Mighty Potter (5/2) was a first Grade 1 success for rider Jack Kennedy since his return from injury. The Gordon Ellliot-handled bay gelding won the €100,000 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle over 2 miles for owners Caldwell Construction Ltd. In what was a one-two for Elliott, Three Stripe Life and Davy Russell were second at 4/1.

The Grade 1 @paddypower Future Champions Novice Hurdle goes the way of Mighty Potter, who leads home a 1-2 for trainer @gelliott_racing in the hands of @jackkennedy15

Fantastic to hear both Arctic Warrior and Mark Walsh are up and ok pic.twitter.com/L9vaIPIAPm

— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) December 27, 2021

“It was great for Jack – his first winner back,” said Gordon Elliott. “The other horse (Three Stripe Life) is also a nice horse. I was happy the whole way until the second last but he got wiped out at the second last – both horses did. Both showed guts to comeback – two nice horses for the future.”

Envoi Allen wins Grade 1 Chase

The first Grade 1 of the day, The Paddy’s Rewards Steeplechase, saw just three go to post with the early morning defection of Chacun Pour Soi. This left Battleoverdoyen, Envoi Allen and Sizing Pottsie to battle it out for the €125,000 contest over 2 miles 1 furlong.

With Sizing Pottsie prominent early doors, the Seán O’Keeffe-ridden runner was the first beaten, and would finish the race without the assistance of the rider in the saddle. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned Battleoverdoyen (9/2) and Cheveley Park Stud’s Envoi Allen (2/5f) then took one another on as they battled until the final fence.

Envoi Allen returns to winning ways with victory in the Grade 1 @paddypower Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase, forging clear under @rachaelblackmor to score in good style for @HenrydeBromhead and @CPStudOfficial pic.twitter.com/f8NzrHPf6x

— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) December 27, 2021

Envoi Allen, who was down from 2m 4 furlongs at Punchestown, and last season’s Aintree Grand National-winning rider Rachael Blackmore pulled clear from the last fence, eventually claiming the €73,750 first prize by seven and a half lengths from the Jack Kennedy-ridden runner-up Battleoverdoyen.

“We had a bit of scare there turning in but he put his head down,” said winning jockey Rachael Blackmore. “I think Henry was definitely right to step him back. Obviously with Chacun Pour Soi being out it changed the dynamic of the race.”

School Boy Hours claims €200,000 Paddy Power Chase

Top owner JP McManus was mob-handed in the richest race of the day, the Paddy Power Chase over 3 miles.

It was one of the low weights, School Boy Hours (12/1), carrying 10-08 that took the spoils for handler Noel Meade and jockey Seán Flanagan.

In the 28-runner field, top weight Coco Beach made most of the early running under seven-pound claimer Rob James. The early exertions took their toll as the Gigginstown House Stud runner faded before the business end of the race.

School Boy Hours wins the €200,000 Paddy Power Chase for @swflanagan7 & @tuvastables in a thrilling finish at @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/H4U220c2gg

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 27, 2021

Ben Dundee (33/1), owned by Chris Jones, gave School Boy Hours most to do in the dying stages, but the McManus runner held him at bay by half a length, with Enjoy D’allen (28/1) two and a half lengths further back in third, ahead of Braeside (14/1), Death Duty and Birchdale.

Icare Allen wins on Irish debut

The French-bred Icare Allen took the opening 3-Y-O- Maiden Hurdle for Willie Mullins, jockey Mark Walsh and owner JP McManus. Walsh, who switched from another McManus-owned runner, Brazil, was a three-length victor on his Irish debut, having previously won over a mile and a half in France last August. The Peter Fahy-trained Privilege was a big-priced runner-up at 80/1 while Vera Verto (11/2) from the Gavin Cromwell yard took third.

“Lovely horse. He did it very well and had been working well at home,” Willie Mullins explained. “In fact the only bad bit of work he did was the one where I took him away to see how good he was and he worked desperate.”

Haut En Couleurs takes Beginners Chase

Willie Mullins quickly brought up a double when 1/3 favourite Haut En Couleurs won the Paddy Power Games Beginners Chase under Paul Townend. In the colours of the Donnellys, the French-bred four year old son of Saint Des Saints led home a 1-2-3 for the Closutton handler as Gentleman De Mee (5/1) took the runner-up position with front runner Mt Leinster bringing up the trifecta – both of the placed horses conceding 6 pounds to the winner.

“I think he looks Arkle material, and maybe Gentleman De Mee too,” admitted the winning handler post-race, “I think both horses will improve from the run.”

Brides Hill was game in making all in the Paddy Power ‘I’ve Had More Vaccines Than Nights Out’ Handicap Hurdle under Luke Depmsey. In the colours of the Brides Hill Syndicate, the Gavin Cromwell-trained four year old daughter of Dylan Thomas came home in splendid isolation at a price of 16/1.

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Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry will be among the star-studded field at the Fort Worth, Texas tournament which runs until Sunday.

Prior to the event, Shane Lowry, the 2019 British Open Champion, spoke to Paddy Power for whom he is a brand ambassador.

The Clara, Co. Offaly, native expressed his delighted with the return to golf following the enforced abandonment of the early part of the season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the US Masters at Augusta among the casualties.

“I’m so happy to be back playing competitive golf again.” admitted Lowry, “It’s great that the Tour starts back on Thursday with the Charles Schwab Challenge. I can only speak for myself, but I’m just very happy to be going back to playing some competitive golf again. And it’s going to be some start to the season.”

The former Irish Open Champion continued:

“It seems like everybody is playing the first three tournaments so there’ll be big fields and all the top players will be there. Obviously, everyone is coming back after a long layoff from the Tour so we’ll just see how it goes. But there will be great line-ups and hopefully it’ll all go smoothly and comes across well on TV.”

With many believing horse racing has had an advantage over other sports in returning to action early, the Irishman feels golf needs to profit from the public’s desire for live sport on TV:

“It’s an opportunity for golf to get out there and showcase itself a little bit more. People are craving live sport, so getting golf back on TV will be good, especially as it was looking pretty gloomy for a while after the season got postponed on day one of the Players Championship in March.”

“Nobody expected that” he added, “but suddenly everything snowballed and the US Masters at Augusta got postponed as did all the other Major Championships. It looked like the whole season would be lost. Now at least we’re just days away from getting back into the swing of things.”

Lowry was full of praise for the efforts made by the PGA Tour to get golfing action back as soon as possible:

“The PGA Tour have obviously done a huge amount of work and a great job at getting us back in action. But it’s going to be very different than before though, there’s no doubt about it. There’s a lot of procedures to observe. I’ve a load of documentation about the protocols in place and what we have to do.”

The Clara golfer spoke of the protocols golfers must now follow prior to competing:

“The biggest thing is that everybody involved in the upcoming tournaments will have to take a Covid-19 test first. I’ve a home-test kit to use three days before I’m due to leave for the tournaments and it has to come back negative before I’m even allowed to travel. The results come back within 48 hours of that test and once it’s negative, I’m good to go.”

He further explained the procedure for the foreseeable future while away at a tournament:

“When we’re at the venue, which this week is the Charles Schwab Challenge, we’ll all be cocooned in the same hotels and will have to follow all the different protocols that go with that. I’ll be getting my temperature taken and getting tested quite a lot pre and post tournament, so it is going to take a bit of getting used to. There’ll be constant testing. The PGA Tour has charter planes flying everyone involved from event to event, so players, caddies and support staff will be on them.”

The Charles Schwab Challenge begins on Thursday with live coverage on Sky Sports Golf, Sky Sports Main Event and The Golf Channel.

Shane Lowry was speaking Paddy Power

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