Keith Donoghue
Keith Donoghue’s William Hill blog: Leopardstown 27th December rides preview
William Hill ambassador Keith Donoghue previews his rides on December 27th at Leopardstown.
Saturday, Leopardstown
I’m going to be plenty busy enough on the 27th as I’ve some nice rides back at Leopardstown. Kicking things off is Ole Ole in the three-year-old maiden hurdle (12.05pm). He has had a couple of good runs now behind him after finishing second twice. Going to Leopardstown we know it will be a strong race with Willie (Mullins) coming out with a few three-year-olds. However, he has been knocking on the door and we think he can go very well. This is the first time I’ve ridden him but the last two times he has carried eleven stone and I don’t do that too often, but I’m doing it on a couple of the others over the two days.
My big ride of the day is on Only By Night in the two-mile one-furlong Grade One chase (1.12pm) and I’m really looking forward to her going into open Grade One company. It is obviously an unknown, but she has had a good start to the season with a win in a Grade Three at Naas. It is a good race, but she is in good form. We are hoping she will be bang there, but we know where we will stand with her after this. Hopefully she can keep improving as she will have to improve up to this level, but we are very happy with her at home. Gavin has decided to pop a set of cheekpieces on her as well. She is very genuine, but you can see from her last few runs that when she does get to the front she kind of just pricks her ears and parks a little bit so this will give a little bit of help at the finish.
In the Grade One novice hurdle (1.47pm) I’m on The Passing Wife, who put up a good run to finish third in the Grade Two Royal Bond at Fairyhouse last time out. He finished really strongly that day and I think going left-handed will suit him really well. I think he will run a big race.I think he is overpriced as I expect him to be bang there. It is probably a better race than the Royal Bond, but we are hopeful our lad will step up again.
We are staying over hurdles with Path D’Oroux again (2.22pm). He had a good run back over hurdles the last day at Fairyhouse. Like The King Of Prs it is hard to know how well handicapped he is, but he should give a good account of himself.
My final ride of the day is on Ballysax Hank in the valuable handicap chase over an extended three miles (3.00pm). He put a good run in the American Grand National the last day. It was disappointing to get beat the way he did, but it was a good run and the plan has been this race since then. He has freshened up well and he seems in good form at home. It is still off a nice weight so hopefully he can run another good race. We need a bit of luck as this is one of the toughest handicaps of the season, but we hope he can run well. He could be called the winner of the Summer Plate at Market Rasen a long way out, but he is a strong traveller and he jumps well so hopefully a race like this will suit him.
Rest of the Leopardstown meeting
After the first two days at Leopardstown it is a bit up in the air as to where, and what, I will be riding, but on the 29th Hello Neighbour could return in the Grade One December Hurdle.
He is more than likely to run, but that is not a definite yet. It will be his first step into open company and he is still only a four-year-old so it will be a big ask on his first run of the season to take on the likes of Lossiemouth, but we do think he can show himself up well. If he was to get placed then that would be a good run.
And although I won’t be riding Inothewayurthinkin in the Savills Chase from what I’ve seen at home he seems to have sharpened up from the John Durkan. You would have to be hopeful he can go a lot closer here back at a more suitable trip.
He was fifth in the race last season, but you would be hopeful he could go better in the race than he did last year.
