Promising novice Imagine looks set for a step into open company on his next start, with the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles in his sights.

A useful hurdler last season, Gordon Elliott’s charge has thrived since switching to the larger obstacles this term, scoring in heavy ground at Fairyhouse in November before successfully stepping up to Grade Two company at Punchestown a few weeks later.

Connections had suggested a run at Kempton in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase was a possibility over the Christmas period, but with French raider Il Est Francais convincing most to stay away, the Imagine team decided to hold fire in favour of other options.

Now the Caldwell Construction Ltd-owned six-year-old will tackle two and a half miles for the first time over fences in a Group Two event won by Allaho in two of the past three years.

“He runs at Thurles in a Grade Two over two and a half miles,” said Joey Logan, racing manager for the the owners.

“We just didn’t want to run again to soon with him (after the Craddockstown) and we were thinking of going to Kempton (on Boxing Day) but we decided not to with it being three miles and with the French horse coming over.

“We didn’t want to run him over three miles at Leopardstown, so we said we would keep him fresh and the plan is to go to Thurles on January 21.

“He’s still a baby and there is a similar race coming along for Fil D’or as well. These are all young horses and they are coming along nicely and we’re very lucky to have them.”

Jade De Grugy could put her Cheltenham Festival aspirations to the test at Fairyhouse later this month following an impressive debut for Willie Mullins at Leopardstown.

The five-year-old was snapped up for €230,000 after winning at Saint-Brieuc in late 2022, and after a 452-day absence finally made her first start for her Closutton training team and new owner Kenny Alexander over the festive period.

Sent off the 5-4 favourite in the hands of Paul Townend for a two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle, Jade De Grugy delivered a blistering display, making light work of her rivals to romp home by 15 lengths.

She is now poised for a step up in class for her next start, with Fairyhouse’s SBK Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle on January 27 seen as one possible spot where Jade De Grugy can tune-up for a shot at the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in the spring.

“She was very impressive,” said Alexander’s racing manager Peter Molony.

“We are not sure what she beat, but what she did was very good and Paul was very impressed with her – we are quite excited about her.

“Every option will be open, but something like the Solerina at the end of the month might be something for her.

“If she progresses in the right direction you would be dreaming of the Mares’ Novices’ at Cheltenham. It’s what we’re thinking of at the moment and hoping for.”

Mullins also unleashed another exciting prospect in the colours of Alexander during Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival with French import Kargese finishing second in the Grade Two Mercedes-Benz South Dublin Juvenile Hurdle.

It was the same position Gala Marceau filled in the race on stable bow 12 months ago and Kargese will seek to repeat Gala Marceau’s Grade One winning exploits in her next start at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Molony added: “We were happy with her, she just didn’t settle great on the day. Considering that, she ran very well and the winner had had two runs already so again we’re quite excited about her.

“Hopefully all going well she goes to the Dublin Racing Festival and if things progress well, we will dream of a go at the Triumph Hurdle.”

This afternoon’s card at Naas will go ahead as planned after the track was declared fit to race.

The Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle is the highlight of a seven-race fixture, but fog had put the meeting into some doubt.

However, clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan reports conditions to have improved since inspections at 7.30am and 9.30am, with the meeting given the official go-ahead.

He said: “I can see the last fence now pretty clear, the fog has lifted and at this point in time racing goes ahead.

“We’re good to go. Having chatted to a few of the riders that have gone for a run around the track, they are happy enough they can see. We have been up to the judge’s box and from there you can see the last fence.

“At this point in time, we’re good to go but we will continue to monitor because of fog, it can lift and come back again.”

The ground at Naas is soft, soft to heavy on the chase and hurdles track.

Fog continues to be a concern at Naas ahead of this afternoon’s Grade One card.

The Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle is due to be the highlight of a seven-race fixture, with the ground declared fit for action following an initial 7.30am inspection.

However, fog has been slow to lift at the track and while it is forecast to clear, clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan is maintaining a careful watch.

He said: “Met Eireann are saying it’s lifting, but the fact there’s no wind means it’s going to be slow lifting.

“We can see the last fence now which we couldn’t earlier, so it is lifting slowly, but it’s very unpredictable and we will just continue to monitor.”

The ground at Naas is soft, soft to heavy on the chase and hurdles track.

This afternoon’s meeting at Naas is subject to a second inspection at 9.30am.

The threat of frost prompted officials to call an initial 7.30am check and while the track is reported to be fit for action, fog is causing some concern at the track.

The fog is forecast to lift, but another inspection is required.

There will be an early precautionary inspection at Naas on Sunday morning ahead of a card that includes the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle.

Forecast low temperatures and the threat of fog have prompted the decision, with staff at the track set to inspect at 7.30am.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course at Naas, said: “There was a very slight grass frost on Saturday morning but the track remained raceable at all times and we would have raced today.

“However, having been in regular communication with Met Eireann this afternoon, the latest forecast is for temperatures to get down to -2 or -3 tonight along with the possibility of fog in the morning also.

“With that forecast we will hold the precautionary inspection to assess the situation.”

Ben Pauling is confident Handstands will go on to bigger and better things after maintaining his unbeaten record with a comprehensive victory at Newcastle.

Bought for £135,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point in the autumn, the five-year-old made an immediate impact on his debut under rules when scoring impressively at Hereford last month.

Newcastle’s QuinnBet Best Odds Guaranteed Novices’ Hurdle appeared a gilt-edged opportunity for the son of Getaway to follow up under a penalty and he was priced up accordingly as the 2-7 favourite.

Those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns, with Handstands always travelling strongly in the hands of Ben Jones and a mistake at the final flight did little to stop as his momentum as he galloped on for a seven-length success over Taras Halls.

“That was everything we wanted to see really. I think he’s just a big, brave youngster that just needs some practice,” said Pauling.

“Although he won it very nicely, it was good to see him jump another round of hurdles, running on different ground, going left-handed instead of right-handed and he came up with all the goods.

“He’s got a sensible head on him, he popped the last and when Ben gave him a flick off he went. He’s got plenty of ability and he’s a lovely horse for the future.”

While Pauling is looking forward to raising his sights in the spring, a trip to the Cheltenham Festival may have to wait for another year.

Considering plans, the Gloucestershire handler added: “We’ll see how he comes out of this and whether we look at an EBF Final or a Sidney Banks, I’m not sure.

“I’ll speak to Tim (Radford, owner) and see where we want to go and what we want to do, but he’s looking well above average at this moment in time.

“I don’t know if he’s a Cheltenham horse this year, if I’m honest. If you saw him in a proper race it might be at Aintree, but who knows?

“We’ll probably leave all options open and won’t rule anything out, but to me he’s a chaser and a big, gorgeous, raw individual that probably wants to be looked after.”

Curley Finger bounced back to form for local trainer Rebecca Menzies in the QuinnBet Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle.

The seven-year-old had failed to add to his tally since landing a valuable prize at Musselburgh last spring and was pulled up on his chasing debut and first start of this season at Carlisle.

A return to the smaller obstacles did not yield much improvement at Musselburgh on his next start either, but he showed his true colours in the north east, scoring by a length and a quarter under a positive ride from Nathan Moscrop as a well backed 7-2 shot.

“This ground wouldn’t be Curley Finger’s favourite, he won the Northern Lights (at Musselburgh) on a decent surface, so we were a little bit worried,” Menzies told Sky Sports Racing afterwards.

“We’ve had him entered everywhere trying to find some better ground and kind of got sick of waiting, so we just decided to run him while he’s in such good form.

“We tried chasing with him first time this season, he jumps very well at home but I think he needs a sound surface for that. He could well go chasing later on into the spring.”

Blazing Soldier (16-1) denied 6-5 favourite Two Auld Pals in the QuinnBet Acca Bonus Novices’ Hurdle.

The winner was making his first start under rules having hinted at promise in point-to-points.

“He’s a nice horse, we’ve had him six or eight weeks now and he’s shown us plenty and jumped well,” said trainer Mark Walford.

“His point-to-point form is sort of patchy, but if you look back when he finished third it was a very good race.

“He has a nice pedigree and has shown us enough at home to suggest he might run well, I didn’t think he’d win. We’ve just been treating him like a nice, young jumps horse and bringing him along steadily.”

Jamie Snowden is considering the next plan of attack with You Wear It Well after a waterlogged track scuppered an intended outing at Sandown on Saturday.

Winner of the Mares Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival, the seven-year-old is being prepared for a return to the Cotswolds in March, with the Grade One Mares’ Hurdle her objective.

She made a successful start to the current campaign in a Listed event at Wetherby in November before finishing third as favourite for the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown last month.

Snowden had been planning to lower his star mare’s sights back in Listed company at the Esher track this weekend, but with the meeting called off and the powers that be deciding against rescheduling the race, the Lambourn-based trainer must now go back to the drawing board.

He said: “I spoke to the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) and they were keen to reschedule, but The Jockey Club and the Levy Board didn’t see the need to fund the race, which is frustrating.

“You need the good races for the good horses, everyone is complaining the Irish have got a better programme than we have and it’s just a shame we can’t reschedule good races.

“We’ll have a little think and see where we go from here. I suppose there are three options – we either go to Lingfield for the Winter Million weekend, go to Doncaster for a two-mile Listed race there or wait for Warwick next month.”

Snowden felt You Wear It Well underperformed in the Fighting Fifth, but is confident she is back firing on all cylinders.

He added: “You should have seen her on the schooling ground yesterday – she was full of it. She’s in great order and bursting out of her skin to run again.”

Paul Townend is still savouring a “massive performance” from Galopin Des Champs in last week’s Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

The reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup hero lined up in the Grade One feature with something to prove following successive defeats at the hands of Fastorslow at Punchestown, but bounced back to his very best with a hugely impressive 23-length victory.

Townend admits Fastorslow’s withdrawal on the morning of the race undoubtedly made his task easier, but feels the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs would have proved a tough nut to crack in any case.

“Galopin Des Champs had a lot of questions to answer after his defeats at the Punchestown Festival and in the John Durkan, but he put in a huge performance at Leopardstown,” he said in his Ladbrokes blog.

“I rode him differently, he seemed to be very sweet, and he jumped brilliantly. Fastorslow was a non-runner on the day, and it’s impossible to know what would have happened if he turned up. However, Galopin Des Champs put up an absolutely massive performance and he would have been very hard to beat.

“I can’t wait to get back on him. Willie will probably bring him to the Dublin Racing Festival (Irish Gold Cup) and then onto to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup.

“It is disappointing when big names get beaten but it makes it all the sweeter and more enjoyable when they do come back and perform at the level they are capable of.”

Galopin Des Champs was one of five winners across two days at Leopardstown for the champion jockey, with the other major highlight being the victory of State Man in the Matheson Hurdle.

Many viewed his stablemate Impaire Et Passe as a major threat in the two-mile Grade One, but State Man swatted him aside with relative ease, ensuring the only horse to have beaten him when he has completed since joining the Mullins team is the mighty Constitution Hill in last year’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Townend added: “State Man just turns up and wins. He is a joy to ride.

“He is one of my favourite horses. He had a big task on his hands with Impaire Et Passe, but actually beat him snug enough come the line.

“Without Constitution Hill, he would be a real champion. He is probably not getting the credit he deserves because of that horse.”

Perhaps the most notable reverse for Townend over the festive period came aboard hot favourite Allaho in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

While far from disgraced in being beaten just under two lengths into third place, the rider admits he left the Sunbury circuit a shade disappointed.

He said: “I had a great spin around in the King George on Allaho. I really enjoyed it. It was my first time at Kempton and it was a really good experience.

“Shishkin departing at the second last felt like I was gifted a present, but by the time we landed at the back of the last, it was short lived.

“Hewick flew home and pushed Bravemansgame past me for second to take more money from us. It was a big run from Allaho. Did he stay? It is hard to know. He was outstayed by two really good horses.

“I couldn’t have had a better race, it all worked out perfectly, so I was disappointed to have been given a present and then have it taken away from me.

“It was a brilliant race to be a part of. The atmosphere was massive and they are the days you want to be involved with.”