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Leopardstown Tips on December 26th - Boxing Day Selections

jon-vine
Jon Vine
Editor
Last updated: Tue 24 Dec 2024 11:17
Leopardstown's Christmas Festival kicks off Boxing Day with exciting races, starting with a single Grade One event. In the Maiden Hurdle, William Munny (7/2) is poised to challenge Redemption Day. The Long Distance Novice Chase features a small field, with Better Days Ahead (13/8) leading the predictions after a convincing win over Slade Steel. Lastly, in the Racing Post Handicap Chase, The King Of Prs (11/2) is expected to reverse recent form with good ground and a more experienced jockey.
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Jon Vine 24 Dec 2024
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  • Tips for Leopardstown on Thursday 26th December
  • One Grade One race will take place on day one of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival
  • William Munny, Better Days Ahead and The King Of Prs feature in our selections
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leopardstown races december
A general view of runners in The BeattheBank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown. (Getty)
    Leopardstown Day 1 Best Bets
  • 12:25pm Leopardstown - Maiden Hurdle Tips
  • 2:20pm Leopardstown - Long Distance Novice Chase Tips
  • 2:55pm Leopardstown - Racing Post Handicap Chase Tips

Leopardstown's Christmas Festival begins on Boxing Day and racegoers in Leopardstown have a decent card to take in.

Alterations to the schedule in Ireland mean there's just one Grade One race on the opening card of this popular meeting.  I've taken a look through Thursday's races on day one of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival and picked out my best betting tips.

Leopardstown Christmas Festival 2024 Day 1 Tips


12:25pm Leopardstown - Maiden Hurdle Tips


WILLIAM MUNNY (7/2) will have his first tentative steps towards the 2025 Supreme Novices' Hurdle in Thursday's second race at Leopardstown and I fancy he could turn the hot-favourite, Redemption Day over.

Barry Connell's star impressed in his two bumper victories at Navan and Naas last season. William Munny was then beaten 11 lengths by Redemption Day in the Grade One at Punchestown. However, Finian Maguire spent most of that race tracking Jasmin De Vaux at the rear of the field and gave himself a massive gap to bridge when it became clear that the Champion Bumper winner wasn't on a going day.

Barry Connell saddled Marine Nationale and Good Land before their Grade One wins as novice hurdlers, so he's clearly capable of handling a precocious young jumper. 7/2 is too big a price to turn down. 

2:20pm Leopardstown - Long Distance Novice Chase Tips


This Grade One has been moved to the opening day of Leopardstown's Christmas Festival. It's still managed to attract a small field of just four runners, three of which are trained by Gordon Elliott.

I was most impressed with BETTER DAYS AHEAD'S (13/8) victory over Slade Steel at Navan. True, the runner-up was beaten again on his second chasing start, but to see off the Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner makes that the stand-out piece of form on offer. 

Croke Park won a mediocre renewal of the Drinmore last month and Stellar Story beat two stablemates to make a winning return in the Florida Pearl. Gordon Elliott has always said that fences would be the making of his Martin Pipe winner and Better Days Ahead finished in front of Stellar Story when the two met over hurdles. Danny Gilligan's mount looks to be a worthy favourite.

2:55pm Leopardstown - Racing Post Handicap Chase Tips


The Folkes Tiara and THE KING OF PRS (11/2) fought out the finish of a better race than this at Fairyhouse last month, so it's no surprise to see them heading this betting heat.

The Folkes Tiara got the better of his rival that day, but he'll be partnered on Thursday by seven-pound claimer Ethan O'Sullivan, who has only ridden four winners under rules, none of which came as a major meeting. Keith Donoghue reprised his partnership with The King Of Prs, who was hampered at the second-last at Fairyhouse and forced much wider to mount his challenge.

Gavin Cromwell's six-year-old loves good ground and has won going right-handed in the past. With a more experienced jockey in his saddle, I fancy The King Of Prs will reverse that Fairyhouse form.

Verdict

Leopardstown Day 1 Tips:

Best Bet1: Better Days Ahead 2:20pm Leopardstown @13/8 at BOYLE Sports - 5 Units
Best Bet2: William Munny 12:25pm Leopardstown @7/2 at BOYLE Sports - 5 Units
Best Bet3: The King Of Prs 2:55pm Leopardstown @11/2 at bet365 - 5 Units
Better Days Ahead
2:20pm Leopardstown
@13/8 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
in free bets

18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply 18+. IRE/NI & UK online only. Max Free Bet £/€10. Win or win part of e/w outright singles. 5+ runners. 1st bet on each race. Free/void/antepost bets don't qualify. In event of a dead heat, offer won’t apply. Applies to First Past the Post result. Unnamed 2nd Favs don’t qualify. Acc & Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.

Bet at BOYLE Sports
William Munny
12:25pm Leopardstown
@7/2 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
in free bets

18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply 18+. IRE/NI & UK online only. Max Free Bet £/€10. Win or win part of e/w outright singles. 5+ runners. 1st bet on each race. Free/void/antepost bets don't qualify. In event of a dead heat, offer won’t apply. Applies to First Past the Post result. Unnamed 2nd Favs don’t qualify. Acc & Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.

Bet at BOYLE Sports
The King Of Prs
2:55pm Leopardstown
@11/2 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

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Leopardstown Christmas Festival 2024 Day 1

26 Dec 2024

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