One Last Tango can dance in at Leopardstown for JP McManus

A reshuffle of the Irish racing calendar sees today's feature at Leopardstown switch to a 3m Grade 1 Long Distance Novices' Chase.

The opening day of the Christmas Festival was always associated with a two mile race but that has been binned and it's the stayers who get an early opportunity to shine.

An unusually dry winter has meant Leopardstown have been watering the track to get some give in the ground description for what promises to be a fantastic four days' of racing.

Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott have won nine of the last ten runnings of the 3m Novices' Chase but Mullins has no runner this year and with three of the four declared stabled in Cullentra, the odds are short that this prize will be going back to Elliotts.

It’s a disappointing turnout, with the good ground seemingly putting Mullins off running any of his stars, but Elliot’s trio are all smart horses and it could develop into a decent race.

Croke Park arrives here on the back of his Grade 1 Drinmore success at Fairyhouse but he’s passed over in favour of BETTER DAYS AHEAD (2.20).

The Bective Stud-owned six-year-old captured the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and made a hugely impressive chasing debut at Navan when defeating Slade Steel over 2m4f.

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The Martin Pipe has a habit of producing high-class chasers with Galopin Des Champs, Banbridge, Sir Des Champs and Don Poli on its roll of honour and this son of Milan has the potential to reach the top.

Bective Stud’s Noel and Valerie Moran bought him for £350,000 on the same day one of their most promising horses, Ginto, was sadly killed at Cheltenham and his jumping at Navan was professional and his turn of foot a big asset.

Stellar Story, the third of the Elliott trio, also won at Cheltenham last year in the Albert Bartlett and also won on chasing debut while Paul Gilligan’s Buddy One looks up against it on his chasing efforts to date.

The Grade 2 O'Driscolls Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle was won by Lossiemouth in 2022 and in the same Rich Ricci silks WILLY DU HOUELLE (1.10) for an expensive failure at Fairyhouse earlier this season.

He was sent off at odds of 1-4 on his Irish debut for Willie Mullins but was beaten by one of today’s rivals Naturally Nimble in a sprint finish despite travelling strongly throughout.

He has won in France and looked like a horse that would be better going left-handed and with the benefit of that run he can reverse the form and capture this contest.

The 2m1f Handicap Chase is a decent betting race and ONE LAST TANGO (2.55) warrants respect in the JP McManus colours.

He won at this festival last year over hurdles and looks very well handicapped over fences off 114 considering his hurdles mark rose to 131 following win 12 months ago.

Charlie O’Dwyer is a very capable conditional and takes another 5lbs off his burden and he’s picked up some nice chasing experience in his four runs this season.

The opening TRI Equestrian Maiden Hurdle often produces a nice horse and the Willie Mullins-trained KOPEK DES BORDES (12.00) is potentially exciting on his hurdles debut.

He won a bumper at Punchestown back in May with great ease and is a half-brother to six winners, including a French Grade 1 winner.

He looks a high-class novice hurdling prospect and the betting should be informative.

Barry Connell likes his Leopardstown winners and in the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle his WILLIAM MUNNY (12.35) gets the vote.

He won two decent bumpers last year and finished third in the champion bumper at Punchestown behind Redemption Day.

The Dornan Careers Novice Handicap Hurdle is worth €20,000 and BANANA THREE (1.45) is worth an each-way interest for the excellent Ross O’Sullivan.

He has enjoyed a very good season with this string and although this four-year-old has won just once in 20 starts under rules, he's been running with credit over hurdles this season and did so again on his last start at Punchestown.

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