Galvin and Davy Russell got up in the shadows of the post to snatch the Savills Chase from last winner A Plus Tard and 2019 Punchestown Gold Cup victor Kemboy.

The Ronnie Bartlett-owned winner, who claimed the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last season, was runner-up to Frodon at Down Royal on his last start.

Another thrilling finish in the Savills Chase!

Galvin finishes with a real flourish under a fine @_Davy_Russel_ ride to deny A Plus Tard in the big race at @LeopardstownRC @SavillsIreland | @gelliott_racing pic.twitter.com/nPODvP7ftp

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 28, 2021

Kemboy lead from flag fall and looked to have run most of the field into submission until the race favourite A Plus Tard made eye-catching progress on the outside of the field as they approached two from home.

With the Henry De Bromhead-trained Rachael Blackmore-ridden odd-on favourite looking the most likely winner, Russell soon moved Galvin outside of the eventual runner-up and third-placed horse as they approached the final fence.

With A Plus Tard finding it difficult to put daylight between himself and Melon, Russell and Galvin rallied close home to deny A Plus Tard by a short head with a further three-quarters of a length back to the brave Kemboy in third.

Klassical Dream wins Christmas Hurdle

Klassical Dream (7/4f), a former 2 mile novice star, won the Grade 1 Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

A winner at his first attempt at the staying distance at the Punchestown Festival last April, Klassical Dream took back-to-back Grade 1 wins, and claimed the €59,000 first prize.

Klassical Dream – three miles ahead, but race won at the start?

Gary and Ruby discuss the start to the Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/47OJIxoVvz

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 28, 2021

The Joanne Coleman-owned French-bred was in the lead, or sharing the lead, throughout the three mile contest. His nearest rival during the race, and also on the home straight, was last season’s Stayers’ Hurdle winner at Cheltenham Flooring Porter.

It was a seventh winner of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival 2021 for the successful handler, Willie Mullins, who was also responsible for the third-placed Burning Victory.

Mullins treble

Mullins completed a double when Paul Townend guided Galopin Des Champs to a highly impressive victory in the Ballymaloe Relish Beginners Chase.

The odds-on former Punchestown Grade 1-winner over hurdles was never in danger on his first start over fences as he passed the winning post 22 lengths clear of Ain’t That A Shame (10/1) with another 16 lengths back to Floueur (10/1) in third.

The champion trainer completed a treble when taking the concluding bumper with Redemption Day (8/11f) under his son Patrick.

First racecourse winner for Ellen Doyle

The opening Savills Maiden Hurdle over 2 miles 4 furlongs went to the Ellen Doyle-trained Howyabud, ridden by Jack Foley. The 25/1 chance, bred and owned by Kilkenny hurler Charlie Carter, beat the Willie Mullins import Horantzau D’airy (11/10f) by six lengths and the October Point-to-Point winner Secret She Keeps (16/1) from the Henry De Bromhead yard was a further five and a half lengths back in third.

Another Christmas winner for JP McManus

The good Christmas form of horses owned by JP McManus continued with the victory of Priory Park (92/jf) in the Irish Daily Star Christmas Handicap Hurdle under jockey Mark Walsh. The gelded son of Dylan Thomas was following up on his November success at Thurles for handler Edward O’Grady as he beat Nazine (25/1), Silvertown (14/1) and Carrig Rock (9/1).

Curragh-based trainer Martin Brassil won the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier) with 25/1 shot Panda Boy, with JJ Slevin in the saddle. In a hotly-contest qualifier for the Cheltenham Festival, the five-year-old grey son of Valirann won his second career race as he held off Winter Fog (8/1), Futurum Regum (22/1) and the 6/1 favourite A Great View.

Panda Boy is very lightly-raced and prevails in the big-field Pertemps Qualifier for J J Slevin and Martin Brassil at @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/qptBTINb71

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 28, 2021

Tomorrow is the final day of the 2021 Leopardstown Christmas Festival.

The post Galvin and Davy Russell win Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Rouge Vif (Harry Whittington/Daryl Jacob, 11st 7lb) is one of the leading fancies for the most valuable race on the card, the £48,000 Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase (3.35pm, 13 runners) over two miles.

A decisive winner of the G2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick in February, Rouge Vif was last seen out when third over the course and distance in the G1 Racing Post Arkle Novices’ Chase at The Festival.

Market leader On The Slopes (Chris Gordon/Adam Wedge, 10st 8lb) was also in fine form before the Jump season was brought to a premature end, landing a pair of novice handicap chases in great style at Kempton Park in February and March.

Trainer Chris Gordon, who is based in Hampshire, said today: “On The Slopes is in great order and the plan is to run.

“I would like some more rain for him – the ground would preferably be on the easy side of good.

“Cheltenham are due some rain today and fingers crossed they get some. It is tricky at the declaration stage, but we would obviously like to run and he will as long as they get some rain.

“He finished last season really strongly and this looks a nice first target. He is in fine form at home.”

On The Slopes

Three other contenders also line up in on the back of a win, namely impressive Fontwell handicap scorer Beat The Judge (Gary Moore/Josh Moore, 10st 7lb), Newton Abbot winner Scardura (Neil Mulholland/Sam Twiston-Davies, 10st) and Hatcher (Dan Skelton/Harry Skelton, 10st 10lb), who has been kept fresh since scoring at Southwell in July.

The opening Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (1.50pm, 2m 5f) is one of four usually informative novice contests on the card. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who has enjoyed three winners of this race since 2013, has leading claims with wide margin Wincanton winner Ask For Glory (Harry Cobden).

The opposition includes Global Fame, representing last year’s winning partnership of Fergal O’Brien and Paddy Brennan, plus fellow last time out winners Does He Know (Kim Bailey/David Bass) and Midnight River (Dan Skelton/Harry Skelton).

Top Irish trainer Gordon Elliott sends over Galvin (Robbie Power) for the Matchbook Better Way To Bet Novices’ Chase (2.25pm, six runners) over an extended three miles.

Runner-up to Imperial Aura in the Listed Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase at The Festival, Galvin has been on a roll with three consecutive victories over fences, most recently in a G3 event at Tipperary on 4 October.

Chicago Grey captured this race for Elliott in 2010 before going on to provide the trainer with a maiden success at The Festival in the 2011 National Hunt Chase, with the same contest reportedly the target for Galvin this term.

Galvin

A quality contest also features G1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle fifth Mossy Fen (Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies), another Irish raider in Doctor Duffy (Charles Byrnes/Jonathan Burke) and prolific summer jumper Soldier Of Love (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden).

Also lining up is progressive mare Clondaw Caitlin (Ruth Jefferson/Brian Hughes). The five-year-old was undefeated on all three of her starts over hurdles last season, culminating with an impressive five-length victory in the G2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso in February.

North Yorkshire-based Ruth Jefferson said today: “This race looks very competitive, but we have to start Clondaw Caitlin off somewhere and this looks as good a starting point as any.

“She has schooled really well over fences at home and we are looking forward to seeing how she gets on.

“She would like some cut in the ground so hopefully Cheltenham get the rain they are forecast, but she is in good form and is an exciting horse for the season ahead.”

High-class hurdlers Fusil Raffles (Nicky Henderson/Daryl Jacob) and Getaway Trump (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) are set to for an exciting clash in the Two Farmers Crisps Novices’ Chase (4.45pm, four runners) over two miles. Both horses come into the race following victories over fences at Uttoxeter and Warwick respectively.

Pipesmoker (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) faces seven rivals in the Catesby Estates Maiden Hurdle (4.10pm) over two miles. The five-year-old posted two promising efforts over hurdles last season, including an eye-catching third behind stablemate Chantry House at Cheltenham in December.

The two other handicaps on the card are the squareintheair.com Handicap Hurdle (3.00pm, 2m 5f), which has attracted a maximum field of 20, and the concluding Back And Lay At Matchbook Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (5.15pm, 18 runners, 2m 87y).

The Showcase continues on Saturday, 24 October, with a seven-race programme headlined by the £48,000 Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap Chase (3.50pm, 17 entries) over three miles and a furlong.

Going

The going at Cheltenham is Good (GoingStick reading of 7.4 at 7.15am today).

The forecast is for up to 6mm of rain today. There will be selective watering of the quicker areas of the course as expected rainfall diminishes.

The post Fusil Raffles, Rouge Vif and Galvin in action as racing returns to Cheltenham appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.