THE masochist in me decided that the two races to look at ahead of final declarations for Christmas would be the two big Leopardstown handicaps, one old, the other new, though readers would be forgiven for thinking the Grade 1s might have been easier to sort.

The readiness of the Willie Mullins runners in the Paddy Power Chase is an interesting starting point for that race. Mullins has won the race three times since 2008 with each of those winners running in the previous 45 days, his three further placed horses having done the same.