RACING: Almost €15 million is expected to be wagered on Ireland's racetracks over the Christmas festival period, with many of the sport's star names helping punters to continue their holiday spending.
Leopardstown's traditional, four-day bonanza kicks off the St Stephen's Day action with a 12.25pm start, but there will also be racing at Limerick and Down Royal, where extra security measures will be in place after last month's alert which resulted in the course being evacuated.
The biggest crowds will be at Leopardstown, where an attendance of over 17,000 is forecast for a card that includes the featured Grade One Durkan New Homes Novice Chase. An eight-strong field includes the likely favourite, Justified, as well as Kill Devil Hill, who is owned by Ryanair's Michael O'Leary.
"The big thing for us this year will be that it's the first time we will be using the new M50 for a really big crowd," said Leopardstown spokeswoman Ruth Chamberlain. "We had arrangements in place for the Champion Stakes in September, but this will be completely different in terms of numbers. We are extensively sign-posted and there are directions to the car-park in Carrickmines and to the far side of the track. Gates open at 10.15."
There will also be huge interest in the big race at Sandown on Monday, the King George VI Chase, where Kicking King will attempt to become just the second Irish horse to win the great race for a second time in a row.
Captain Christy in 1974-'75 was the last to do it, and Tom Taaffe, whose father, Pat, trained Captain Christy, has reported his star steeplechaser to be settling in well at the track.
"He seems in very good form and very happy in himself," said Taaffe, who is unconcerned about the switch from Kempton Park, where Kicking King won last year. "He is a very good jumper and Sandown is a course where you have to jump well."
Barry Geraghty will again team up with the Irish star and will be hoping for no repeat of the last-fence dramatics of 12 months ago when Kicking King almost threw away victory with a bad mistake.
Kicking King's main opposition is again likely to come from last year's runner-up, Kingscliff, as well as the Tony McCoy-ridden Impek, who races in the Best Mate colours of Jim Lewis. Kicking King, however, remains a general 7 to 4 favourite.
The current champion jockey, Ruby Walsh, will have his first rides back at Sandown since dislocating a shoulder in a fall at Navan a month ago.
As well as riding Royal Auclair in the King George, he will team up with the Irish-trained Feathard Lady in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle. Trained by Colm Murphy in Co Wexford, Feathard Lady is unbeaten in six starts, and victory on Monday would push her up the ante-post betting for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
One concern ahead of the King George, however, is a 7.30am inspection which has already been called for Monday morning. Temperatures of as low as minus four are being forecast for Christmas night.
"Frost protection covers have been laid down at the fences and will remain in place until the day of racing," said the Sandown clerk of the course, Andrew Cooper, yesterday.
In contrast, there are no weather concerns reported for Irish meetings, and the ground at Leopardstown is forecast to be "yielding", which will be good news for those horses who don't like the mud.
For those trying to find winners, though, the going is likely to remain heavy.
