Leopardstown Christmas Festival Launched Today
-Inforthenight.ie welcomed as new St. Stephen’s Day sponsor-
Leopardstown Racecourse launched the 2009 Christmas Festival with a stable tour of Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning Trainer, Tom Taaffe’s yard.
Michael O'Rourke, June Dowling and Ciaran Conroy at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival Launch.
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The four-day Christmas Festival at Leopardstown runs from 26th to 29th December. All the big-name National Hunt horses are expected to contest the top-class races on the card and crowds of over 50,000 are expected to attend.
"Leopardstown also announced "inforthenight.ie"as the new sponsor of the opening day to coincide with the launch of their "inforthenight.ie" winter campaign. "inforthenight.ie"will be title sponsor of St. Stephen’s Day in addition to sponsoring five individual races, including the Grade 1 Novice Chase and the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle"
Leopardstown Chief Executive Michael O’Rourke said: “inforthenight.ie" is a wonderful addition to our list of Christmas sponsors and fits perfectly with our popular ‘Winter Warmer’ theme. I must acknowledge the long and loyal support of Durkan’s for this meeting in the past, which has left us with a wonderful legacy of established races which provide such great sporting entertainment on the day. Our Christmas Festival promises, as always, to raise the spirits and re-unite friends from home and abroad, which is reflected in lively bookings and enquiries already”.
Leopardstown General Manager Tom Burke commented: “The Leopardstown Christmas Festival attracts many of the great National Hunt horses from home and abroad, all poised to go head-to-head in the feature attractions, including the inforthenight.ie Novice Chase the Paddy Power Chase, the Lexus Chase and the Leopardstown Golf Centre December Festival Hurdle. We are looking forward to a great Festival meeting of highly competitive racing”.
Tom Taaffe, Leading Trainer & Leopardstown Committee member: - “The Leopardstown Christmas Festival is the sporting and social highlight of the winter racing season and it’s a meeting where a lot of people like to enjoy themselves over the holiday period. It’s the ideal time of the year to get out in the fresh air and enjoy one of Ireland’s best sporting traditions”.
Additional Information:-
Racing commences at 12.25pm
For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.leopardstown.com or call (01) 2890500
Racing and Rugby Ticket Special – 26th December
Leopardstown Racecourse and Leinster Rugby have come together to create a €40 ticket, offering admission to both fixtures on the 26th December, including a bus service from the racecourse to the RDS.
Leopardstown First Race: 12.25pm
Last Race: 3.35pm
Leinster v Ulster Kick Off: 5.30pm
Irish Tatler and Fran and Jane Best Dressed Lady – Lexus Chase Day, 28th December
Irish Tatler and Fran & Jane have come together to sponsor the Most Stylish Lady Competition at the Lexus Chase Day. This year we’re offering the winner the chance not only to win a €2,000 voucher to spend in Fran & Jane shops, but will also be offered the chance to star in a photo shoot published in the March edition of Irish Tatler.
Morning Line
All facilities at the racecourse will open from 10.30am with breakfast available from this time; so get to Leopardstown early each morning and watch the Leopardstown Morning Line, have your card marked my our resident panel of experts, At the Races Presenter Kevin O’Ryan, TV3’s Denis Kirwan, Racing journalist Ryan McElligot and bookmaker Paddy Power.
Leopardstown Winter Warmer
For just €80 per person including admission, enjoy the action in the comfort of the Leopardstown Pavilion. This package includes a table for the day in the Pavilion, mulled wine reception, Christmas buffet, and racecard, Tote betting facilities, CCTV coverage and tipster.
Recession Buster Christmas Present
Stuck for a Christmas Gift idea? A ticket to Leopardstown races is a real treat for the family and friends. Leopardstown are offering great online discounts and ticket prices this year – one enclosure, €25 when booked by telephone/purchased on the day, but only €20 if booked online and the €22 Flexi ticket which can be used on any 1 day of the festival – www.leopardstown.com
Join the Members Club at Leopardstown Racecourse
This year Leopardstown Racecourse is delighted to introduce a refreshed and exciting membership offer with reduced prices. New to the membership benefits are Festival preview evenings with racing personalities, visits to trainers’ yards and stud farms, exclusive offers with hotel partners and a new online newsletter to keep racegoers up-to-date. Also new this year is the Young Members option available to racegoers under 25yrs.
Travel and Traffic
Those travelling by car should access the racecourse from the M50 at Junction 15 from which there is a dedicated access road to the racecourse. The Luas Line from St Stephens Green to Sandyford takes patrons within a 15 minute walk of the racecourse where there is also the option of a free shuttle bus. Buses will also depart from Busaras for the racecourse at 11.00am and 11.20am each day, returning after racing.
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Profile – Tom Taaffe
Name: Tom Taaffe
Address: Straffan, Co. Kildare
Principal Jockeys: Tom Ryan, Adrian Joyce
Notable Wins: Munster National Handicap Chase (Treacle 2009), Coral Cup (Ninetieth Minute 2009), Irish Form Book An Uaimh Chase (Glenfinn Captain 2009), Red Mills Chase (Glenfinn Captain 2009), Horse and Jockey Hotel Hurdle (Ninetieth Minute 2008), Clonmel Oil Chase (Glenfinn Captain 2008), PricewaterhouseCoopers Chase (Finger Onthe Pulse 2008), Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase (Finger Onthe Pulse 2008), Paddy Power Handicap Chase (Cane Brake 2006), Troytown Handicap Chase (Cane Brake 2006), Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Novice Hurdle (Glenfinn Captain 2006), Johnstown Novice Hurdle (Merdeka 2006), Galmoy Hurdle (Emotional Moment 2006 + 2005), Hilly Way Chase (Tumbling Dice 2006), Boyne Hurdle (Emotional Moment 2005 + 2003), King George VI Chase (Kicking King 2005 + 2004), Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup (Kicking King 2004), John Durkan Memorial Chase (Kicking King 2004), National Lottery Agent Champion Chase (Kicking King 2004), Arkle Challenge Cup (Kicking King 2004), Christmas Hurdle (Emotional Moment 2004), Byrne Group Novice Hurdle Punchestown (Kicking King 2003), Go And Go Round Tower Stakes at Curragh (Lady Of Kildare 2000), Dan Moore Memorial Chase (Mr Baxter Basics 2000), Normans Grove Chase (Mr Baxter Basics 2000), Slaney Novice Hurdle (Champagne Native 2000), Fortria Chase (Delphi Lodge 1998), Powers Gold Cup (Delphi Lodge 1998)
60 Seconds With Tom Taaffe:
Q: W hat has been your most memorable day in racing?
A: No doubt about that, Kicking King in the Gold Cup.
Q: Do you get a bigger thrill from training a winner than you used to get from riding a winner?
A: Definitely. When you are training them you are practically married to them and so much work goes into getting them there that, when they win, you get a massive thrill from it.
Q: If you had not become a trainer after you finished riding, what would you have been?
A: Would you believe I seriously considered being an accountant.
Q: Of the big races you have not yet won, which would you most like to win and why?
A: I would love to win any of the big races and if I do win them, I’d be able to tell you why. The Aintree National, the Champion Chase, the Champion Hurdle, all of those races are the reason we train horses and it would be great to win any of them.
Q: What is your horse to follow for the remainder of the season?
A: Ninetieth Minute.
The Early Days
Like so many of Ireland top trainers, Taaffe first shot to public prominence due to his exploits in the saddle. He enjoyed a highly successful career as a jockey and his partnership with trainer Arthur Moore yielded plenty of big-race winners. Considering his substantial height, Tom did well to keep his weight in check throughout his career and while his biggest win as a jockey came on the Kevin Hitchmough-trained Brittany Boy in the 1987 Irish Grand National, his association with Arthur Moore brought him no less than four victories in what is now known as the Pierse Hurdle.
Success In A New Profession
It was only natural that Tom would start training after finishing his riding career and despite a slightly slow start after taking out his license in 1994, he has gradually become one of Ireland’s top National Hunt trainers. One of his first big wins as a trainer was that of Delphi Lodge in the 1998 Power Gold Cup at the Fairyhouse Easter Meeting, while later that year the same horse won the Fortria Chase at Navan. Tom also enjoyed good success with the useful Mr Baxter Basics who was a smart hurdler/chaser and in 2000, Taaffe showed that he could mix it with the best of them on the Flat when saddling the two-year-old filly Lady Of Kildare to win the listed Go And Go Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh. In recent years, Emotional Moment has been a great servant to the stable, winning over €280,000 in win prize money alone and the smart Tumbling Dice has won 7 races, with the pick of them being the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork in December 2006. In 2006/7, Cane Brake completed a remarkable handicap double, winning the William Hill Troytown Chase and Paddy Power Chase, the latter being especially meritorious under the welter burden of top weight on heavy ground.
The Kicking King Era
However, despite all of the above successes, without doubt the best horse that Taaffe has trained is Kicking King. A precocious individual, he was forward enough to win the first four-year-old bumper of the season at Leopardstown in January 2002 before going on to prove himself to be a classy novice hurdler in 2002/3, winning at Grade 2 level and finishing second to Back In Front in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. However, chasing was always going to be his game and he duly blossomed into one of the country’s top novice chasers in 2003/4, winning the Grade 1 Arkle Challenge Cup at Leopardstown before finishing second in the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival and the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. The following season saw Taaffe’s patience with the son of Old Vic rewarded as once stepped up in trip, he proved himself to be one of the best staying chasers of his generation, winning four times at Grade 1 level, namely the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown, the King George VI at Kempton, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Guinness Gold Cup at the Punchestown Festival. Following such a remarkably successful season, Kicking King was expected to rule the staying chase division for many years, but 2004/5 didn’t go at all to plan as he met with shock defeats on his first two starts of the season before grinding out a narrow win in the King George VI Chase at Kempton. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get a chance to defend his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown that season as soon after Kempton it was announced that Tom Taaffe’s stable star has picked up a career threatening injury. That injury saw him miss out on just over two years of his prime and while he shaped with promise on his return on an emotional day at Gowran Park, he failed to rediscover his spark in four subsequent starts and was retired by his connections in November 2008.
A New Era Of Success
While the loss of Kicking King was obviously a significant blow to the Taaffe yard, while he was recovering from his injury, a number of other talented horses began to emerge from the woodwork, including one that was owned by Kicking King’s owner, Conor Clarkson, called Finger Onthe Pulse. Indeed, just a matter of weeks after the disappointment of Kicking King’s second run back after his injury and the subsequent decision not to send him to Cheltenham, Finger Onthe Pulse played the role of the super-sub by winning the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase at the greatest of all festivals under Barry Geraghty.
2008/9 produced even greater levels of success for the Taaffe team, with the JP McManus-owned Glenfinn Captain delivering on the promise on his earlier career by racking up a number of valuable wins over fences including the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase, the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park and the Grade 3 Irish Form Book An Uaimh Chase at Navan. The aforementioned Finger Onthe Pulse also got in on the act, winning the Grade 3 PricewaterhouseCoopers Chase at Limerick. However, perhaps Taaffe’s most notable performer that season was the Dermot Cox-owned Ninetieth Minute, who showed that his narrow defeat of the subsequent Grade 1-winner Solwhit in the listed Horse and Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles was no fluke by grinding out a game win in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival the following March.
Taaffe has really began to hit his stride in the new season in recent weeks, sending out Treacle to win the Munster National Handicap Chase at Limerick last month to get off the big-race mark for the term. With the vast majority of his better performers likely to emerge between now and Christmas, including Ninetieth Minute making his seasonal reappearance in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, the best is still very much to come for the Co. Kildare-based trainer and he is very much one to keep on the right side of for the remainder of the season.
Tom Taaffe’s Key Horses
1. BLOWN BY THE WIND
5-y-o by Sonus ex Moylena.
Has run some good races being placed on a number of occasions. He is probably still maturing and learning how to race. He is a horse I like and should be a proper chaser in time, prefers nice ground and will stay 2½ - 3 miles in time.
2. CANE BRAKE
10-y-o by Saddler’s Wells ex Be My Hope.
Another who has been a stalwart, well handicapped over hurdles and he is versatile. Would like to win over hurdles and then try the Lexus Chase and Hennessy Gold Cup. The Grand National at Aintree is where all roads will lead to in spring.
3. CHASING ACES
3-y-o by Definite Article ex Daprika.
A smartly bred half-brother to Geos. Jumps well and shows a good attitude to his work. Will start in a bumper.
4. EMOTIONAL MELODY
7-y-o by Saddlers’ Hall ex Rosceen Bui.
Still a maiden and hopefully that will change. Very hard on herself and pulls and hangs at home and on the track. She has some very good placings to her name. Trip and ground don’t seem to matter but she has a bit of catching up to do to emulate her brother, Emotional Moment.
5. FINGER ONTHE PULSE
8-y-o by Accordion ex Quinnsboro Ice.
Gave us some great days so far and was really brave winning the Jewson Novice Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival. He disappointed us at Aintree on his comeback run and hopefully we will see him competitive shortly. All good handicap will be his target.
6. GLENFINN CAPTAIN
10-y-o by Alderbrook ex Glenfinn Princess.
He has been a great horse to our yard. He is a proper Grade 2 horse over fences. Last season worked out very well for him, not as many opportunities for him this season. But we expect him to have a good season. Unfortunately did not settle last Thursday in Clonmel Oil. Running too freely with the choke out, on heavy ground, does not work.
7. INAGH VALLEY
5-y-o by Exit To Nowhere ex Miss Ondee.
Won his Maiden well at Limerick with Seamie Heffernan on board. Was good for all as Seamie started in Arthur Moore’s when I was there. Handicaps are this guy’s goal at present.
8. INTERPLEADER
4-y-o by Luso ex Bracey’s Girl
9. KING OF THUNDER
4-y-o by Milan ex Buzz Two.
Placed in a few 4-y-o bumpers over the last few months. Likes nice ground and jumps well. 2 miles to 2½ is probably what is best for him at present and he should pay his way.
10. KINGS ADVOCATE
9-y-o by Saddlers’ Hall ex Definitely Maybe.
Has had an interrupted career to date, while still showing very good form in good handicap chases, running a good 5th in the Irish National in 2008. Ready to start now and I would hope he can win a big Handicap.
11. KNOCKLAYDE EURO
5-y-o by Beneficial ex Eurolink Seababy.
Won a Novice Handicap Hurdle in Fairyhouse last season. Hopefully win a 2½ - 3 m hurdle and then chasing will be his game.
12. KNOCKLAYDE VIC
5-y-o by Old Vic ex Laughing Lesa
Bred and looks like a chaser. Won his maiden hurdle in Thurles over 2 miles. Will want 2½ plus in time. Will stay hurdling for this season and start novice chasing next when I expect to see him come to himself properly.
13. NINETIETH MINUTE
6-y-o by Old Vic ex My Own.
Great to win in Cheltenham for Dermot Cox. Winning The Coral Cup was a plan that worked. Ran a good race finishing 3rd in Navan on his return and first step up into Grade 2. Will run in the Hattons Grace and this will tell us what we do for the rest of the season - stayers route or chasing.
14. PERSONALITY BASED
4-y-o by Flemensfirth ex Little Pearl.
Nicely bred 4-y-o and one we liked last year. I ran him in a Bumper in Limerick in April not realising my horses were under the weather. Taking some time to come to hand at the moment but I like him.
15. SHOULDERTOSHOULDER
6-y-o by Luso ex Whipa-D-Bu.
Has had more operations for everything possible since winning a smart 4-y-o Point-to-Point. Has never had a clear run to show his true worth. Placed in a number of races over hurdles, will go chasing shortly and hope he stays sound of all his problems as he will win a nice race some day.
16. SMOKING ACES
5-y-o by Old Vic ex Callmartel.
Won his Bumper and Maiden Hurdle. From the immediate family of Roll Along and Charter Party. Hopefully he can have a good season hurdling before starting off over fences next season.
17. SOVERIGN
4-y-o by Terimon ex Absalom’s Lady.
A very quick jumper who won his Point-to-Point as a 4-y-o, had the summer off and was very good winning on his first run for us in his Maiden Hurdle. He is a proper looking horse with a nice pedigree. His brother, War General, was a smart horse who got killed in Cheltenham when second for us. This fellow is a horse I like going forward.
18. SPRUCE COTTAGE
4-y-o by Dushyantor ex Oh Donna.
Lovely big strong 4-yo we have been patient with. Jumps well and will start off over the Christmas period. He has a future and probably over 2½ in time.
19. STEELTOWN
4-y-o by Craigsteel ex Black Sniper.
Super moving athlete who we like as well, jumps well and will start over the New Year.
20. STRETCH THE TRUTH
5-y-o by Oscar ex Diklers Dante.
Simple handicap hurdler who wants good ground. Unlucky at Fakenham the other day. Will stay hurdling to Christmas before starting over fences.
21. TREACLE
8-y-o by Zaffaran ex Current Liability.
Smashing big old style chaser. Aintree will be his target. Was very brave in winning the Munster National on ground that would not have helped . Best on genuine good jumping surface and stays really well, while not slow of pace for 3 miles or 2.6. Lacks some extra experience as he missed a year after winning his Novice Chase at Fairyhouse but he is clever enough. Troytown bound and might have a break then or think of the Paddy Power in Leopardstown.
22. WINNER TAKES ITALL
5-y-o by Heron Island ex Persrolla.
A horse we like who will start off over hurdles shortly. Not quite sure what is his best ground but the racetrack will tell us more.