Mad Brian has Leopardstown options Trainer Gillian Callaghan is likely to make a late call as to which of two Leopardstown entries Mad Brian will take up over Christmas. The seven-year-old, a creditable runner-up in the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan last month, is in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase on December 27 and the Grade One Topaz Novice Chase two days later. "He'll be left in both races until closer to the time," said the County Meath handler. "He came out of the race in Navan really well and we're delighted with him. His preparation is going well and he did a nice gallop the other day. "He's an inexperienced horse and it was only his third run over fences in the Troytown so we couldn't have been happier. "He was a bit unlucky on the day that he didn't get his head in front, but it was a super run. He was still a bit green over the last two fences and he should come on a lot from it. "The chase track at Leopardstown is good at the moment but we would like a bit more cut to make it into a better test of stamina, as it would be a flatter track than Navan."
