Following a stunning set of entries for the six Grade 1 races at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, the entries and early weights for the Paddy Power Chase and the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle, at the much-anticipated fixture, have been revealed this afternoon.

The €200,000 Paddy Power Chase is the richest race of the annual four-day Festival, and the event, run over an extended three miles on Saturday, December 27, has attracted 51 entries from 21 trainers.

Successful in race in 2022 with Real Steel, Eric McNamara can approach this year’s renewal with a degree of confidence as he has entered Weveallbeencaught which chased home his own stable companion French Dynamite in the Munster National at Limerick in October.

John Flavin’s Midnight Our Fred took second place in this race last year and he’s likely to line out again after a fair seasonal bow over hurdles at Cork last month.

Another relatively recent runner-up to note in the initial entry is the Emmet Mullins-trained Backmersackme, a place behind Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag at Cheltenham in October.

Not surprisingly, it is Elliott who dominates with 10 entries of his own, possibly headed by the eight-year-old Will Do which bounced back to form when narrowly losing out to race favourite Better Times Ahead in the Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday last. Last month’s Punchestown scorer Dee Capo, Down Memory Lane and Pied Piper are others entered by the highflying trainer.

Strong hand for Mullins

Willie Mullins has seven to choose from, including Captain Cody, third behind Romeo Coolio in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse, his fellow novice You Oughta Know, runner-up to Ol Man Dingle in the Grade 3 Paddy Power Irish EBF Novice Chase at Cork, and the runaway Punchestown Festival handicap chase winner Shanbally Kid.

The mare Nara and the less exposed Mossy Fen Park are among six entries for Henry de Bromhead, while Ballysax Hank, winner of the Summer Plate Handicap Chase at Market Rasen in July and pipped on the line in the American Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills on his latest start, could be the pick from five for Gavin Cromwell.

Fifteen trainers have entered 32 horses for the Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle on the final day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival on Monday, December 29. Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott have both made seven entries and their Zillow and Bowensonfire respectively might grab most of the early attention after finishing first and second at Fairyhouse at the weekend.

Mullins has also included Storm Heart, runner-up in the Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, and the Listowel Races Lartigue Handicap Hurdle winner Last Kingdom.

An easy winner on his handicap hurdle debut at Punchestown last month, Son Of Anarchy is also on Gordon Elliott’s early team, while Henry de Bromhead has six to choose from including the recent Down Royal scorer Lieber Nicc and the Cheltenham Festival winner Air Of Entitlement, runner-up to Pat Foley’s hope Fad Eadrainn at Fairyhouse a month ago.

Tom Mullins’ Fascile Mode and the Noel Meade-trained Blue Mosque are two consistent sorts deserving of a change in luck, and they would certainly arrive with their chance as would Ross O'Sullivan’s Slurricane, third to Zillow and Bowensonfire after being hampered at the final hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Leopardstown, Saturday December 27: Paddy Power Chase entries at weights

Leopardstown, Monday December 29: Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle entries at weights