Racing Leopardstown St Stephen's Day previewGrade One races tend to be dominated by high-profile teams but Newmill can set the platform for the game's "little men" and some raucous west Cork celebrations in Leopardstown's St Stephen's Day feature.
Trained near Clonakilty by Thomas O'Leary, Newmill will travel to the south Dublin track with something to prove against a Durkan New Homes Novice Chase field that includes two former Irish champion hurdlers.
The 2002 AIG hero, Ned Kelly, is coming back after over two years on the sidelines but it looks to be the 2003 winner Like-A-Butterfly who sets the standard here after a stunning comeback of her own at Naas last month.
The JP McManus-owned mare skipped around to win as she liked and the 18½ lengths she officially had in hand over Newmill back in fifth was flattering - to him.
Nevertheless, there are some sound reasons for believing it can be a different story this time.
The impact of a virus is such that O'Leary can remember the exact day the first of his 20-strong string started coughing - September 10th. As a result he estimates his horses lost almost two and a half months in terms of preparation for the winter. It's in that context that Newmill's chasing debut has to be placed.
A rousing return to form at Clonmel this month confirmed his current well-being and there will also be a comforting symmetry to the presence of Garrett Cotter on Newmill's back.
Cotter has ridden the horse only once but that yielded the sole Grade One triumph of Newmill's 11 -race career in last year's Royal Bond Hurdle. The jockey was plainly unlucky to lose the ride afterwards but Sunday's €100,000 pot would be some consolation.
Like-A-Butterfly's chance is obvious but it will be no cakewalk this time, especially with Mariah Rollins also returning to the scene of her greatest triumph in last year's Grade Two novice hurdle.
The main supporting race is the Grade Two Juvenile Hurdle where Stromstad has to concede weight all round after a Graded victory at Fairyhouse. On that occasion it was Riverboatman who had to give the weight away, and looked unlucky in running as well. Frances Crowley's horse looks a bigger danger to the top one than Don't Be Bitin or Thecaulofesker.
JP McManus however played his own cards yesterday when it was revealed he has bought the unbeaten-over-hurdles Urban.
It's three months since the Joe Crowley-trained horse won his second race over flights at Listowel but he did win it by a distance on heavy ground and the McManus move is certainly no black mark to his chance. The classic winning flat jockey, Seamus Heffernan, was a jumps winner at Leopardstown last season but Urban could be his most valuable winter winner to date.
Another major flat name features in the second maiden hurdle as Dermot Weld unveils the Stakes performer Queen Astrid. Rated 102 on her last start on the level, Queen Astrid races in the colours of the local owner, Dr Ronan Lambe, and class could overcome her inexperience.
The Railway Man has bits of form, particularly behind Wild Passion at Navan, that look to make him a bet against some highly rated types like Martinstown and High Priestess in the opener.
But in terms of jockeys to follow, Sunday represents a chance for the top amateur Niall Madden to shine while Noel Meade's number one rider Paul Carberry is also in action at Kempton.
Among his amateur contemporaries in the bumper, Madden looks to hold a major shout on Celtic Sammy who was taking on a serious rival when runner up to Albert Mooney on his Fairyhouse debut.
Madden steps in for the ride on Dizzy's Dream who goes for the handicap chase despite a number of novice options through the holiday period.
Certainly if Cane Brake is successful at Limerick earlier in the afternoon, it will point to Madden's chances as Dizzy's Dream was runner up to that horse on his last start at Cork. The Meade horse looks fairly weighted on that evidence.
