CHACUN’S A REAL FESTIVE CRACKER

Punters will gain plenty of Rewards by following Willie’s star

CHACUN POUR SOI could head a big day for Willie Mullins at Leopardstown today where the eight-year-old can land the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase.

A hugely exciting talent for quite some time, this dual Grade 1 winner met with a shock defeat in this race 12 months ago.

However, unlike last year he has the advantage of a run this time around having recently landed the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork. He should have improved considerably from that run though and he is tipped to see off Notebook who is a dangerous rival.

He was a top class novice chaser last season and he bounced back from a couple of below par efforts last spring to win well at Naas on his comeback.

There is a strong chance that Willie Mullins could win five of the seven races on offer at Leopardstown this afternoon.

The champion trainer is also tipped to land the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle where Appreciate It makes his second appearance over hurdles. He was a smooth winner of a maiden hurdle at Cork last month and last season he emerged as one of the standout bumper horses in Ireland. All this suggests that he should take a high rank over hurdles and he is marginally preferred to the Royal Bond winner Ballyadam. The most eagerly awaited race of the day is likely to be the Paddy Power Chase where a case could be made for well over half the runners. One of the longest priced runners in the field is Mitchouka but he has a better chance than his odds imply and is a sporting choice. His comeback in a Gowran conditions race last month was satisfactory but the performance which makes him the choice here is his sixth to Imperial Aura at Cheltenham last March. He would have been closer in that race with better luck in running and last year’s Paddy Power winner Roaring Bull ran similarly in that Cheltenham race before landing this. The unexposed Ten Ten has a chance as does the former Triumph Hurdle winner Farclas while Roaring Bull could go well if in the mood. Elsewhere Sea Ducor makes plenty of appeal in the two mile handicap hurdle as he looks to build on a pleasing comeback success at Gowran. Klassical Dream had a below par and brief campaign last winter but he might well bounce back now that he switches to fences in the beginners chase.

SOLID CHANCE Willie Mullins’ chaser Chacun Pour Soi can land today’s 1.10 at Leopardstown