Willie Mullins and Paul Townend had a day to remember at day two of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival for 2020.
The pair combined for a big-race treble, spearheaded by a scintillating performance from Chacun Pour Soi (4/7 favourite) in the Grade One Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase.
At eight years old, Chacun hardly put a foot wrong when disposing of Henry de Bromhead’s Notebook (7/2) by six and a half lengths to strengthen his position as the leading two-mile chaser with a return to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival in February next on his agenda.
![Willie Mullins with the trophy for The Paddy Power Steeplechase won by Castlebawn West and Paul Townend](https://kclrfanzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/willie-mullins-2020.jpg)
Mullins and Townend also took the other Grade One up for grabs with Champion Bumper runner-up Appreciate It (7/4 favourite) making it two from two over the smaller obstacles when turning the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle into a procession.
Appreciate It had tongues wagging when coming home nine lengths clear in a flawless display while things got even better for Mullins when top-weight Castlebawn West (13/2) made every post a winning one under the Cork jockey to land the Paddy Power Chase.
![Chacun Pour Soi and Paul Townend.](https://kclrfanzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/horse-racing-chacun.jpg)
The €150,000 contest is normally one of the most competitive handicaps of the jumps season, but Castlebawn West dictated affairs from the front to coast home by four and a half lengths, earning quotes for the Gold Cup and the Aintree Grand National in the process.
![Horse racing at Leopardstown.](https://kclrfanzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/horse-racing-leopardstown-2020b.jpg)
The most impressive winner of the day, however, came in the opener when the Denis O’Regan-ridden French Aseel (7/2 favourite) ran out a 22-length winner of the Paddy Power “Only 4 More Days Until 2021′” 3yo Maiden Hurdle for Kilkenny trainer Ellmarie Holden.
Racing on Day 3
Savills Day on 28 December features the Savills Chase (Grade 1), a race rich in history that has been won by legends of the turf such as Beef or Salmon, Tidal Bay and Bobs Worth.
The feature race is a key indicator of the best-staying chasers in Ireland and is the target for all the leading yards the Savills Chase always produces a memorable finish.
Here’s how the race card for day three looks.
Race 1 | 12.15pm | The Tote.ie Maiden Hurdle | 4yo | 20f |
Race 2 | 12.50pm | The Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle | 4yo+ | 24f |
Race 3 | 1.25pm | The Ballymaloe Foods Beginners Steeplechase | 4yo+ | 21f |
Race 4 | 2.00pm | The Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) | 4yo+ | 24f |
Race 5 | 2.35pm | The Irish Daily Star Christmas Novice Handicap Hurdle | 4yo+ | 16f |
Race 6 | 3.10pm | The Savills Steeplechase (Grade 1) | 5yo+ | 24f |
Race 7 | 3.40pm | The Midland Legal Solicitors Flat Race | 4yo+ | 16f |