NEWS ROUND-UP: UP TO 60,000 people are predicted to attend the Leopardstown Christmas festival, and Willie Mullins has opened the possibility of a mouth-watering Day Two clash for them to savour between his star novice hurdlers Cousin Vinny and Hurricane Fly.
The champion trainer revealed yesterday there is "every possibility" the horses will meet in Saturday's Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
Last month's Royal Bond winner Hurricane Fly has been an intended starter in the Grade One ever since he won at Fairyhouse last month, but for many the most impressive performance that day came from his stable companion back in third.
Cousin Vinny was making his hurdling debut and only gave best in the closing stages, a performance that makes him a 9 to 2 favourite for Cheltenham's Supreme Novices Hurdle, with Hurricane Fly rated next best at 10 to 1.
Cousin Vinny has a number of maiden options over the holiday period, but Mullins hasn't ruled out the possibility of pitching him straight back into Grade One company.
"There is every possibility Cousin Vinny will run in the Future Champions, and I wouldn't have a problem if he and Hurricane Fly were to run in the same race. I am very pleased with how they have progressed since Fairyhouse," he said.
"Cousin Vinny's hurdling debut was very pleasing, and he obviously has loads of speed as you need that to win three bumpers," he added about last season's bumper champion. "He has won on soft ground and on good ground, but his best form is on good."
Hurricane Fly is a proven Grade One performer over flights, however, having also finished runner-up in last summer's French Triumph Hurdle (Prix Alain du Breil). That extra experience is a significant bonus to the horse, according to his trainer.
"He has a lot of experience and that gave him an advantage last time over the other horses who were running in a different grade while he had been there before, and that was a big advantage," Mullins reported.
Ground conditions for the festival look set to be on the soft side, although this week is expected to provide a dry run-in to the four-day extravaganza.
"The rain we have had over the weekend is negligible and we are still soft here," said Leopardstown manager Tom Burke. "It could improve a bit if we get windy weather this week, but we are being told it should stay calm. I can't see there being any huge change."
The biggest crowd of the week is expected on St Stephen's Day with up 18,000 people anticipated, but the most valuable race of the week will be Sunday's €200,000 Lexus Chase.
Neptune Collonges will be the Paul Nicholls-trained runner as he attempts to follow up last year's victory with Denman.
But the British challenge will be without the Charlie Mann-trained Air Force One.
Last month's Hennessy runner-up, a Grade One winner at the Punchestown festival in April, will run instead in Friday's King George VI Chase.
"There is no doubt the Lexus will be the easier race but I still favour Kempton. I would be worried about Leopardstown if it came up soft, so it makes sense to stay at home," Mann reported.
The Jonjo O'Neill team have also to decide between the King George and the Lexus for Exotic Dancer, but The Listener is expected to return to Leopardstown and run in a race he landed in 2006.
One of the fourth-day stars on view will be the former dual-Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace, although trainer Dessie Hughes has warned he may not run the star veteran if ground conditions turn up very testing by next Monday.
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