RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:THE CREAM of Ireland's two mile chasing talent are set to provide a mouth-watering Christmas clash at Leopardstown on Monday where Irish racing's horse of the year, Big Zeb, will be challenged by the rising star Captain Cee Bee.
Both horses are among a small but select seven-strong entry for this Monday’s €100,000 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase and also in the mix will be the multiple Grade One scorer Golden Silver, who will be defending his festive title after winning last year.
The two mile Grade One is among the holiday highlights which saw forfeits for this Sunday and Monday’s action released yesterday.
Leopardstown’s St Stephen’s Day feature, the Grade One Bord Na Móna With Nature Novice Chase, includes the star jumper Mikael d’Haguenet, while 52 entries will scramble for a place in Monday’s hugely lucrative €190,000 Paddy Power Chase.
Colm Murphy, though, is focusing on Big Zeb’s second start of the new campaign in the Dial-A-Bet which he won two years ago. The Queen Mother Champion Chase winner has been installed as 6 to 4 favourite by the sponsors to regain the Dial-A-Bet crown and Murphy gave an upbeat report yesterday.
“So far, so good. The weather has been a bit of a pain but it is all systems go,” the Co Wexford trainer said yesterday.
“I would have loved to get them to the Curragh for a school. But with Big Zeb it wouldn’t matter much as we wouldn’t do a lot with him.”
Captain Cee Bee won impressively on his first start of the campaign at Naas and will be hoping for better Christmas fortune than last year when he fell at the last in the St Stephen’s Day highlight.
Eddie Harty’s former Cheltenham and Punchestown festival hero is currently rated over a stone behind Big Zeb and Powers rate last Wednesday’s Hilly Way winner Golden Silver as their 9 to 4 second favourite.
Becauseicouldntsee has never run in a handicap before but Noel Glynn’s horse is currently rated a 12 to 1 joint-favourite with the Troytown winner Jack The Bus if he is thrown in at the deep end in Monday’s Paddy Power Chase.
The usual large crowd is expected for Sunday’s St Stephen’s Day action at Leopardstown, where the main support is the Grade Two Juvenile Hurdle in which last week’s Grade Three winner Toner D’Oudairies will attempt a quick follow-up.
Gordon Elliott’s horse carries Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud colours which were carried to success in the same race 12 months ago by Carlito Brigante.
On the same day at Limerick, Willie Mullins’s course winner Quel Esprit is set to tackle the festival feature, the Grade Two €40,000 Grennmount Novice Chase. Another notable entry is last week’s Clonmel winner Quito De La Roque.
Leopardstown’s third day will include the re-routed Grade Two Future Champions Bumper, which was lost from Navan at the weekend.
The Grade Three mares novice chase lost from Cork 11 days ago will now take place at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve.
Betting:(Paddy Power): 6-4 Big Zeb, 9-4 Golden Silver, 11-4 Captain Cee Bee, 8 J'y Vole, 20 Scotsirish, 25 Bar.
