Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle on Alpha Des Obeaux’s agenda

Alpha Des Obeaux is set to return to three miles in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The Mouse Morris-trained five-year-old mixed it with the best novice hurdlers around last season, filling the runner-up spot behind a trio of Willie Mullins’ big guns in Black Hercules, Douvan and Nichols Canyon, as well as falling at the final flight when in contention at Aintree.

He found only the Mullins-trained Champion Hurdle runner-up Arctic Fire too strong in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse last month and is now bound for Leopardstown on December 28.