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THE Christmas period continues with some awe-inspiring racing mainly centred around Leopardstown and the rematch of GALOPIN DES CHAMPS and Fact To File in the Grade One Chase (Leopardstown, 2.35).

Since losing on his debut at the Dublin track to Appreciate It in a Grade One novice hurdle, the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner has gone five from five over fences at Leopardstown and his run behind Fact To File in the John Durkan was a lovely start to his career.

Now the selection is back on “home turf” this will be the real champion that we will surely see this afternoon, and the make-up of the field strongly suggests that team Mullins will make this an end to end gallop. That is not to say that Fact To File won’t be suited to such a test, but more that his senior stable-mate will surely be in his element and I fancy that he will defend his title.

Of the remainder, to probably fill third place in the frame, a tight fit Conflated could be the one for an each-way play to profit at a massive price.

The supporting card is a cracker and my best play comes in a huge field two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle due off at 12.50. There is plenty of pace on here so it should be a well-run affair and that will suit my tip STAY GOLD. This very lightly raced five-year-old is gradually getting the hang of hurdling, wasn’t too fluent last time out at Punchestown, but he showed he has a good engine inside by running on late down the home stretch to finish a closing fifth of 19 behind Binge Worthy.

With that experience behind him, only his fourth start under rules, I expect the son of Malinas to take another step forward and relish the extra two furlongs on this stiffer course and a better round of jumping should see him go very close.

The Rising Stars Beginners Chase (1.20) sees the much-awaited chasing debut of QUAI DE BOURBON. An eyecatching third of 21 in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival, he then followed that up with a fluent success on the Novices Hurdle at Ayr and there should be a whole lot more to come over the larger obstacles. He should take all the beating and is preferred to An Tobar who has been crying out for a fence.

The Grade One Hurdle (2.00) looks wide open with some wily and experienced campaigners playing the three-mile game here. However, all of them may well be claimed by the younger SANDOR CLEGANE who by and large hasn’t really taken to the larger obstacles despite running Fact To File to 10 lengths in the Novices Chase at Cheltenham earlier this year.

A close up third to Stay Away Fay in the 2023 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, I fancy he will relish this return to the smaller obstacles and could well be worth a speculative each-way wager for the Stayers Hurdle next March at general odds of around 66/1.

Finally at Leopardstown the entries will be jostling and jogging around to finish in the of the first four qualifying places of the Handicap Hurdle at 3.05. But for those who need their rating to rise to run in the final next year, I suspect the best each-way play could be with KING ALEXANDER trained by Willie Mullins.

Winner of three of his nine starts over hurdles for Nicky Henderson, he was last seen finishing tailed off in the big two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at Aintree in May. Down four pounds in the handicap to a mark of 126, any market support would be very interesting for him. Of the other 22 runners I may well have a saver on the light-weight Toor Khov who relished the step up to three miles last time out at Navan and can take another step forward here on only his eighth start over timber.

The Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury (2.55) looks a cracking renewal with some really promising young horses set to put their unbeaten records on the line. To my eyes this is about the professional and efficient jumping The New Lion, three from three in his career, two over hurdles up against the raw talent and huge engine of REGENT’S STROLL. The selection eventually ran out an very impressive winner of his debut over timber when he demolished the penultimate hurdle before flying clear of his nine rivals by nine-and-a-half lengths and further.

So far the form of that race has hardly been cemented but he remains capable of so much more and indeed will have to in order to beat the Dan Skelton-trained youngster. Of the remainder, First Confession’s success at Ascot last time out after being seen off readily by the classy Potters Charm at Cheltenham on his hurdling debut.

Some 12 months ago, SURREY QUEST (nap) merely outstayed his rivals in the Mandarin Handicap Chase at Newbury and despite being some 11lbs higher in the ratings this time around, everything looks in his favour to successfully defend his title.

First time up this season the seven-year-old flew home up the Prestbury Park hill to finish a closing two-and-three-quarter-length second to Abuffalosoldier. That run should have brought him to a peak, and with an end to end gallop likely here given the make-up of the field, I suspect the selection can outstay his rivals down the long home stretch at the Berkshire track.

Elsewhere on the card I also fancy a huge run from INTHEWATERSIDE (3.35) and MUCUNA (12.05). The last named runs off a feather weight in the opening mares handicap hurdle and any further drying of the ground will be massively in her favour.

In contrast, Spirit d’Annou needs a downpour to take advantage of his slipping mark of 125 in the 1.45. That leads me to turn in the direction BLAIRGOWRIE. Nicky Henderson’s bottom weight has returned with two moderate runs over fences and this return to hurdles off a mark of 108 looks very interesting.