Wednesday 29 December · Leopardstown, Eire
14:20 Matheson Hurdle (Grade 1)
- Distance
- 2m 0f 0y
- Going
- Yielding to Soft
- Class
- 1
- Prize
- EUR 150000
- Runners
- 6
Race preview
SHARJAH gets the vote to take this Grade 1 prize for a record fourth successive year. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding is well on his way to earning a million euro in prizemoney having won the Galway Hurdle, filled the runner-up spot in the last two renewals of the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle and recorded a fifth career Grade 1 win last time when readily beating Zanahiyr and Echoes In Rain, who spoiled her chance by failing to settle, in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown. Saint Roi won the 2020 County Hurdle in decisive fashion at Cheltenham and started last season as a leading Champion Hurdle candidate. However, he didn't quite live up to the billing and now reappears after a near 11-month break.
| Pos | Horse | Form | Jockey | Trainer | Wgt | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharjah | 2/1322-1 | Mr P W Mullins | W P Mullins | 11 12 | 5-6 | |
| 2 | Zanahiyr | 1142-12 | Jack Kennedy | G Elliott | 11 12 | 5-1 | |
| 3 | Saint Roi | 11/1244- | Rachael Blackmore | W P Mullins | 11 12 | 6-1 | |
| 4 | Echoes In Rain | 14111-3 | Paul Townend | W P Mullins | 11 5 | 5-1 | |
| 5 | Felix Desjy | 138F-43 | B J Cooper | G Elliott | 11 12 | 50-1 | |
| 6 | Petit Mouchoir | 33522F- | D N Russell | G Elliott | 11 12 | 18-1 |