Carrigmoornaspruce

(D. Queally)

Leopardstown, December 27th

The dramatic final flight exit of Talk The Talk was the main talking point following the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle. Would he definitely have beaten eventual winner Skylight Hustle? I’m not sure but what was overlooked by many was the excellent effort by the mare Carrigmoornaspruce in third. It was almost a year to the day when she won a Leopardstown bumper, coming from last to first, and there is no doubt she is deadly when held up off a fast pace. She already had some smart hurdling form against her own sex before Leopardstown but she is clearly capable of better when she has a strong pace to aim at. It’s hard to know for sure where she will get those conditions but connections will have fun finding out. (MC)

Cityofblindinlites

(M. Brassil)

Leopardstown, December 26th

Not a great Christmas for the Brassil/Mulryan team, or indeed retained rider J.J. Slevin. They lost James’s Gate in a beginners chase and Fastorslow faded out of the Savills Chase though he ran well for a long way. Looking ahead, the team have a very exciting prospect in Cityofblindinlites who finished a fine second in the Leopardstown bumper on St Stephen’s Day. Declared with a hood and tongue-tie on his first start was not a great sign but the Vadamos four-year-old was well-backed and ran a cracker. Afterwards, his rider Finian Maguire reported his horse had “hung violently right throughout”. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they waited for a spring festival. (MC)

King In Love

(S. Aherne)

Leopardstown, December 28th

Despite being up to a career-high mark after a win at Cork in November, King In Love looks a handicapper who can go in again and has not reached his ceiling on the evidence of an eyecatching third at Leopardstown on day three. Ridden from off the pace, it didn’t look likely from the turn in that Sean Aherne’s 111-rated hurdler would make much of an impact, but the manner in which he finished out was highly pleasing. Nothing covered the final half mile in a faster time than the mount of Anna McGuinness, including a power-packed final furlong that saw him propelled into the frame behind improving winner The Nagger Reidy in this 23-runner affair. This extended two and a half miles was the furthest he’d ever tried, and it looked perfectly fine for him on this evidence - he might even get further. Decent ground appears to be right up his street. Having just turned six this week, his best days might still be ahead of him and a 3lb rise to 114 for this shouldn’t be enough to deny him a third career success in due course. (MB)

Kinturk Kalanisi

(T. Gibney)

Leopardstown, December 27th

On New Year’s Eve Tom Gibney had his first winner since early September though a few of his 40-odd runners in the past four months have run to form. Stable star Intense Raffles has failed to fire so far this season but, to be fair, he hasn’t had his ideal soft or heavy ground and still has time on his side. Now eight years old, Kinturk Kalanisi is the same age as Intense Raffles and he caught the eye when an excellent third in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase. The 28/1 shot led approaching the final fence and met interfence on the run-in before finishing third. He was also unlucky last March when he unseated his rider at the final fence in the Leinster National at Naas when holding every chance. Effective on all types of ground, Kinturk Kalanisi deserves a big one. (MC)

Munsif

(C. Byrnes)

Leopardstown, December 27th

Charles Byrnes had three winners at Limerick over Christmas and two runner-up placings at the same track. He only ran two at Leopardstown and both ran well, particularly this new 120,000gns recruit, who finished third of 19 in a juvenile maiden hurdle. He looked the likely winner turning in and kept on well when headed by Hardy Stuff and Ole Ole. A three-year-old gelding by Sea The Stars, Munsif was rated 93 for Roger Varian and won three of his six starts on the flat. He can be keen and wore a hood on the flat. He didn’t wear a hood at Leopardstown and was a bit keen under restraint in the early stages. His breeding suggests he will be best on good ground. (MC)

Saint Le Fort

(Philip Fenton)

Leopardstown, December 29th

Another lightly-raced six-year-old who flashed potential at Leopardstown over the festive period was Philip Fenton’s Saint Le Fort, who coped well with a step up in class to finish third in the €100,000 Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle. Eoghan Finegan gave the front-running winner Champagne Kid an excellent ride on the front end, and Saint Le Fort originally raced handily enough too. However, the Cork maiden hurdle winner appeared to get caught for speed when the tempo was lifting on the turn for home.

To his credit, the 117-rated performer never shirked the issue when he could have folded and it was very positive to see him rally as he did to get back up for third - clocking a faster sectional through the final furlong than any other runner in the 16-horse field. He disappointed on his only start over further than this when trying three miles at Kilbeggan in May, but that was his final outing at the end of his season and it probably wasn’t the trip that beat him. On this evidence, he could be worth trying over a little further again and a relatively sound surface like he encountered here looks fairly suitable for him - that should give connections options in the spring. (MB)