Follow the Star of Bethlehem!
Making his seasonal and jumping debut and having his first outing for Michael O’Brien, the selection was a big order in morning prices, and again on the track, at Fairyhouse last month.
In a huge betting race, the layers held in excess of 332,000, Star Of Bethlehem didn’t let his supporters down, even though he had luck on his side.
Favourite and trail-blazing Watson Lake was still travelling strongly when blundering at the last and Barry Geraghty seized the opportunity to drive his charge past and score going away by two lengths.
The five-year-old is entitled to come on plenty for the experience and will enjoy a fitness advantage over likely main danger, Arch Stanton.
Willie Mullins’ charge has one outstanding piece of form to his credit, three parts of a length second to Back In Front at Leopardstown in January.
He hasn’t, however, been seen since performing poorly in the Irish Lincoln at the Curragh in March and may be best watched on this occasion!
O’Brien can complete a double with the talented Stashedaway in the Tattersalls Ireland EBF Mares Novice Chase.
She produced an exhibition of jumping when beating Mistletoeandwine by 15 lengths at Punchestown twelve days ago.
Joe Crowley’s Delgany Rose has real prospects of defying an 8lbs rise in the weights in the Christmas Cracker Mares Handicap Hurdle.
That is the amount she went up for a comfortable three and a half lengths defeat of Pisces over this course and distance last month, with the subsequent winner, Willoughby Joe, a further four lengths away in third spot.
John Cullen was aboard then, putting up a pound overweight. John Allen, a very useful 7lbs claimer, now takes over, so effectively you can argue Delgany Rose runs here off the same mark!
