IE - Leopardstown - Race 3

Thoroughbred

5 Runners

18.3f

Sweepstakes Hurdle

Turf

Soft to Heavy

21.0K

VIEW

Verdict

EL FABIOLO is the one to beat if recapturing the smart hurdle form he showed at Punchestown in December, with Maxxum a credible danger in first-time headgear, following a solid effort in defence of his Boyne Hurdle crown last time. Soir De Garde is unlikely to be the main Mullins' hope but remains unexposed.

numberFire Picks

Horse Stats

#/Silk	Horse#/Horse	Power Rating	High Speed	Win %	Top 3%	Win Prob
2	Top-class chaser at best, though still capable of smart form over hurdles as he showed when successful at Punchestown on New Year's Eve, and this looks a good opportunity, having been flying too high in the Irish Champion Hurdle at this track last month. 1st Pick 2 El Fabiolo (Fr) Jockey: P. Townend Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland J: P. Townend T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	100	-	-	-	90%
Analysis Top-class chaser at best, though still capable of smart form over hurdles as he showed when successful at Punchestown on New Year's Eve, and this looks a good opportunity, having been flying too high in the Irish Champion Hurdle at this track last month.
1	Winner of 2025 Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle who turned in his best of the season when third in this year's renewal. First-time cheekpieces should have a positive effect, and he can be very competitive (despite giving weight away) if back to peak form. 2nd Pick 1 Maxxum (Ire) Jockey: C. P. Millar Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Ireland J: C. P. Millar T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	98	-	-	-	20%
Analysis Winner of 2025 Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle who turned in his best of the season when third in this year's renewal. First-time cheekpieces should have a positive effect, and he can be very competitive (despite giving weight away) if back to peak form.
3	Half-brother to State Man who posted a couple of solid efforts in bumpers prior to winning readily on hurdle debut at Tramore in April, and though the apparent stable second string, he's very much open to improvement on return. 3rd Pick 3 Soir De Garde (Fr) Jockey: D. E. Mullins Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland J: D. E. Mullins T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	79	-	-	-	12%
Analysis Half-brother to State Man who posted a couple of solid efforts in bumpers prior to winning readily on hurdle debut at Tramore in April, and though the apparent stable second string, he's very much open to improvement on return.

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Horse Racing Basic Terms

Workout

A workout is a timed sprint over varying distances prior to a race, meant to get a horse fit enough for competition.

Blinkers

A hood worn on a horse’s head to limit side vision, which can improve concentration. Blinkers are added or removed to relax a horse or give it more focus.

Superfecta

A wager involving choosing the first, second, third, and fourth horses in one race in the exact order. A superfecta box involves paying more to ensure they can finish in any order in the top four spots.