Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle Tips: Pointing The Way
Six runners will contest the Grade One Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown on the 28th December, with a highly rated youngster taking on a plethora of older rivals. Billy Grimshaw is on hand to preview the race for us and give his idea of the winner...
Home By The Lee just about heads the market at the time of writing for Joseph O'Brien, and this is a horse I had very high hopes for indeed earlier in his career. In fact, I made him a brilliant bet for last season's Stayers' Hurdle after the rapid progress the prominent racer had made. However, despite the fact this looks a more winnable Grade 1 than most he has competed in, I've been disappointed by the horse consistently over the last year or so.
He was never travelling in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, when fifth behind veteran winner Sire Du Berlais, before pulling up at Aintree behind the same rival. That was the day I really gave up on this lad, as the flatter track at Aintree should've suited. A horse that excelled at Aintree rather than flopped is the second favourite for his Christmas Hurdle and that is IRISH POINT for Gordon Elliott. In my opinion this horse could well be a top notcher in the staying hurdling ranks this season.
On seasonal reappearance he ran incredibly well to beat Princess Zoe - a mare I rate highly - over an inadequate trip of two miles and one furlong at Down Royal. One suspects Elliott certainly would not have been gutted to see Irish Point run on for a staying second, but the fact he had enough boot to win, with his stamina looking assured, is a huge plus. He is in the same yard and ownership as current Stayers' favourite Teahupoo, but that would not put me off a tentative play on this horse to win both the Christmas Hurdle and the Stayers' at Cheltenham if any firms are offering the special.
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Behind the big two in the betting there is a fairly big gap to the next horse, the headbanger that is Asterion Forlonge. Since his insane run in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle eventually won by Shishkin, in which he jumped violently right and caused carnage in behind him, he has always been a hard horse to place and indeed to trust. He is undoubtedly a talent on his day, be that over fences or hurdles, but I'm happy to forget him for punting purposes here and hope he doesn't hinder anything with his wayward jumping.
Buddy One was put firmly in his place in the Hattons Grace last time out, but perhaps the horse simply needs three miles nowadays as he was evidently outpaced. He had been in good form in handicaps prior to this Grade One jaunt, winning two on the spin. I'd certainly prefer to back him at 11/1 over Asterion Forlonge at 8/1 in here, however neither should really be good enough to lay a glove on Home By The Lee or Irish Point in particular.
Ballyadam was another in the Asterion Forlonge mould, hoped to go on to great things after being a Supreme dark horse but never quite hitting the heights. He is Elliott's second string in here and I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't up with the pace to try and jar up Asterion Forlonge and Home By The Lee for the benefit of Irish Point. Outsider of the field at the time of writing Beacon Edge may actually be the one to back to pick up the pieces providing a pace burn up ensues. He has some good form in the book and while he's no spring chicken, this is not an exceptionally strong Grade One.
Perhaps an ambitious play would be a reverse forecast with Irish Point and Beacon Edge, but for the purposes of this column my simple recommendation is to back Irish Point.
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