A bumper Boxing Day fixture list sees 7 races at Down Royal,Leopardstown and Limerick. The first big race of the day is the 12.48 at Down Royal when 11 line-up for the Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle. O'Toole was a good 15 length winner of a bumper on debut at Fairyhouse in February before being a 4 3/4 length second to Kilcruit in the Champion Flat Race at Punchestown when last seen in April. He makes his hurdles debut here and could go on to have an excellent season making him the pick. Free Nelson is a promising horse who was a very good second in a Novice Hurdle at Clonmel 45 days ago. His yard is having a good spell and with improvement likely he is the main challenger. The other in the field who standsout is Helisone who makes her debut. Coming from the yard of Henry De Bromhead this filly deserves respect.
The other two features are both Grade one's, we begin with the 2.20 at Leopardstown when 6 begin the Racing Post Novice Chase. In a small field two standout, Ferny Hollow has beaten some good horses in his career. He took the scalp of Bob Olinger on his only hurdles run at Gowran Park 13 months ago. He was a 4 length winner on his chase debut at Punchestown at the beginning of this month and this top-class prospect can definitely win again here. The other main player is Riviere D’etel a hugely promising filly who made it 3 from 3 over fences when she beat Take All by 12 lengths in a Grade 3 at Navan 22 days ago. This fluent jumper has also won by 11 and 22 lengths this season and may take some beating. The best of the rest is Coeur Sublime who made a promising Chase debut when 2nd to Ferny Hollow at Punchestown so he deserves consideration.
The final big race of the day comes at 2.40 at Limerick when 8 start the Boylesports Faugheen Novice Chase. There are several promising chasers in the field testing themselves at the top level but the pick goes to Gabynako who's latest win was in a chase at Fairyhouse early last month and he wasn't disgraced when 2nd to Beacon Edge in the Drinmore Novices Chase 28 days ago. He showed then he wasn't fazed in Grade 1 company and he can go one better here. Farouk D'alene put in a career best performance when winning on his fences debut at Navan 22 days ago. He jumped well that day and with his trainer having a good spell he shouldn’t be ignored. The other to be shortlisted is Lieutenant Command who dismissed all his hurdles form when winning a Novice Chase on his fences debut at Fairyhouse 29 days ago and he is capable of going better here.
Big race predictions: Down Royal: 2:O'Toole Leopardstown: 2:Ferny Hollow
Limerick: 3:Gabynako.
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