29 entries have been made for Limerick’s Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase on Saturday, 28th December. Run amid a frenzied period after Christmas, the race is the only Grade 1 run at the track over the course of the season, and is named after the winner of the 2019 edition. Gerri Colombe and Gaelic Warrior have been the race’s last two victors.
The most prominent name among this year’s entries is Ballyburn, the latest superstar from Willie Mullins’ exceptional production line. The six-year-old has met with defeat just once in his career, and made a faultless chase debut when winning by 13 lengths at Punchestown in November.
Should other targets be preferred for him, Mullins still boasts a very strong hand courtesy of another Turners Novices’ Hurdle winner in Impaire Et Passe, who made a similarly impressive start to his chasing career recently, and Ile Atlantique, an easy scorer at Navan at the start of December. Both could go far over fences.
If Mullins is to be challenged, it is likely to be by Gordon Elliott. His Cullentra yard have three particularly prominent entries in the shape of Martin Pipe winner Better Days Ahead, who beat Supreme Novices’ Hurdle scorer Slade Steel (an entry here for Henry De Bromhead) on their mutual chase debut, Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase winner Croke Park, and Firefox, the only horse to have beaten Ballyburn over obstacles so far. Further former Grade 1 novice hurdle winners in Farren Glory and Stellar Story are also among Elliott’s ranks.
Further depth for Mullins could be supplied by the likes of Sa Majeste and Mirazur West. Altogether, the 29 runners represent just seven yards, with De Bromhead potentially boosted by An Tobar, Hiddenvalley Lake and Waterford Whispers.
The other trainers represented are Joseph O’Brien, whose flagbearer may be Grade 3 winner Jordans, Paul John Gilligan with stable star Buddy One, Barry Connell with the returning Good Land and Edward O’Grady with the JP McManus-owned No Flies On Him.
Faugheen Novice Chase 2024 Runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | An Tobar | Henry De Bromhead |
| 2 | Ballyburn | Willie Mullins |
| 3 | Better Days Ahead | Gordon Elliott |
| 4 | Buddy One | Paul John Gilligan |
| 5 | Croke Park | Gordon Elliott |
| 6 | Dee Capo | Gordon Elliott |
| 7 | Farren Glory | Gordon Elliott |
| 8 | Firefox | Gordon Elliott |
| 9 | Good Land | Barry Connell |
| 10 | Hiddenvalley Lake | Henry De Bromhead |
| 11 | Ile Atlantique | Willie Mullins |
| 12 | Impaire Et Passe | Willie Mullins |
| 13 | It’s For Me | Willie Mullins |
| 14 | Jordans | Joseph O’Brien |
| 15 | King Of Kingsfield | Gordon Elliott |
| 16 | Mirazur West | Willie Mullins |
| 17 | Mistergif | Willie Mullins |
| 18 | My Trump Card | Gordon Elliott |
| 19 | No Flies On Him | Edward O’Grady |
| 20 | Rainbow Trail | Gordon Elliott |
| 21 | Sa Majeste | Willie Mullins |
| 22 | San Salvador | Joseph O’Brien |
| 23 | Search For Glory | Gordon Elliott |
| 24 | Slade Steel | Henry De Bromhead |
| 25 | Stellar Story | Gordon Elliott |
| 26 | Waterford Whispers | Henry De Bromhead |
| 27 | Western Diego | Willie Mullins |
| 28 | Nurburgring | Joseph O’Brien |
| 29 | Shecouldbeanything | Gordon Elliott |