Leopardstown betting tips for December 26 and day one of the Christmas Festival on Horsebetting.com rate Chief Justice the NAP of the seven-race card in the 2m Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle. Voix Du Reve is the next best bet and value to beat Mengli Khan in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase. Grand Partner, meanwhile, loves the track and is thus each-way value in the handicap chase over the same course and distance. Read more about all these horses in our detailed Leopardstown betting tips for December 26 below.Chief Justice fancied to confirm Juvenile form with Coeur SublimeCounty Meath trainer Gordon Elliott looks to have leading claims of landing the 2m Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on Wednesday (13:10) for the second time in his career with Chief Justice. Although the son of Acclamation gives 3lb all-round here, he gave more weight away when landing a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse by a short-head last time out.
Coeur Sublime, who is favourite for this despite being 4lb worse off at the weights, thus has it all to do to reverse that form. There was lots to like about the gutsy battling qualities Chief Justice demonstrated in his tussle with that re-opposing rival earlier this month.
While the form of his seconds behind Cracker Factory at Aintree when in the care of Richard Fahey and later in a Listed contest at Wetherby are open to scrutiny, given how poorly that one ran at this level at Doncaster, Chief Justice hasn’t suffered from being relatively exposed. It’s worth remembering Chica Buena, a five-length runner-up to him at Listowel, has come out and won her next four starts, including absolutely bolting up at Aintree.
Davy Russell, who is three from three on Chief Justice, is in the saddle again, so taking all that into account he looks the best bet on offer here despite already having six hurdles starts. He thus rates the NAP of our Leopardstown betting tips for December 26.Voix Du Reve may be more than a match for Mengli KhanThe feature race on St Stephen’s Day is the 2m 1f Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase (14:20). Willie Mullins has saddled the last three winners, so Voix Du Reve is a value bet to enhance his superb record to six in eight renewals and turn over red-hot favourite Mengli Khan.
This six-year-old son of Voix Du Nord is two out of two over fences, making all at Galway and then in a Grade 2 event at Punchestown last month. The runners-up in both those races, Mind’s Eye and Hardline, have come out and each won their next starts, so the form has a solid look to it.
While Voix Du Reve wasn’t foot perfect over fences on either appearance in this sphere, the same can be said of main market rival Mengli Khan. There is also less to like about the form of those in-behind Elliott’s impressive 10-length Punchestown winner which means it’s open to question.
Mullins is bang in-form on a 33 per cent strike rate with his runners in the last 14 days before Christmas at the time of writing. Paul Townend, who is unbeaten in three rides on Voix Du Reve, is again in the saddle, so a bold bid looks assured and he is thus the next best bet of our Leopardstown betting tips for December 26.Grand Partner worth an each-way wagerAway from the graded action, there are maiden hurdles and handicaps galore on this seven-race card. In the 2m 1 handicap chase (14:55), Grand Partner loves racing at this venue and is thus well worth chancing each-way now dropped back in trip.
The Thomas Mullins trained 10-year-old has won four times at Leopardstown over hurdles and, although still a maiden over fences, shaped as though his time is near. Grand Partner was far from disgraced when fourth in the valuable Grade B Troytown Handicap Chase over 3m at Navan last time out.
Although beaten 15 lengths by Tout Est Permis, that rivals is half his age and the third home Magic Of Light has since won a Listed mares’ chase at Newbury by a commanding 14 lengths. The handicapper has only raised Grand Partner 2lb in the weights for his Troytown run and a mark of 125 looks workable compared to his hurdles rating of 135.
Prior to that, he was just held for second when beaten six lengths at Punchestown over an extended 2m 6f. Grand Partner can still go well despite his advancing years and, at the odds on offer, is worth an each-way punt that completes our Leopardstown betting tips for December 26.Your Next Bet
