Chief Justice & Coeur Sublime do battle again Chief Justice bids to continue his profitable campaign in the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown. The Acclamation gelding began his jumping career with Richard Fahey before moving to Ireland to join Gordon Elliott in September. Having already won at Worcester, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned youngster completed his hat-trick with wins at Listowel and Gowran Park. He looked to have had his limitations exposed when beaten into second in the Wensleydale Hurdle at Wetherby, but rediscovered the winning trail when outpointing stablemate Coeur Sublime in a Grade Three at Fairyhouse on his latest outing, and the pair do battle on the opening afternoon of the big Christmas meeting. Chris Richardson, Cheveley Park’s managing director, said: “He certainly seems to have found his vocation. He was a bit of a naughty boy on the Flat and had trouble with the stalls, but we don’t have that worry at the moment. “I’m told he’s in good form and he likes top of the ground, so it looks like conditions will be in his favour. “He might have a break after this, but we’ll see how he goes.” Chief Justice and Coeur Sublime are two of five runners for Elliott along with Coko Beach, Flat To The Max and Smiling Eliza. The Willie Mullins-trained pair of La Sorelita and Maze Runner and Jessica Harrington’s Got Trumped also feature in an 11-strong Grade Two field. Mullins saddles his first Cheveley Park-owned runner as Allaho lines up in the Tote Supporting Irish Racing INH Flat Race. The four-year-old, who was second in a Listed hurdle at Auteuil earlier in the year, is one of six horses Cheveley Park have in training at Closutton. Richardson added: “He’s a nice horse. I saw him in November and he’s certainly a fine stamp of a horse, so we’ll see how he goes. “I’m sure whatever he does he’ll improve.” Allaho’s biggest threat appears to be Elliott’s point-to-point winner Fury Road. The champion trainer takes the wraps off Klassical Dream in the opening Tote Pays Dividends Maiden Hurdle. The four-year-old finished fourth in a Grade One at Auteuil last year and will be well fancied to make a successful Irish debut. Mullins has Defy De Mee in the following Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle, but Martin Brassil’s City Island looks the one to beat. The Punchestown bumper winner passed the post in front on his hurdling bow at the Galway Festival, but was later disqualified after testing positive for traces of arsenic. A seaweed-based food supplement Brassil had been using was found to contain the substance, but the authorities stressed the Grand National-winning trainer could not have been aware of the presence of arsenic in the supplement at the time he was using it and his fine was waived. Several previous winners contest the Sky Sports Racing Novice Handicap Hurdle. Aforementioned is an obvious player for Joseph O’Brien and Gigginstown House Stud after making a winning hurdling debut at Limerick, while Sir Benford Wales is on a hat-trick for Henry de Bromhead following wins at Kilbeggan and Downpatrick in August and September. Likely contenders for the “Bet Through The Racing Post App” Handicap Chase include Elliott’s trio of Tycoon Prince, Cubomania and Sunsetstorise.
