First off, what’s going on?
On Wednesday there is racing from Leopardstown and Limerick as well as Doncaster, Kelso and Southwell in the UK, Premier League football, SPL football and darts from the Alexandra Palace.
And what are the biggest events taking place?
1. The Christmas Hurdle and Lexus Chase from Leopardstown.
2. Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur.
What’s on TV?
The day begins with darts and racing from 1.0. From 1pm on Sky Sports 3 there is live coverage of the second round at the World Darts Championship with James Wade taking on Steve Beaton while Irishman Brendan Dolan faces Jelle Klaasen.
Also beginning at 1.0 is live coverage of day three at Leopardstown on RTÉ 2.
At 3.25 you can switch over to TG4 to relive this year’s senior hurling championship final between Kilkenny and Waterford.
At 7.0 on Sky Sports 3 the evening session of the darts kicks off and what an evening session it promises to be with Peter Wright getting things underway against Jamie Lewis before third round action begins with Gary Anderson facing Benito van de Pas and then the titanic battle of Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld.
Then at 7.45 it’s the choice of St Johnstone v Rangers in the SPL (BT Sport 1) or Southampton v Spurs on Sky Sports 1.
And what can I actually go to?
The races at Leopardstown and Limerick are your choices again with two Grade 1 battles at the Dublin racetrack.
Snow Falcon heads 14 possibles for the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle at 1.50. Jessica Harrington has a fascinating contender in Jezki, who has been absent since beating Hurricane Fly in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown in April 2015. Willie Mullins has six remaining entries — Clondaw Warrior, Footpad, Nichols Canyon, Shaneshill, Vroum Vroum Mag and Whiteout.
Don Poli’s career is to be put on the line in the race he won 12 months ago. Since putting in an abysmal display in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal, the Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old has had a spell hunting in a bid to revitalise him.
Then at 3.0 Djakadam and former stable companion Valseur Lido lock horns in the Lexus Chase.
Action gets underway with the first race at 12.15. Tickets are available on the gate for €30 while students and OAPs pay €20.
If you live further west then the Limerick Races are the place for you with the racing beginning at 12.0. Admission on the gate is €20.
I feel like having a bet. Any recommendations?
It’s hard to look past the Willie Mullins/Ruby Walsh combination of Vroum Vroum Mag in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown and, judging by his odds of 8/11, not many people are.
However there is value to be found if you combine him in a double with Montalbano – another Walsh mount – in the first race of the day at 12.15. The two together to win adds up to odds of just over 2-1.
