Horse Racing Tips: An 8/1 pick leads Timeform’s Sunday shouts at Leopardstown
Sunday’s Leopardstown tips
12:40 – Queens Gamble
13:10 – Ballyburn
13:40 – Kopek Des Bordes
14:10 – Gaelic Warrior
14:45 – Sequestered
15:20 – State Man
15:50 – McLaurey
16:25 – Future Prospect
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
12:40 – Queens Gamble
British raider QUEENS GAMBLE showed improved form following 11 months off when an excellent second in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury in November and, with further progress on the cards, she could well be up to conceding weight all round with Rachael Blackmore an eye-catching booking.
Seemingly saved for this assignment since Queens Gamble is fancied to follow in the footsteps of the yard’s most recent runner in Ireland; Washington was a well-backed winning favourite of a valuable listed handicap at Fairyhouse at the start of December.
Savante, Straight Home and Qualimita are others fancied to be in the mix. Phils Choice – who has cheekpieces on for the first time – also makes each-way appeal at likely longer odds, with Jeaniemacaroney also worth a look.
13:10 – Ballyburn
Winner of the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle on this card 12 months ago, BALLYBURN couldn’t match the speed of Sir Gino back at 2m last time but remains a top-class chasing prospect and he’s fancied to score at the top level for the fourth time returned to a longer trip.
The biggest threats could come from within his own yard, with Aintree Hurdle winner Impaire Et Passe also highly respected after his smooth Grade 1 chase win at Limerick in late December.
Champ Kiely could hardly have been more impressive when belying a lengthy absence on his chasing debut and, for all he has plenty on his plate to reverse hurdling form with Impaire Et Passe, can give Mullins a 1-2-3.
Gordon Elliott’s pair of strong stayers, Croke Park and Better Days Ahead, are respected but might lack the speed of the Mullins runners.
13:40 – Kopek Des Bordes
The choice of Paul Townend, KOPEK DES BORDES, has looked like an exciting prospect when winning both starts so far, getting the better of Kawaboomga (successful on his next outing) at this C&D on his hurdling debut last time, so he is taken to provide Willie Mullins with a seventh consecutive victory in this race.
Stablemate Kaid d’Authie is next on the list, ahead of Bleu de Vassy. Karniquet, whose run behind Romeo Coolio can be excused as he all but came down at the second flight, is respected.
There’s a feeling that the Punchestown Champion Bumper winner, Redemption Day, remains capable of much better, too. Indeed, Mullins’ 2020 and 2023 race winners were less fancied than other runners from the yard.
14:10 – El Fabiolo
Things didn’t go right for EL FABIOLO after his impressive victory in this contest last year, but he is undoubtedly top-class on his day and looks valuable to make a winning return here.
He had a run under his belt when landing this contest last year but has a good record fresh and with no Jonbon to conquer here, he gets the nod.
Gaelic Warrior may not be at his best at this course but rates the chief threat nonetheless with a tongue-tie applied for the first time, whilst front-runner Quilixios has been in good form this term, chasing home Jonbon in the Tingle Creek last time, and should also go well.
Solness beat both Gaelic Warrior and 2023 Supreme winner Marine Nationale over C&D in late December and shouldn’t be taken lightly, but we might find both in better form today.
14:45 – Sequestered
The last four winners of this competitive handicap have all been priced at 10/1 or shorter, so the top of the market may be the place to concentrate on.
SEQUESTERED proved a different proposition when bolting up on his handicap chase debut here in December and may have more to offer over fences, yet he can follow up for a yard that won this race in 2020.
Search For Glory, Backtonormal, and James Du Berlais head the shortlist, though it’s also worth giving Hgranca de Thaix plenty of respect.
An impressive winner at Punchestown in May, this season’s efforts appear to have tee’d him up for this assignment and he remains capable of better now dropped back in trip.
15:20 – State Man
A race that has been dominated by multiple winners in the past, with Hurricane Fly winning five renewals on the spin between 2011 and 2015 and Honeysuckle recording a hat-trick between 2020 and 2022.
STATE MAN, who chases his own hat-trick, wasn’t at his best when third in the December Hurdle here just after Christmas, but last year’s Champion Hurdle hero is taken to bounce back in style with Paul Townend retaining faith in this top-class hurdler.
Stablemate Lossiemouth, receiving 7 lb, rates a big threat despite not being at her sparkling best when going down in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle; expect much better here. Winter Fog can complete the clean sweep for Willie Mullins.
15:50 – McLaurey
A Timeform pace prediction of ‘very strong’ here, which should suit MCLAUREY, who looked a very useful prospect when travelling well and shedding his maiden tag at Limerick, and there could be much more to come from this lightly-raced sort representing a yard that knows what it takes to win a valuable handicap.
Similar comments apply to hat-trick-seeking Brave Troop, who looks highly progressive for the shrewd Charles Byrnes yard. Storm Heart looks interesting on handicap debut and appears to be the number one hope of the Mullins team.
Stormbreaker could make some appeal, while Irish Panther, now fitted with a hood following his recent C&D third, could be a live outsider.
16:25 – Future Prospect
While it’s worth noting that three of his last four winners of this race have been sent off at odds of 16/1, 18/1 and 10/1, Willie Mullins possesses an excellent record in this and his FUTURE PROSPECT looked exactly that when going in at Fairyhouse on her bumper debut.
She can take this step up in class in her stride to maintain her unbeaten record. Other Closutton candidates, Bambino Fever, Blue Velvet and Cameletta Vega, are also in the picture in this Grade 2 contest.
However, Thomas Cooper’s impressive Listowel scorer Amen Kate appeals as the one to chase Future Prospect home, having won well under Patrick Mullins that day.
Sunday’s Leopardstown tips
12:40 – Queens Gamble
13:10 – Ballyburn
13:40 – Kopek Des Bordes
14:10 – Gaelic Warrior
14:45 – Sequestered
15:20 – State Man
15:50 – McLaurey
16:25 – Future Prospect
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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