All eyes at Leopardstown
were fixed on the clash of Samcro and Melon in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle but
it was Willie Mullins' Sharjah who stole the show with a sublime turn of foot
in the day four feature of Leopardstown's Christmas Festival.
The improving five-year-old travelled powerfully into contention before taking
over at the final flight, clearing away from his rivals under an ecstatic
Patrick Mullins. Irish Champion Hurdle hero Supasundae stayed on gallantly into
second for Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power.
The 6-1 winner, who has already landed the Galway Hurdle at Ballybrit and
Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown this season, could next be seen at the
Dublin Racing Festival back at Leopardstown in February.
Earlier on the card, Delta Work maintained his unbeaten record over fences when
scoring by eight lengths in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase under Davy
Russell for Gordon Elliott. He looks to be a very exciting prospect.
The four days at the
Leopardstown Christmas Festival provided a magnificent display of
quality Irish National hunt racing. The attendance today was 11,106, compared
to 10,907 in 2017, bringing total attendees over the four days to 56,322 .
Pat Keogh, Chief Executive
of Leopardstown Racecourse, commented:
"What a wonderful way
to finish out the 2018 Leopardstown Christmas Festival. We have been blessed
with the weather for the four days and Willie Gibbons and his ground staff
have done an impeccable job as always to keep the track in pristine condition.
We're delighted to see such a great spread of winning owners and trainers and
that was evident in the O'Driscoll O'Neil Insurance Brokers Leading Jockey and
Trainer Award with Mark Walsh taking leading jockey and Willie Mullins as
leading trainer including a sublime performance from Sharjah in the Ryanair
Hurdle.
We would like to thank
our great customers, sponsors and partners for their continued support not only
today but across the four days. We have plenty to look forward to in the New
Year with the return of the Dublin Racing Festival on the 2nd and 3rd of
February. This was one of the most exciting events to hit Dublin this year
as we hosted a celebration of racing, food, music, culture and we can’t wait to
start the New Year in the same fashion. 2019 is going to be another busy year
at Leopardstown!"
DAY 1: 26th December
Joseph O'Brien celebrated his third Grade 1 success in less than a year at his
beloved Leopardstown as Le Richebourg stormed to victory in the feature Racing
Post Novice Chase on day one of the Christmas Festival. The strongly-supported
3-1 shot could be called the winner some way from home and cruised to victory
in the hands of Mark Walsh by four and a half lengths from stalemate Us And
Them who completed a 1-2 for O'Brien.
There was an upset in the Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle as Rocky Blue
landed the spoils for the father and son combination of Tom and David Mullins
at odds of 14-1. Fair weather and top class racing gave rise to a fine
attendance of 13,218. A very fair day on track resulted in seven trainers
and six jockeys sharing the spoil across the opening day card.
DAY 2: 27th December
It was another memorable sporting day for Limerick as Auvergnat, owned by JP
McManus, trained in Bruree by Enda Bolger and ridden by Donie McInerney who
only lives ten minutes away from Bolger's base, landed the Paddy Power Chase on
day two of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival; Paddy Power Day. The
unconsidered 28-1 outsider jumped for fun in the hands of last season's
champion conditional and stormed to a six-and-a-half-length success over Vieux
Morvan with Fitzhenry in third and Solomn Grundy in fourth. The
strongly-supported favourite, Any Second Now, finished fifth.
The first Grade 1 of the day went to Simply Ned for the second year on the trot
for Nicky Richards with a win in the Paddy's Rewards Club Sugar Paddy
Chase. Footpad looked home and hosed halfway up the run-in but tied up
close home and Simply Ned pounced under a perfectly-timed challenge from Mark
Walsh to win at 16-1.
Aramon sprinted clear to lead home a 1-2 for Willie Mullins in the Paddy Power
Future Champions Novice Hurdle under Ruby Walsh.
In the leading trainer and leading jockey award kindly sponsored by O'Driscoll
O'Neil Insurance Brokers; Jockey Mark Walsh took a commanding lead with
three wins in the opening three races on day 2 with five overall
with amateur Finian Maguire closest with 2.
DAY 3: 28th December
Kemboy delivered a scintillating success in the feature Savills Chase on day
three of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. The 8-1 shot provided Willie
Mullins with his second win in the race, three years after Don Poli provided
him with his first, and it was yet another Grade 1 for Supreme Racing whose
colours were carried to victory by Aramon in the Paddy Power Future Champions
Novice Hurdle on Thursday. David Mullins took the bull by the horns passing the
stands with a circuit to race, deciding to send Kemboy to the head of affairs.
It was a masterstroke as the six-year-old led them a merry dance on the way to a
seven-and-a-half length win over Monalee.
Earlier on the card, Apple's Jade retained her Squared Financial Christmas
Hurdle crown by no fewer than 26 lengths to great cheers from the crowd as she
won her ninth Grade 1 race, an amazing achievement for a six year old.
DAY 4: 29th December
All eyes at Leopardstown were fixed on the clash of Samcro and Melon in the
Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle but it was Willie Mullins' Sharjah who stole the show
with a sublime turn of foot in the day four feature of Leopardstown's Christmas
Festival.
The improving five-year-old travelled powerfully into contention before taking
over at the final flight, clearing away from his rivals under an ecstatic
Patrick Mullins. Irish Champion Hurdle hero Supasundae stayed on gallantly into
second for Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power.
The 6-1 winner, who has already landed the Galway Hurdle at Ballybrit and
Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown this season, could next be seen at the
Dublin Racing Festival back at Leopardstown in February.
Earlier on the card, Delta Work maintained his unbeaten record over fences when
scoring by eight lengths in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase under Davy
Russell for Gordon Elliott. He looks to be a very exciting prospect