Ballyfad
Ballyfad may not have received due recognition for the performance that he put up in winning the maiden hurdle that opened proceedings at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival last Friday. Gordon Elliott's horse did have the run of the race in front, Jack Kennedy was allowed to set sedate fractions, but his jumping was good and he quickened impressively from the front to win by nine and a half lengths. His time through the final four furlongs of 54.05secs was over a second and a half faster than the next fastest, and he was fastest through each of the last two furlongs, almost a second faster than his fastest rival through the final furlong.
Winner of his only point-to-point, the Gigginstown House horse won his two bumpers earlier this season, both by just a half a length, and this was a nice step forward from Punchestown in November on this, his first run over hurdles. There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree, he is from the family of Macgeorge, whose best form was over three miles or further, but he showed here that he had the pace for two miles on yielding ground. He could be seen to even better effect over slightly further, and it will be interesting to see where he fits in with some high-class Gordon Elliott-trained novice hurdlers, but the speed test that the Baring Bingham Hurdle represents over the intermediate trip could be an interesting target for him.
Leopardstown, 26th December 2025
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