Leopardstown Christmas Festival 2024: Croke Park beats Better Days Ahead in Grade One

Gordon Elliott’s Croke Park held on to win an exciting Racing Submit Lengthy Distance Novice Chase in foggy situations on day one of many Leopardstown Christmas Competition.Croke Park narrowly beat 10-11 favorite and stablemate Higher Days Forward as Paul Gilligan’s Buddy One completed third.Solely 4 went to the publish, with Elliott’s Stellar Story a tailed-off final.Amid thick fog, which pressured a 30-minute delay to the Grade One contest, Croke Park and Higher Days Forward emerged because the frontrunners.Regardless of a robust end from Higher Days Forward, Croke Park clung on to win by a head, with Sam Ewing the profitable jockey.”Clearly he got here from the point-to-point subject. He is a really powerful horse, sincere and a terrific jumper. We’re completely delighted with the efficiency in the present day,” mentioned coach Elliott.”I could not see a lot of the race, nevertheless it’s nice to win it. To be sincere, he [Croke Park] disillusioned me a lot as a hurdler final 12 months, we had such expectations for him however he was in all probability so massive and weak.”He is come again there now and has two Grade Ones gained this season so I am delighted for connections.”Earlier, Kopek Des Bordes was a clear-cut winner for Willie and Patrick Mullins within the TRI Equestrian Maiden Hurdle with Henry de Bromhead’s Workahead claiming a dominant win within the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle.Favorite Hey Neighbour made a profitable begin to his leaping profession by securing a Grade Two success within the Juvenile Hurdle for Gavin Cromwell earlier than Shraheen gained the Novice Handicap Hurdle.



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