2019 Leopardstown Friday Tips by Dave Stevos
2019 Leopardstown Friday Preview of Live RTE2 Races
It is one of the busiest periods of the year with top class action on both sides of the Irish Sea. Dave Stevos has already posted his free tips for Kempton and Chepstow. Click here to see them. The Leopardstown card is oozing quality too and RTE2 are showing four races live. Check out Dave Stevos’ 2019 Leopardstown Friday Tips for Paddy Power Chase Day below…
2019 Leopardstown Friday Tips: 1.10pm Chase (Grade 1)
There are three certainties in life… Death, Taxes and Simply Ned running well at Leopardstown at Xmas. I nearly choked on my turkey sandwich when I looked at the odds for this 17f Grade 1 and saw him chalked up at 25/1. He has won the last two renewals of this race at 16/1 and he shaped as well as ever last time out at Cheltenham. He was bang there with Defi Du Seuil and Politologue jumping the last and he was not given a hard time after. The old stager still managed to pip Saint Calvados for 3rd and it was a perfect prep for his hat trick bid in this.
He brushed off Footpad last season (soft) and Min was his victim in 2017, though that was decided in the stewards’ room. Okay, he is a 12yo now but he is very lightly raced in recent seasons and he has only had two runs since his win last December. Mark Walsh rides him really well and while Chacun Pour Soi is the one to beat, Walsh will fancy his chances of picking up some place money at least. Faugheen struck a blow for the old boys at Limerick on Thursday and hopefully Simply Ned does the same here. At odds of 25/1 he has to be worth a small each way interest and his trainer agrees.
2019 LEOPARDSTOWN FRIDAY TIPS: SIMPLY NED E/W @ 25/1 NAP
Leopardstown Friday Preview: 1.45pm – Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
The second live RTE2 race from Leopardstown is a five runner Grade 1 Novice Hurdle. Willie Mullins has won the last four renewals and he relies on Blue Sari to make it five in a row. The Cheltenham bumper runner up scored by 0.5L on his hurdling debut over 20f at Punchestown (soft). The drop back in trip should not inconvenience him, but he has to beat the more experienced Abacadabras.
Gordon Elliot’s charge ran Envoi Allen close last time at Fairyhouse and that is the best form in the race. Easy Work won at Limerick on Thursday so is unlikely to run, while Heaven Help Us will need a divine intervention to figure on all known form. This doesn’t appeal as a betting heat and it is one to watch with a view to the future.
2019 LEOPARDSTOWN FRIDAY TIPS: NO BET
2019 Leopardstown Friday Tips: 2.20pm – Handicap Hurdle (0-145)
This race has attracted no less than 26 runners and it is safe to say it is an absolute minefield. Paddy Power have the best each way terms available, paying out on the first 6 places. The one I will be backing for very small stakes is Cliff House for Dot Love and Cathal Landers. This 9yo son of Mustameet is generally a consistent horse and he hasn’t finished outside the first four on his last 5 starts (22443).
Those runs came on the flat and chasing, but the return to hurdles is not a worry. He was only beat 5L off today’s mark on his last outing over timber at Navan. He previously hosed up in a 16f handicap hurdle at this track off 126 with Cathal Landers on board. Dot Love has freshened him up since his last run and his recent form figures after a break of 50 days or more are 12. Soft ground is fine, he is a C&D winner and at 33/1 Cliff House is the e/w pick.
2019 LEOPARDSTOWN FRIDAY TIPS: CLIFF HOUSE E/W @ 33/1 (6 PLACES PADDY POWER)
Leopardstown Preview: 2.55pm – Paddy Power Chase (Grade B)
The most valuable race at Leopardstown on Friday is the 200k Paddy Power Handicap Chase. Always an ultra competitive affair, this year 28 horses will battle it out over the 24f trip. It will take some getting on the forecast ground and stamina will be key. Any Second Now runs off top weight, so perhaps it might pay to back one of JP’s that has gets in off a low weight. Killer Miller won nicely last time out but he is no banker to repeat that given his profile. The one that looks most interesting is Spider Web for Tom Mullins and Slippers Madden.
This son of Presenting won the Munster National in 2018 over this distance so on good ground at least, he stays 3 miles. It will be more testing on Friday but he has won four of his five races on yielding and soft ground. He ran a cracker in his repeat bid for the Munster National this year, finding just one too good. It was heavy at Limerick and he will be suited by slightly better ground here. Spider Web has form figures of 511 at Leopardstown, with both wins coming at 21.5f. At odds of 18/1 he looks primed to produce a big run.
Grundy Looks Overpriced
Another one that looks interesting at very nice odds is the Hendry De Bromhead trained Solomn Grundy. This son of Westerner was an eye catching 4th in this last year off 129 for Hugh Morgan. He is back on board for the first time since and the softer ground this year could suit. Solomn Grundy has three wins and they all came on soft ground. He had a nice pipe opener in the Troytown and that should leave him spot on for this. At odds of 28/1 he could hit the frame for each way backers.
