1st - €59,000.00 2nd - €20,000.00 3rd - €10,000.00 4th - €5,000.00 5th - €3,000.00 6th - €2,000.00 Overcast

FormscanBy Alan Magee - The Christmas Festival highlight at Greenmount Park was given Grade 1 status for the first time 12 months ago and this year’s renewal is a genuine top level contest with the clash of SAMCRO and Faugheen a real treat. Samcro justified a tall reputation both in bumpers and in his novice hurdling season but was bitterly disappointing last term when constantly failing to scope clean. Those problems appear to be behind him although an impressive chasing debut at Down Royal was followed by a second last fence fall when upsides Fakir d’Oudairies in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse. He’s pleased connections since. Faugheen reached even greater heights over hurdles winning nine times at Grade 1 level including the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2015. The point-to-point winner has been switched to fences at a very late stage in his career but, apart from one blunder around halfway, jumped well in a Punchestown beginners chase and showed the old engine still had plenty of life when powering clear in the closing stages. He still represents a potent threat. Castlebrook is a really natural jumper but had his limitations exposed behind Getabird at Gowran Park, while Off You Go was a high-class handicapper over hurdles and should win his share over fences in time.

A novice steeplechase for four years old and upwards