Leopardstown in good shape for Christmas Festival The recent cold snap has not unduly affected Leopardstown where manager Tom Burke reports the Foxrock course in good shape for the four-day Christmas Festival which starts on St Stephen's Day. "The ground has improved from soft to now be yielding to soft. The forecast is to remain cold up to Christmas Eve but then get alot milder with some rain. Temperatures are expected to rise to about 8C by Saturday," said Burke. Limerick also hosts a four-day Festival beginning on Saturday, and the ground is described as soft. Meanwhile officials are monitoring conditions at Down Royal for their Saturday fixture as the ground is currently frozen.
