THE final day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival features what is set to be an intriguing rematch between Brighterdaysahead and State Man in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle.

When Gordon Elliott’s mare beat Willie Mullins’ favourite in last month’s Morgiana Hurdle, both trainers acknowledged the winner’s advantage in terms of race fitness, having landed a Grade 3 on her seasonal return earlier that month. It marked a second win at Grade 1 level for Gigginstown’s hurdler, while her rival has 10 to his name.

Two of those came in the last two renewals of Sunday’s feature, and a total of four came at this course and distance. His course record, and the benefit of last month’s run, sees him head the betting at entries stage, with Brighterdaysahead second favourite and clear of the remainder.

Jetara aims to retain crown

Another defending their title on Sunday may be the Jessica Harrington-trained Jetara in the Grade 3 BeattheBank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle. Gerard McGrath’s home-bred proved a class above her rivals that day, drawing seven and a half lengths clear, and returned to the track in February to finish a fine third against the opposite sex at Grade 1 level.

This year’s entries include the Gordon Elliott-trained Kala Conti, who beat Kargese in the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle at last year’s meeting. Successful on her seasonal return, she has to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Fairyhouse last time out.

The race could potentially be July Flower’s first run for Henry de Bromhead, since selling for £350,000 in July. Now owned by Duncan Angove, she was previously trained in France by Mickael Seror, for whom she won a Grade 1 flat race and twice placed in Grade 1 hurdles.

Willie Mullins’ four entries include last year’s third Risk Belle, last month’s impressive listed winner Lot Of Joy, while Liam Kenny’s listed winner World Of Fortune comes off the back of a hat-trick.

Last year’s Paddy Power Chase winner Meetingofthewaters is currently the short-priced favourite for the other blacktype race on the card, the Listed Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle worth €100,000. The aforementioned Kala Conti also features in the entries, along with Philip Rothwell’s progressive six-year-old The Busy Fool and recent Foxrock Handicap Chase victor Sa Fureur.

The next Ballyburn?

The most impressive winner on last year’s card came in the maiden hurdle, and was none other than Ballyburn. The 33 entered in the latest renewal include dual Grade 1 bumper winner A Dream To Share, whose underwhelming hurdle debut featured novicey jumping.

Ballyburn finished second on his hurdle bow, as did Argento Boy, a beaten favourite against The Big Westerner at Punchestown, and dual Grade 1 fourth Sounds Victorious. They both hail from Closutton, as does Port Joulain, who was sent off a short-priced favourite earlier this month, when he was pulled up after suffering a bad overreach.

Last year’s bumper saw Jalon D’oudairies extend his unbeaten record, chased home by Punchestown Champion Bumper runner-up Redemption Day, and the winner showed his class once again next time out, when finishing third in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper.

Eight of the 12 entered are previous winners, three of whom hail from the Gordon Elliott yard. They include Koktail Brut, an impressive debut point-to-point winner who went some way to justifying his €250,000 price tag when bolting up at Fairyhouse earlier this month.

Willie Mullins’ sole entry is Sortudo, a six-figure store sale buy, who made a winning start under rules at Tramore. On the day, Patrick Mullins said: “He could be at the top end of our bumper horses.”