Saint Roi & Abacadabras among Matheson Hurdle entries The Matheson Hurdle is the feature race on the fourth and final day of the Leopardstown Christmas meeting and Saint Roi headlines the eight contenders for this two miles event. Champion trainer Willie Mullins is also represented by last year’s victor Sharjah and another Grade 1 winner in the shape of Saldier. The Gordon Elliott-trained Abacadabras is an obvious threat to all having edged out Saint Roi by a neck in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last month, while the Cullentra House maestro has also left in Petit Mouchoir. Henry de Bromhead's talented four-year-old Aspire Tower is also entered along with Beacon Edge and Coeur Sublime. A top-class field is in prospect for the Neville Hotels Novices Chase, with Mullins’ Monkfish bidding for Grade 1 honours after an impressive fencing debut. He renews rivalry with Paul Nolan’s Latest Exhibition, whom he just beat in last term’s Albert Barlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. The Elliott-trained Pencilfulloflead and Conflated are other names of note among ten in contention.
