Vaucelet

(D. Christie)

Down Royal, December 26th

On the face of it, a neck defeat of the modest Dorking Cock was nothing special for this leading hunter chaser. But not for the first time David Christie’s seven-year-old hinted that he is crying out for a real test of stamina. Many will recall Vaucelet’s heartbreaking loss to Billaway at the Punchestown Festival. He then ran out a deserving winner at Stratford over three miles and three furlongs. He is rightly favourite for Cheltenham now and would be an interesting contender in an Irish Grand National one day. (MC)

Hollow Games

(G. Elliott)

Leopardstown, December 26th

Placed at Grade 1 level over two and a half miles over hurdles, Hollow Games was predictably tapped for speed when a modest fourth over two miles on St Stephen’s Day. Hold-up tactics didn’t suit either. Expect him to do much better when upped in trip later in the season. (MC)

Bop Bop Bobbin

(Luke Comer)

Leopardstown, December 26th

A point-to-point winner for Harley Dunne last April, this filly was a most unusual purchase for trainer Luke Comer when picked up for £95,000 the same month. The daughter of Milan was unconsidered in the betting for the bumper at Leopardstown but ran a cracker to finish third to highly touted males. She will be of major interest back against her own sex though one suspects she might be too highly tried by her ambitious connections. (MC)

Pinkerton

(N. Meade)

Limerick, December 26th

Sent off at odds-on for a conditions hurdle, Pinkerton was a disappointing third behind Longhouse Poet but perhaps this effort is best ignored. The two-and-a-half-mile trip probably didn’t suit him and he might now be a big price for the valuable two-mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown in February or similar. (MC)

Ascending

(H. de Bromhead)

Leopardstown, December 27th

Even Willie Mullins remarked on the excellent hurdling debut from Ascending after he had finished second to the Mullins-trained Tekao in the opening race on the second day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. An 80-rated flat handicapper for Clive Cox, the son of Awtaad was purchased by current connections for 100,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale. He looks a certain winner next time out in maiden company. (MC)

Panda Boy

(M. Brassil)

Leopardstown, December 27th

This six-year-old did extremely well to be a close third in the Paddy Power Chase won by Real Steel.

He was by far the youngest of the first 10 home. The effort came as no surprise as he was well fancied on this, his handicap debut. Keep him on side – he will win a big one. (MC)

Gabbys Cross

(H. de Bromhead)

Leopardstown, December 27th

Gabbys Cross is another to take from the Paddy Power. He made ground very nicely for Peterjon Carberry and stayed on well enough up the straight, only beaten four lengths by Real Steel at the line. A 33/1 shot here, this was his first run since the Kerry National and he could strip a fitter proposition now. He is lightly raced anyway so there should more to come, perhaps over a shorter trip - his last two wins have come in good handicap chases over an extended two and a half miles at Naas and over an extended two miles and six furlongs at Galway. (RG)

Irish Panther

(E.J. O’Grady)

Leopardstown, December 27th

This newcomer touched 1.04 in-running in the bumper and was only headed close home by the odds-on favourite Fact To File. He travelled noticeably well under Derek O’Connor and clearly has a lot of class.

This was over two and a half miles but the son of Lucarno clearly has speed too, so it will be fascinating to see where Edward O’Grady goes next with him. (MC)

Mount Brown

(N. Meade)

Limerick, December 27th

On his third start over fences, Mount Brown produced his best effort yet when third to a couple of useful rivals in Drumbear and Limerick Lace, outrunning odds of 40/1.

A winner on heavy ground at Wexford last season, he handled that sort of going well again at Limerick and that could be the key to him. (RG)

Shecouldbeanything

(G. Elliott)

Limerick, December 27th

This filly was given a good mention by her owner in a recent edition of The Irish Field and duly obliged in an admittedly ordinary maiden hurdle at Limerick. However, she was keen for a lot of the trip and still found plenty in testing conditions to win well under her penalty. Don’t underestimate her in blacktype company. (MC)

Ho My Lord

(W.P. Mullins)

Leopardstown, December 28th

Willie Mullins had the hot favourite for the opening maiden hurdle on day three at Leopardstown in Lot Of Joy, so it was a surprise to see such strong support for stable companion Ho My Lord, who went off at just 5/2. In the event, Mark Walsh’s mount got no further than the second flight, but he is one to watch out for next time. A winner over 14 furlongs on the flat in the French provinces, the son of Doctor Dino is closely related to some winning chasers in France. (MC)

Good Time Jonny

(A.J. Martin)

Leopardstown, December 28th

Good Time Jonny has run at two Cheltenham Festivals to-date and looks set to go back there again next March after finishing an eyecatching third in the Pertemps qualifier at Leopardstown. Tony Martin’s charge likes good ground, so did well here on soft when unfancied in the market. If the ground is decent at Cheltenham he should be very competitive. (MC)

French Dynamite

(M. Morris)

Leopardstown, December 28th

For much of the second half of the Savills Chase, French Dynamite looked the biggest threat to Conflated, until he failed to see out the trip and faded into fifth. Still, it was a clear best from the Robcour-owned chaser and back at two and a half miles, he will be a force to be reckoned with. Described as “only a pup” by Morris after his close second to Ga Law in the Paddy Power in October, there should be plenty more to come. There is still 33/1 available for the Ryanair. (RG)

Archies Charm

(B. R. Hamilton)

Leopardstown, December 29th

Absolutely no match for the gambled-on winner, who was in a league of his own, but the beat the rest and in so doing, put his third solid effort in a row. Having raced prominently for much of the two-mile-five-furlong contest, he stayed on well to hold his position up the long run-in.

Three miles on soft gound or thereabout should suit him fine and he can definitely win off his current mark. (RG)

Made In The Woods

(N. Lee)

Limerick, December 29th

Made In The Woods got his chasing career off to a bad start when unseating at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day but he was much better back at the track on Thursday. Racing a little freely in the early stages, he still managed to emerge as the only creditable threat to the winner Difficult Decision. He kept going admirably up the straight to take second. This was easily a career best from the five-year-old who should be winning soon. (RG)