THE removal of Leopardstown’s two-mile-one-furlong Grade 1 novice chase from the Christmas calendar clearly didn’t sit well with Willie Mullins, and he’s been indicating that we won’t see Ballyburn in Ireland this week as a result of the shake-up.

He’s handed last season’s exceptional novice hurdler an entry for the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Friday, but - in his usual fashion to keep all options open - has left Ballyburn among the Limerick entries for the Grade 1 Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase (1.40).