Elliott and Mullins set for festival showdown
DEATH DUTY and Footpad – and their respective trainers Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins – lock horns in what promises to be a fascinating Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day.
Death Duty extended his unbeaten record over fences to three in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse earlier this month and while trainer Elliott had suggested his charge was likely to head to Limerick for a two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two, he instead runs over two miles in the feature event on the opening card of the Christmas Festival.
His inclusion sets up an intriguing clash with the Mullinstrained Footpad, who was fourth in last season’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and was footperfect on his chasing debut at Navan in November.
Henry de Bromhead’s recent Punchestown scorer Avenir D’Une Vie, Ted Walsh’s Any Second Now and Jett from Jessica Harrington’s yard complete the five-strong Grade One field.
The main supporting race on a quality seven-race card is the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle, in which Gavin Cromwell’s Espoir D’Allen takes top billing.
Nicky Henderson’s Might Bite, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Bristol De Mai and last year’s winner Thistlecrack (Colin Tizzard) head the entries for the King George as Kempton, also on St Stephen’s Day. Elliott’s Outlander was not declared and looks set to defend his Christmas Chase crown at Leopardstown on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Sam Spinner announced himself on the big stage with an all-the-way win in the JLT Reve De Sivola Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot yesterday. The five-year-old (9-2) stepped up markedly in class for trainer Jedd O’Keeffe, and fended off allcomers under Joe Colliver.
In 2011 O’Keeffe was diagnosed with cancer in his throat and neck and almost gave up training. He said: ‘We are so lucky. He (Sam Spinner) absolutely loves it. He just wants to be a racehorse and we’re all so lucky to have him.’
The victory completes a remarkable career turnaround for Colliver, who was jailed for 10 months last year after lying about the circumstances of a car crash, serving almost three months.