Exciting Debuchet One To Watch On Hurdles Debut Mags Mullins expects Champion Bumper runner-up Debuchet to improve for the run as he makes his eagerly-awaited hurdling debut at Leopardstown. An impressive winner at the Foxrock venue at the end of January, the four-year-old grey found only the ill-fated Fayonagh too strong at the Cheltenham Festival in March and rounded off his campaign with a Listed success at Limerick. His seasonal reappearance and hurdling bow has been delayed following a minor wind operation and he faces 23 rivals in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Maiden Hurdle which opens Leopardstown's four-day Christmas Festival. Mullins said: "He seems in good order and we're very happy with him, but whatever he does I'm sure he'll improve from it. "He is a little bit behind. It (wind operation) didn't hold him up too much, it just put him back a little bit. "He's ready to start and Leopardstown always do a good job with the ground, so fingers crossed he'll run well." Debuchet's opponents include Noel Meade's Cask Mate, who has finished second twice over hurdles already, Gordon Elliott's Cork runner-up Manamite and French recruit Antey, who makes his Irish debut for Willie Mullins in the colours of Rich Ricci. The following Thorntons Recycling Hurdle is a similarly open contest. Henry de Bromhead's Paloma Blue was second to Fayonagh in the Grade One bumper at the Punchestown Festival in the spring, but has been beaten twice at short odds over hurdles already. He bids to make it third-time lucky but faces no easy task, with the Willie Mullins-trained Quick Grabim likely to be well supported after finishing an unlucky second on his debut over hurdles at Fairyhouse. Cogryhill heads a 29-strong field for the Cardinal Capital Handicap Hurdle, while Calino D'Airy (De Bromhead), Landofhopeandglory (Joseph O'Brien) and Blast Of Koeman (Robert Tyner) are among 18 contenders for the 'Bet Through The Racing Post App' Handicap Chase. The seven-race card concludes with the Lep Inn INH Flat Race. Joseph O'Brien's newcomer Ballyneety is respected, and Elliott's Boot Camp already has some useful form to his name. However, the Willie Mullins-trained Blackbow was impressive in his point-to-point and significant support in the market would be ominous for his rivals.
