Good Land and Michael O'Sullivan © Photo Healy Racing
Owner-trainer Barry Connell considers Good Land a worthy favourite for the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The two-mile-six-furlong contest is the first of eight Grade Ones scheduled to take place across a mouthwatering two days at this year’s Dublin Racing Festival — and while Willie Mullins looks set dominate, it is Connell’s charge who is poised to head the market for the curtain-raiser.
Wexford bumper winner Good Land made it no further than the first flight on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse, but proved his class with an impressive victory at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.
He steps up in distance and class this weekend, but Connell is confident he will prove hard to beat.
He said: “He’s in good order and worked well during the week. All is good with him.
“They’re putting plenty of water on the track so the ground should be fine and the step up in trip won’t be an issue.
“He doesn’t have to improve too much. After his performance the last day over the course, he probably deserves to be favourite.
“I think he’s come on since Christmas and we’re hoping for a big run.”
Mullins fires a twin assault at a prize he has won seven times in the last 10 years, with stable jockey Paul Townend preferring Tramore winner Quais De Paris to Grangeclare West who needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Naas earlier in the month under the trainer’s nephew, Danny.
“Grangeclare West was very impressive when he won and Quais De Paris was probably less impressive, but it’s a tight track in Tramore and I brought him down for the ground,” said Mullins.
“He’s a big horse who will appreciate a longer trip and he’ll improve an awful lot. The bare evidence of that form probably wouldn’t be good enough, but we’ve brought plenty of horses down to Tramore and on to Leopardstown and Cheltenham and it’s worked.”
Paul Nolan claimed this race in 2020 with Latest Exhibition and has high hopes for Sandor Clegane who was runner-up to Facile Vega in a bumper at this meeting 12 months ago and opened his account over hurdles with a 12-length verdict at Punchestown in November.
Nolan said: “He’s only had two runs over hurdles, he was placed in his first run and then improved a lot from that to win at Punchestown.
“It is a big step up now again and hopefully he can run with credit. He seems in good form and we hope for the best.
“It’s a big step up in class and it looks a very hot race — all nine have declared and you can make a case for all nine of them in it.
“This fella is still a young horse and he’s a big scopey individual and we hope he can stay in one piece. He is full of potential and we hope he can run with credit on Saturday.” Deep Cave recorded a narrow win at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival and represents the formidable combination of Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore.
“I thought he won really nicely at Leopardstown over Christmas. He’s only a young horse, but he’s progressed with every run,” said de Bromhead.
“He’s only a five-year-old, but he’s a really nice horse and one we’re looking forward to running.”
British hopes are carried by Weveallbeencaught who had subsequent Cheltenham winner Rock My Way in behind when scoring at Prestbury Park on New Year’s Day.
The six-year-old is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and will ridden by his son Sam, who said: “His form has worked out nicely after Saturday, so fingers crossed.
“It is a lot hotter out there (Ireland), mind. The owners wanted to have a go, so we are heading to Leopardstown.”
Gordon Elliott ’s trio of American Mike, Absolute Notions and Cool Survivor complete the field, with the first named horse looking to bounce back from an odds-on defeat in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan in November.
“He wasn’t right the last day — he scoped dirty after the race,” said Elliott.
“But he is in good form now and we are running him and we’re hoping for a better run the next day.”
