By Brian Dowling

Already advised.

Gaillard Du Mesnil – Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors ‘50k Cheltenham Bonus for Stable Staff’ Novice Hurdle –

put up at 7/2

Darver Star – Patrick Ward & Company Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase – put up at 10/1

Andy Dufresne – NR

A Plus Tard – NR

A magical two days at Leopardstown awaits. We will have the horses, but we won’t have the crowds. The buzz of days like these make you fall in love with the magnificent spectacle that is national hunt racing. Eight Grade 1s over two days at the Foxrock venue will make for a special weekend, with plenty of action on display.

Many of the Graded contests do not make for great betting opportunities, with half of the Grade 1 contests currently having a market leader at odds on, and the highest priced odds against favourite being 2/1 (Gaillard Du Mesnil). However, value can still be sought, and here are a few to keep an eye on on Saturday.

Aramax – Matheson Handicap Chase – Saturday – 2.45 - 10/1

If willing to forgive his first two chase starts, handicap debutant Aramax could provide the answer in this hotly contested affair. Last season’s Fred Winter winner didn’t quite take to the bigger obstacles but looked rejuvenated at Fairyhouse on his last run to cosily score ahead of Port Stanley. That display was impressive and came off the back of three months off the track which seemed to have worked wonders for the JP McManus owned 5-year-old. He comes here off a mark of 141, which is one pound less than his hurdle rating, and can certainly make his presence felt in this sphere. JodyMcGarvey is in the plate for Gordon Elliot’s charge and he won’t be far away.

The Moyglass Flyer – Ladbrokes Hurdle - Saturday – 3.50 - 6/1

Horses for courses may well be the deciding factor in this one, and The Moyglass Flyer perfectly fits the bill. This very lightly raced 7-year-old by Galileo is only making his fifth career start over hurdles, but off a mark of 129 he is irresistible to ignore. He won the two-mile handicap hurdle at the 2019 Christmas festival at this venue and was third is his only appearance since in the same race in 2020. He made good late headway that day to run on for third, and he should be well primed for this. He has a 50% career strike rate with never failing to be out of the top 3, he will most certainly be involved at the business end. Mark Walsh takes the ride for Joseph O’Brien’s gelding, who knows where the winning post is.

Honeysuckle & Gaillard Du Mesnil – Saturday Double – 13/2

It’s difficult to fault either of these two in what they have done thus far over hurdles, and perhaps the double provides the best betting spectacle. The unbeaten Honeysuckle just did enough on seasonal reappearance in the Hattons Grace, and her 7lb mares allowance could be the major difference in the Irish Champion Hurdle. Sharjah is of course the main danger, but conceding this weight to a horse of this calibre is a huge task, and one I feel may just be too big. I put up Gaillard Du Mesnil last week, and 7/1 about him for the Ballymore is probably a better bet from a value perspective than backing him at 2/1 on Saturday. He was ultra-impressive at the Christmas festival when scooting clear to score by 10 lengths, the form of which has been boosted since, and looks like he will relish the step into Grade 1 company. The main danger may come from Holymacapony, who beat the selection on seasonal debut. He was pulled up at Navan since, and on current form, it’s safer to side with Paul Townsend’s mount.