Irish armchair racing fans in for bumper St Stephen’s Day coverage

Covid-19 restrictions mean numbers going racing on St Stephen’s Day are capped but all the action on the busiest programme of the year in Ireland will be available to view free-to-air for those at home.

On Sunday the pay-per-view Racing TV channel will broadcast a dedicated Irish racing service on the FreeSports channel.

That is available for Sky viewers on channel 422 and for Virgin customers on 553.

RTV did the same thing in 2019 and with eight meetings in Ireland and Britain due to be covered by the channel this St Stephen’s Day it has again opted to offer the Freesport option.

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The 21 Irish races at Leopardstown, Limerick and Down Royal will also be available on RTV’s Extra facility.

RTÉ’s St Stephen’s Day coverage will include four races from Leopardstown as well as two from Limerick, including the Boylesports Faugheen Novice Chase.

Gordon Elliott is sending eight of his 28 Sunday starters north and they include Gerri Colombe, who gets his jumping career underway in the opening maiden hurdle.

The dual-bumper winner is a former point-to-point winner and should have no problem with conditions if they turn extremely testing at Down Royal.

No one is likely to get rich backing O’Toole in the other maiden hurdle but his appearance will still be eagerly anticipated.

Stuart Crawford’s five-year-old put up a superb performance to split Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard in the Punchestown festival’s champion bumper last season.

Previously a 15 -length winner at Fairyhouse, O’Toole could well take leading rank among this season’s novice hurdle class.

The 2018 winner Stand Up And Fight is back for another crack at the hunters chase in Down Royal but the Crawford team could have serious ambitions at this too through the impressive point-to-point performer Poli Roi.