Colm Greaves: Spillane’s Tower could be the best horse Mangan has trained

RICH MIX: Fact To File and Mark Walsh, centre, win the John Durkan Memorial Chase from Spillanes Tower, near, and Galopin Des Champs, far. The starting line-up for the Savills Chase at
Leopardstown on Saturday is still unclear but the John Durkan result could be key. Picture: Healy Racing

FIRST the bad news. The word ‘snow’ has failed to make an appearance in any recent weather forecast, so yet another Christmas will come and go without the need to find that old toboggan in the garden shed and plunge happily down hills with laughing children.

Now the good news. The absence of a cold spell ensures that all the holiday racing fixtures will go ahead as planned, so strap yourselves in for an avalanche of intriguing contests to enjoy in the coming days. From a hamper stuffed full of festive treats, here are some crackers not to be missed.