasiba is an intriguing recruit for Sam Curling, having recorded a peak rating of 92 on the flat during five runs for Paddy Twomey, and there was lots to like about his opening hurdles effort at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day. In a race in which the front five came clear, he was the only horse among that quintet making his debut over hurdles and coming off a break, yet he still came back at the winner more than once, showing a real appetite for the battle. Hopefully he can come on a lot for the fitness and experience, and he is potentially a better horse on quicker ground as well, so he has a reasonable chance of winning a maiden hurdle and perhaps progressing through handicaps. (RG)

Kargese

(Willie Mullins)

Leopardstown, December 26th

Last season’s Mercedes-Benz South Dublin Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) had a massive bearing on the remainder of the campaign’s juvenile division, with dual Grade 1 winners Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau leading home Grade 2 Adonis winner Nusret and Boodles Handicap Hurdle runner-up Risk Belle. There’s every chance this year’s edition was also a quality affair, and the effort of second-placed Kargese was particularly eyecatching. A Grade 3 winner in her native France, Kenny Alexander’s filly was much too keen despite the application of a hood and it was down to her raw talent that she managed to throw down a serious challenge at the business end. She failed by three quarters of a length against Kala Conti, who had already been seen twice in Ireland this season, but I expect her to turn around the form if they meet in Grade 1 company at the Dublin Racing Festival. She’s clearly very useful and quotes as big as 20/1 for the Triumph Hurdle look pretty generous from an each-way perspective. (MB)

Nurburgring

(Joseph O’Brien)

Leopardstown, December 26th

As well as Kargese, Nurburgring’s effort deserves marking up in the same Grade 2 contest mentioned above. In a steadily run contest, Joseph O’Brien’s previous Grade 3 winner was just caught for speed at a crucial time in the straight before running on well again in between horses to only be beaten three quarters of a length. On his previous run he had beaten Kala Conti in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse, really grinding that win out in a more truly run race, so the nature of this contest might have just caught him out, as well as the 7lb worse off in the weights he was with Gordon Elliott’s filly. Kargese has more upside and looks a top prospect, but don’t rule out this son of Zoffany emerging as a real threat in the spring Grade 1s in this division. (RG)

Dollar Nolimit

(Joseph O’Brien)

Leopardstown, December 26th

On his handicap hurdle debut, Dollar Nolimit caught the eye with his run to finish fourth to Ataboycharlie in the two-mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day. In a race in which the front three all initially raced towards the rear, he raced closer to the pace on the inside rail, perhaps using up more energy in the early part of the race. More significantly, he was caught in a pocket turning in, just as the front three stole a march on the field by coming wide on the outside. His mark of 112 looks very workable now and he will make plenty of appeal in another handicap hurdle, for which he may go a little under the radar. (RG)

Mordor

(Gordon Elliott)

Leopardstown, December 27th

The fact Jack Kennedy sided with 93-rated flat recruit Ndaawi in the only three-year-old maiden hurdle at Leopardstown this week indicated he could be the best of Gordon Elliott’s four runners in the race, but Mordor (ridden by Danny Gilligan) created a really favourable impression when finishing third to Intellotto in extremely testing conditions for youngsters. This ex-Qatar Racing-owned gelding by Roaring Lion was rated lower than Ndaawi on the flat - 76 - but he showed an aptitude for hurdling and travelled up well despite the ground being a concern for him. He was sent off 26/1 on the exchanges but ended up trading close to even-money in the in-running markets before fading to third. He’s entitled to sharpen up for the experience and, if he improves, it wouldn’t be a shock if the 62,000gns acquisition developed into a Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle contender. (MB)

James Du Berlais

(Willie Mullins)

Leopardstown, December 27th

It was hard not to be taken with the way James Du Berlais travelled through the second half of the race in the Paddy Power, tanking along in front for Daryl Jacob. Ultimately he couldn’t see his effort out, failing to keep tabs with the clearly well treated Meetingofthewaters when fading back to fourth, but it was still a fair effort, and there is surely a big pot in him off a mark of 148. He has always been well regarded in Closutton, most notably when he was allowed to make his stable/seasonal debut in a Champion Hurdle and then went on to Punchestown to find only Klassical Dream too good in the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle. He failed to make the grade at the top level at a novice chaser last term but appeals now for handicaps, perhaps back at intermediate where he can harness his power more efficiently. Soft ground may well be important to him also. (RG)

Walk With Paul

(Martin Brassil)

Leopardstown, December 27th

Nobody could live with Marine Nationale as he made a successful chasing debut on day two at Leopardstown, though there was a relatively promising showing back in third from Martin Brassil’s Walk With Paul, beaten 21 lengths. This Walk In The Park mare was beaten a similar margin by Mister Policeman on her introduction to fences a month ago and still has scope to sharpen up her jumping, but she would have learned a fair deal from this experience with a strong pace set - even stronger than was the case in the Grade 1 won by Dinoblue 35 minutes later. There could be a nice blacktype handicap chase to be won with her in the spring, potentially at Punchestown, and she is in capable hands with a view to progressing further. (MB)

Heliko Conti

(Paul Nolan)

Leopardstown, December 28th

Heliko Conti did just about everything right in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown on Thursday only to find an excellently timed challenge by Rachael Blackmore on the favourite Music Of Tara too strong late on. Nonetheless this was a second promising effort from this six-year-old since joining Paul Nolan, having earlier found only Yeats Star a half-length too good over two miles at Punchestown. He had previously shown good form for Liam Burke, notably finishing just six lengths off L’yser in the Easter Handicap Hurdle at Cork last April. That race looks a nice target for him again. (RG)

Sounds Victorius

(Willie Mullins)

Leopardstown, December 28th

Willie Mullins described Sounds Victorious as “a nice bumper type who works well at home” ahead of his debut second on day three at Leopardstown, finding only well-regarded point-to-point winner Patter Merchant (1/2 favourite) too strong. This was a decent showing from the Champs Elysees four-year-old to keep the winner honest all the way up the straight, failing by just a neck, and a bumper win should be within his grasp before the season is out. The champion trainer has won this race with some smart sorts in the past, but he has also seen some useful operators beaten too, including Ferny Hollow, who was touched off by half a length in second in 2019. (MB)