Fil Dor will be expected to confirm Navan form with Saint Roi in the Grade 1 Brand New Racing Post App Novice Chase on Leopardstown’s St Stephen’s Day card.
The Gordon Elliott-trained grey, a rock solid juvenile hurdler last term is bidding to become the first four-year-old to land this prestigious prize since the Elliott-trained Clarcam back in 2014.
He bumped into the season’s top juvenile hurdler Vauban three times last term, in Grade 1 contests at Leopardstown, Cheltenham (Triumph) and Punchestown, with his trainer always insisting that the French-bred son of Doctor Dino would only reach his potential when tackling fences.
READ MORE: JP McManus celebrates pre-Christmas double ahead of busy festive period
And Fil Dor delivered on his fencing bow in Navan last month when, sent off 10/11 favourite, he stalked classy hurdler and fellow chase debutant Saint Roi until edging ahead before the second last and stretching clear on the run-in to triumph by four lengths.
On Monday, Saint Roi, whose Grade 1 hurdle form included a close second to Abacadabras in a Morgiana and a third to Sharjah in a Matheson, will be 2lb. better off with his rival and is entitled to improve from that seasonal debut run.
In contrast, Fil Dor had chased home Brazil in a Grade 3 four-year-old hurdle in Naas before heading to Navan.
But the grey is still expected to prove too strong for the Mullins runner in an intriguing five-runner affair, which also features Fil Dor’s stablemate Hollow Games, Joseph O’Brien’s Midnight Run, and Visionarian.
Chief supporting race is the Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle in which Lossiemouth, one of five runners for Willie Mullins, will be expected to build on her convincing win, on her Irish debut, in a hot-looking Grade 3 at Fairyhouse.
Ridden then by Danny Mullins, the Ricci-owned filly brushed aside favourite Zarak The Brave, who had been impressive on his hurdling debut.
Lossiemouth looked particularly exciting on that occasion and, if she can take a step forward here, she should be very tough to beat.
Leading the opposition will be Padraig Roche’s Cougar, already successful over flights at Gowran Park and Down Royal, and Joseph O’Brien’s smooth Punchetsown scorer Nusret.
Closutton will be strongly-represented in the maiden hurdles throughout the festive period, with market moves normally a good guide to expectations.
And Parmenion, in the opener, and dual bumper-winner Dark Raven, in the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle fit the bill on Monday.
Meanwhile, Gerri Colombe will be expected to retain his unbeaten record when he steps into Grade 1 company for the first time in Monday’s Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase in Limerick.
Trained by Gordon Elliott, the Robcour-owned six-year-old is taking a significant step up the ladder but has always looked an exciting chasing prospect and, having made a satisfactory start in this new discipline, will relish the testing conditions in his face-off against three Willie Mullins-trained contenders, most notably the classy Kilcruit.
Gerri Colombe is ‘five from five’ under rules, in addition to success in his only ‘point’, for Colin Bowe, at Lingstown back in March 2020, after which he was bought for £240,000.
He won bumpers at Fairyhouse and Naas, landed his maiden hurdle at Down Royal on St Stephen’s Day last year and followed-up when outpointing Idas Boy in a listed event at Thurles in January.
The Cullentra inmate wasn’t seen again until mid-November in Fairyhouse where he made a very encouraging chase debut, beating the Mullins pair Bronn (made mistakes) and Tenzing (beaten since).
On what he has done, Gerri Colombe needs to improve to cope with chief Mullins hope Kilcruit, a clear-cut winner on his fencing debut at Punchestown and boasting frame finishes in Grade 1 novice hurdles won by Constitution Hill (Cheltenham) and State Man (Punchestown).
Earlier on the Limerick card, Henry de Bromhead’s Foxy Girl, a creditable runner-up to Liberty Dance on her racecourse debut in Thurles, should have every chance in the Signsplus Maiden Hurdle.
This four-year-old shaped like a future winner in Thurles and her conqueror has since franked the form by scoring at listed level.
With that run under her belt, Foxy Girl might prove too strong for Joseph O’Brien’s classy flat performer Benaud, fourth in his two hurdle starts, but faced with conceding 15lb., plus Mike O’Connor’s 5lb. claim, to the selection.
The O’Kelly Brothers Demolition Hurdle looks a trappy, five-runner affair and the one to follow might be Noel Meade’s Pinkerton, wearing a first-time tongue-tie and stepping-up in trip, on the back of a couple of rock-solid placed efforts in tough handicaps.
And a well-supported winner in Naas on Wednesday, Know The Game might follow-up for the Dreapers in the Metrocollect Handicap Chase at Down Royal on Monday.
The Califet gelding, built to be a chaser, has been a late developer but, having proven no match for Liam Cusack’s Boghlone Honey in a handicap hurdle on his penultimate start, he opened his account in good style, back over fences, in Naas.
In a strongly-run race, Keith Donoghue came from off the pace on the 5/2 favourite and, assuming control on the extended run-in, Know The Game won more readily than his winning margin might suggest.
Tom Dreaper immediately nominated Monday’s contest as the follow-up plan and, despite a 7lb. penalty and joint-top-weight, he’s expected to prove too strong for Walking The Walk and Highstreetfashion.
The McMahon McKay Hospitality Hunters Chase is, undoubtedly, the most interesting race on the card, featuring the clash of the classy Grade 1 winner The Storyteller, Brain Power, Noel Meade’s Snow Falcon and the exciting, David Christie-trained seven-year-old Vaucelet.
Marginal preference is for The Storyteller (above), winner of the 2020 Ladbrokes Champion Chase over this course and distance and, in good nick in the point-to-point scene this autumn, having secured a hat trick of wins.
Peter O'Hehir's tips for Leopardstown:
12.00.Parmenion
12.35.Dark Raven
1.10.Lossiemouth
1.45.Dutch Schultz
2.20.Fil Dor
2.55.Embittered
3.30.Did I Ask You That
Next Best
12.00.High Definition
12.35.Doctor Bravo
1.10.Cougar
1.45.Contrapposto
2.20.Saint Roi
2.55.Final Orders
3.30.Pour Les Filles
Double : Lossiemouth and Fil Dor.
O’Hehir’s Longhshot : Changing The Rules (1.45.)
Peter O'Hehir's tips for Limerick:
12.25.Ludus
12.55.Foxy Girl
1.33.Pinkerton
2.08.Kilbree Warrior
2.40.Gerri Colombe
3.15.The Eye Of Tulla
3.50.Coole Cherry (Nap)
Next Best
12.25.Realism
12.55.Benaud
1.33.Summer Melody
2.08.Global Equity
2.40.Kilcruit
3.15.Bonnie Kellie
3.50.Thegingrin
Double : Pinkerton and Coole Cherry.
O’Hehir’s Longshot : Cahirdown Boy (3.15.)
Peter O'Hehir's tips for Down Royal:
11.40.Smooth Player
12.13.Mel Monroe
12.48.Peace Party
1.23.Jack In The Box
1.58.Know The Game
2.33.The Storytller
3.08.Faulty
Next Best
11.40.Barometer
12.13.Blue D’enfer
12.48.Fox Le Bel
1.23.Chavez
1.58.Walking The Walk
2.33.Vaucelet
3.08.Lucky Lyreen
Double : Smooth Player and Know The Game.
O’Hehir’s Longshot : Our Dylan (12.48.)
READ NEXT:
George Cohen dead: Legendary England 1966 World Cup winner dies aged 83
Meet the Irishman who designed Argentina's World Cup-winning jersey in role with Adidas
Matt Doherty backs Harry Kane to bounce back from World Cup penalty miss
Johnny Giles praises Angel Di Maria after Argentina star's role in World Cup win
FIFA investigating Salt Bae's 'undue access' to pitch after World Cup final
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
