Racing Post Novice Chase
Grade 1, Leopardstown 14:20
€90,000 added,
4yo plus,
2m 1f, Class 1  
Thursday 26th December 2019

1 Notebook 7/1
2 Fakir D'Oudairies 11/8
3 Royal Rendezvous 20/1
5 ran Distances: 1½l, 16l, 54l
Time: 4m 15.10s (slow by 9.10s)

Having won twice at Punchestown, Notebook had no trouble stepping up to Grade One company, in the process taking the scalp of Fakir D’Oudairies and Laurina.

Given a confident ride by Rachael Blackmore, Notebook travelled well throughout the race as Djingle set the pace.

Making her move after the third-last fence, Blackmore sent Henry de Bromhead’s six-year-old to the front at two out, from Royal Rendezvous and Fakir D’oudairies. Those two got close, which resulted in Mark Walsh briefly losing an iron on the latter.

Notebook was gone and went on to score by a length and a half from Fakir D’oudairies, while Laurina never got into it and was a big disappointment.

It was a big-race double for Blackmore and De Bromhead following the success of Aspire Tower in the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle. 

Notebook was slashed in price to 5-1 for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival with Betfair and RaceBets.

Racing Post Novice Steeplechase
2m 1f, Race Value: €90,000, Grade 1
5 ran
Going: Yielding

POS DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Notebook 6 11-12 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 7/1
4 1½ Fakir D'Oudairies 4 11-5 Joseph O'Brien Mark Walsh 11/8
3 16 Royal Rendezvous 7 11-12 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 20/1
4 54 Djingle 6 11-12 John Queally A P Heskin 25/1
PU Laurina 6 11-5 W P Mullins Paul Townend 11/10

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