Strong fields for Coral.ie day at Leopardstown

Heartbreak City runs in the Coral.ie Hurdle   with Clarcam, A Toi Phil, Lake Takapuna leading the Coral.ie Leopardstown Handicap Chase

Heartbreak City, the clear ante-post favourite, has been declared in a field of 23 runners for the €100,000 Coral.ie Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday. He is one of four horses declared this morning by Tony Martin who will also be represented by Golden Spear, Gladiator King and Tudor City. Coral’s €100,000 bonus for the connections of any horse that wins both the Coral.ie Hurdle and the Coral Cup at Cheltenham this year is a massive incentive and Tony Martin was the last trainer to achieve this big race double with Xenophon back in 2003 and he is attempting to achieve this double feat again this year. A winner on his last start over hurdles at the Galway Festival in July, Heartbreak City has since won the Ebor Handicap at York and went so close as runner-up to Almandin in the Melbourne Cup in November.  

Simon Clare, Coral PR & Broadcast Director, commented: "We are thrilled that a horse of the calibre of Heartbreak City is declared for this Sunday’s Coral.ie Hurdle. Tony Martin was the last man to win this race and then the Coral Cup with Xenophon in 2003 and this time there is a €100,000 bonus for connections if he achieves that with one of his entries."

Top-weight for the race will be the Shark Hanlon-trained Hidden Cyclone, the mount of the season’s leading conditional rider Rachael Blackmore.  Gordon Elliott is set to rely on Veinard but champion trainer Willie Mullins is another with four runners, with Thomas Hobson and Allblak Des Places heading his challenge. Leading fancies That’s A Wrap, trained by Tom Mullins and Shay Barry’s After Rain have also been declared while Conright Boy, trained by Cathy O’Leary and Noel Meade’s De Name Escapes Me are other notable declarations.

The Coral.ie Leopardstown Handicap Chase has attracted a final field of 19 runners with Gordon Elliott’s Clarcam heading the weights. In all, the season’s leading trainer fields a team of seven including A Toi Phil and Space Cadet. As in the Coral.ie Hurdle, Willie Mullins runs four horses, Tennis Cap, The Paparrazi Kid, Rolly Baby and New Kid In Town.   Also set to line up are leading early fancies Stellar Notion, trained by Henry de Bromhead and Jim Culloty’s Lake Takapuna. 

The Grade 3 ‘Money Back On Fallers’ At Coral.ie Novice Chase will see six runners face the starter with the Willie Mullins-trained Yorkhill certainly the one to beat. The leading challengers appear to be Henry de Bromhead’s Gangster and Anibale Fly, trained by Tony Martin.

Pat Keogh, CEO Leopardstown commented: Pat Keogh, CEO Leopardstown Commented: “This day continues to provide some of the best sporting action you will see all year —and the two big handicap are really going to be something to watch with a Melbourne Cup runner-up adding spice to the contest — it will indeed be a day to savour.”