Rhinestone adds glitter to Leopardstown

Rhinestone Cowboy, the Smurfit Champion Hurdle favourite, will take on the best of the Irish in Monday week´s Bewley´s Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

With Back In Front and Solerina already committed to the fourth-day festival highlight, the race got another boost yesterday when trainer Jonjo O´Neill committed Rhinestone Cowboy to travelling.

'He has come out of his last race at Haydock very well and the plan is to go to Leopardstown,' O´Neill said.

Rhinestone Cowboy´s performance at Haydock was enough to take him to the top of the Champion Hurdle market with Paddy Power making him their 3-1 favourite.

Writing off this weekend´s pre-Christmas fare could be dangerous considering the high-class Scarthy Lad won the Navan opener last year and his jockey Conor O´Dwyer can repeat that success today on War Of Attrition.

The former point-to-pointer got off the mark over flights when beating The Kop End at Punchestown by two lengths and looks the sort of progressive type to thrive in the Carol Hurdle.

Macs Joy was a 12-length winner at Downpatrick but War Of Attrition´s overall form looks good enough to win.

The gloss on Watson Lake´s two-length second to Star Of Bethlehem at Fairyhouse took a blow at Gowran on Thursday but Watson Lake still looks good for the maiden hurdle, while Sharp Act can improve enough on his second to Paddy Fitz at Cork to win the two-mile handicap.

The Beginners Chase is an intriguing contest with Old Opry and I Got It representing the Central House form and O´Dwyer switching to the JP McManus-owned Yeoman´s Point.

It could pay to side, however, with Joueur d´Estruval despite that fall at the last on his chasing debut at Thurles. The Mullins runner was no threat to Emotional Moment at the time but the run should have brought him on.

It´s a year since Barrow Bridge ran second to the high-class Adarma in the bumper here but she returns for another crack on the back of a run at Punchestown. Sanghasta will be fancied by many but the Hughes runner could be the answer.

Beausheram won a novice event from Hi Cloy over the course and distance of today´s handicap chase and should be up to following up.

At Thurles tomorrow the star turn will be the McManus-owned Fota Island who should find the company in the Horse & Jockey Hurdle much easier than when running behind Solerina in the Hatton´s Grace.

Fota Island was running a blinder in that Grade 1 contest and was lying second before a nasty fall at the second last.

Boleyknowsbest has been placed in two starts behind Star Of Bethlehem and Adarma but now looks to have a winning shout in the maiden hurdle.

Tomorrow´s Dream will be the get out for many in the bumper as a six-length second to Geill Sli at Naas reads well in this company.