Redemption Day likely to make winning start to life over hurdles

There have been plenty of breaks in his career, most notably the 611 days between that first Punchestown effort and his runner-up finish at this meeting in 2023, but he is all class and if he is in the same form as when last seen in May, it will take a big performance to lower his colours.

Point-to-point winner Workahead showed promise on his hurdling debut and won’t have to build on it too much to finish in the frame once more.

The feature on the Leopardstown card is the Grade One Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase and it has attracted a disappointing field of just four runners, three from the Gordon Elliott yard and one from that of Paul Gilligan.

Elliott’s Drinmore winner Croke Park is likely to be sent off favourite, but preference is for stablemate Better Days Ahead, even if the latter needs to prove himself at this level. Winner of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, he subsequently finished a fine third in a Grade One won by Dancing City. On his return to action, in mid-November at Navan, he took on Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Slade Steel, with both on chasing debut, and came out on top with a degree of authority.

While the runner-up didn’t do much for the form when beaten in a beginners’ chase on his next start, Better Days Ahead certainly gave the impression he could be considerably better over fences than he was over hurdles.

The longer trip of this race will prompt further improvement, and he can get the better of his stablemates.

Croke Park won a tactical running of the Drinmore and perhaps chasing has been the making of him, but there are holes in his form which make him opposable, particularly if sent off a short price. Stellar Story was far from impressive on chasing debut but is surely capable of much better and deserves plenty of respect.

In Limerick, the Grade Two Lyons of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Novice Hurdle is the feature and, in an open renewal of the race, The Big Westerner can extend her perfect record.

Winner of her only point-to-point, the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare made her hurdling debut last month at Punchestown and there was much to like about the way she quickened up to keep market leader Argento Boy at bay.

She carried her head quite high that day but there was nothing wrong with her response to pressure, and while this is a huge step up in class, she has plenty of scope and can prove up to the task.

In Down Royal, Gordon Elliott has leading claims in many of the races, and while Lightkeeper may not jump off the page as the most obvious of them, he makes each-way appeal in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners’ Chase.

Last time out, on his chasing debut, he finished fourth behind Banjaxed and while that form leaves him with almost five lengths to find with runner-up El Champo, he is 5lbs better off with that rival and he was also conceding considerable chasing experience to him.

With the run under his belt, the selection, who was a demoted winner of his third outing in a point-to-point, should make a bold bid. Beau Walking also holds claims of reaching the frame.

Gavin Cromwell’s team has been in great form, and it will be interesting to see if there is market confidence behind One Night Standard when she makes her handicap chase debut in the Metcollect Handicap Chase. With an initial rating of 102, she just gets in at the very top of the ratings for this race and is potentially very well treated.