Top novices set for Leopardstown clash
The Willie Mullins-trained Champagne Fever was beaten by Defy Logic over two miles at Christmas and would be stepping back up in trip to two miles and five furlongs.
Don Cossack lost out narrowly to Morning Assembly in the Florida Pearl Novice Chase but won the Drinmore in determined fashion, beating Galway Plate winner Carlingford Lough.
Mullins has several other top-class options, including Felix Yonger, who was surprisingly beaten by also-entered stablemate The Paparrazi Kid at Limerick.
The exciting Mozoltov and Djakadam could also run for the champion trainer. Dessie Hughes has entered Bright New Dawn, who disappointed last time out, while Noel Meade can call on Mullaghanoe River and Road To Riches.
Meanwhile David Pipe’s expensive French purchase Un Temps Pour Tout is likely to step up in trip next time out after finishing second on his British debut at Haydock on Saturday.
The £450,000 buy was beaten by Zamdy Man in a Grade Two trial for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but Pipe was pleased with the effort and is taking much encouragement from the race being run in a quicker time than the Champion Hurdle Trial won by Melodic Rendezvous on the same card.
Pipe said: “There had been much publicity prior to Un Temps Pour Tout’s British debut in Grade Two company at Haydock.
“It would certainly have been nice to gain a win with him, but I still thought that he ran very well to finish runner-up to a very useful sort in Zamdy Man.
“We will probably step him up in trip next time and I think you will see an even better horse then.
“Interestingly, looking at the times of our race compared to the Champion Hurdle Trial on the same card 30 minutes later, you will notice that the novices completed the course 1.6 seconds faster than their more experienced counterparts.”
La Estrella will attempt to equal the record number of victories for a horse on the all-weather at his favourite hunting ground of Southwell on January 28.
His trainer Don Cantillon has earmarked the Coral App Download From The App Store Selling Stakes as the ideal race for the 11-year-old to draw level with China Castle’s tally of 25 wins on an artificial surface.
The popular gelding struck at Lingfield for the first time last week to go with his 15 wins at Southwell, seven successes at Wolverhampton and a sole victory at Great Leighs.
