Thousands of racing fans are set to miss out on attending Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival this year with crowds capped at 6,000 per day.

Leopardstown would normally welcome 57,000 people through the gates for its traditional four-day festival from 26 to 29 December, and the course had expected to have 10,000 per day this year, having raced behind closed doors last year.

However, the recently introduced requirement to provide table service for people seeking alcoholic drinks has forced Leopardstown to significantly limit its capacity. At the time of writing, general admission tickets for the 26, 27 and 28 December are sold out, with limited hospitality options.

Speaking to our sister publication The Irish Field last week, Leopardstown CEO Tim Husbands said: “By law, those who want to buy an alcoholic beverage have to sit at a table and be served there. It’s not practical to provide that facility for 10,000, so we had to reduce the capacity.

We have a responsibility to ensure people feel safe and enjoy their day

“We are erecting marquees and lots of winter furniture to make it as enjoyable as possible for patrons. We have a responsibility to ensure people feel safe and enjoy their day.”

Tickets are still available for all four days of Limerick’s Christmas festival, which also runs from the 26 to the 29 December. Interim manager Paddy Dunican said he expects the course will be able to admit walk-ins on all day but racegoers advised to buy tickets in order to avoid potential delays given the need to record contact tracing details.

There are seven Grade 1 races at Leopardstown and one at Limerick though running plans are still up in the air for most trainers. However, there will be Irish representation in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day through Gold Cup hero Minella Indo.

Henry de Bromhead confirmed the eight-year-old is on target for the three-mile Grade 1 last week and he’ll take on Clan Des Obeaux, already a dual winner and now looking to regain his title after finishing third last year.

A Plus Tard, second to Minella Indo in the Gold Cup, looks set to defend his title in the Savills Chase for de Bromhead

Minella Indo was beaten in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal but should be a fitter proposition now. He looks set to be joined by the Willie Mullins-trained Asterion Forlonge, confirmed on target for the race late last week by his trainer.

A Plus Tard, second to Minella Indo in the Gold Cup, looks set to defend his title in the Savills Chase for de Bromhead. The seven-year-old sauntered to victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, a performance that promoted him to Gold Cup favourite.

The Waterford trainer also confirmed star novice chaser Bob Olinger will run at either Leopardstown or Limerick, presumably on 26 December where he has Grade 1 options over two miles and one furlong and two miles three and a half furlongs.

Other star names who could see action this Christmas include the Willie Mullins-trained Sharjah, who will go for a remarkable fourth win in a row in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown on 29 December, and his stablemate Energumene, the hugely exciting two-mile chaser who could well take on the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase.