Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece you’ll find my highlights from Monday’s action at the Dublin Racing Festival including Gold Cup shifts. Plus, you can read my thoughts on the best of Wednesday’s action.
Monday: Leopardstown
It was good to see Leopardstown move quickly to reschedule Saturday’s abandoned card to Monday. I doubt there’s ever been four Grade 1s staged on a Monday, all headlined by a stellar-looking Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.
The hurdle track was heavy on Sunday, but conditions looked even more testing on Monday.
Doctor Steinberg
Landed the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (2m6f) in decisive fashion. He travelled powerfully but saw out the trip far better than might have been expected. I’m not sure what he beat, but he did it well.
He now heads to Cheltenham for either the Albert Bartlett or the Turners. The market points to the longer race, where he’s now clear favourite. For me, it’s the Albert Bartlett. But with Willie Mullins, nothing is guaranteed and the Turners would be no surprise.
Narciso Has
Completed a quick Grade 1 double for Mullins in the Juvenile Hurdle. Making all, he pulled clear for a comfortable success and cemented his place at the head of the Triumph Hurdle market.
He’s a big, scopey type. A future two-mile chaser in the making. Before that, he’ll take plenty of beating at Cheltenham.
You also had to be taken with runner-up Selma De Vary. A winner in France and Mullins debutant, the filly ran a very promising race. She will improve plenty for this. The Triumph is an option, but the Fred Winter may suit better. That change of gear two out suggests she could have a potent turn of foot on better ground. If she goes for the handicap, she’ll be very short.
Romeo Coolio
Only three runners went to post for the Grade 1 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase, but it produced a thrilling if attritional finish won by Romeo Coolio.
Two out, Kargese looked to have the favourite’s measure. Romeo Coolio rallied. Kargese then made a mistake at the last. It looked race over. But Romeo Coolio idled on the run-in, allowing the mare back to within a neck at the line.
Romeo Coolio stays unbeaten after four chase starts, but this was arguably his least impressive performance. He’ll have had a hard race here.
File That Under Gold
Fact To File landed a fifth Grade 1 with a powerful win in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup. He fully proved his stamina for three miles on soft ground.
He bounced back from his King George disappointment on quick ground at Kempton. Fact To Fie travelled strongly and, once he hit the front, the only question was stamina. He answered it convincingly.
He was taken out of the Gold Cup, but you’d expect him to be re-entered at the next forfeit stage after this. Provided it’s not too testing he’s got the class to land next month’s Gold Cup.
My only nagging doubt would be how much he finds off the bridle. If he’s off it two out at Cheltenham, I fancy there will be stronger stays in the line-up.
Gaelic Warrior never settled and ran a huge race in second. There must be a worry he’d do the same in the Gold Cup. If Fact To File does head to the latter race I would expect Gaelic Warrior to drop back in trip to the Ryanair Chase.
There was no fourth win in the race for Galopin Des Champs, who finished a 13½-length third. Willie Mullins felt he may still have been feeling his Christmas run, but I suspect age has finally caught up with the 10yo. If you agree with Mullins, the 10/1 for the Gold Cup will look very tempting.
DRF Future Winners
I mentioned yesterday that Star Of Guiting and Magna Victor, both Musselburgh winners on Saturday, can win again.
Here are three more future winners from the Dublin Racing Festival.
Kim Roque (Joseph O’Brien) has run well on all three starts since joining the yard. His 5½-length fifth to Backmersackme in the O'Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase may be his best run so far. He raced prominently, doing best of those who raced up with a strong pace, and only gave way at the last. He moved smoothly through the race and shaped like a horse capable of landing a decent handicap chase before the season ends.
I Started A Joke (Charles Byrnes) won a Punchestown maiden 21 days ago and looked well treated on handicap debut. In Sunday’s Listed Handicap Hurdle (2m), he went off a well-backed 7/4 favourite and just failed to reel in the tough Bowensonfire. He’s had only five starts over hurdles. As this showed here, there’s a good handicap hurdle waiting to be won with the 7yo.
Ballysax Hank (Gavin Cromwell), winner of the Summer Plate at Market Rasen (2m5½f) last July, finished a 10¾-length sixth to Jacob’s Ladder in Monday’s Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase (2m1f). He has now shaped better than the bare form on his last two starts since returning from a short break and looks to be building towards a big pot back on better ground.
Dublin Racing Festival Verdict
A superb meeting that has set the stage perfectly for next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
I had two poor punting days. Plenty of winners appeared in the previews, but apart from Talk The Talk backed two minutes before the off after drifting to a backable 3/1 I didn’t back another winner. A couple went very close and if they had landed, I would likely have broken even over the two days. But this is a game of fine margins and winning is all that matters and I didn’t.
My betting woes aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the two days of sport at Leopardstown.
Monday was brutally attritional on the hurdles track. It will be fascinating to see how DRF form translates to Cheltenham.
The only time “heavy” appeared in the going description at the DRF was 2021. I’d argue this year was even more testing. You’d have to carry reservations about any horse that had a hard race here and turns out quickly at Cheltenham.
I checked Horseracebase to see how DRF winners fared at Cheltenham in 2021.
The results were interesting.
Twelve DRF winners ran at the Cheltenham Festival. Five won.
Admittedly, most of the profit came from Heaven Help Us winning the Coral Cup at 33/1 — but maybe we shouldn’t be too concerned after all.
Wednesday Preview
Ludlow
2:58 – Regal Renaissance goes well at Ludlow and was still in contention when falling two out over C&D last time. She always commands respect here and has claims if her confidence hasn’t been dented.
Rodney improved for the step up to 2m5f when winning at Hereford 23 days ago. He’s been hit with a 10lb rise, but he had plenty in hand at the line last time. He’s only had four starts over fences and still looks on the upgrade. He can land the hat-trick.
Kempton
2:00 – A cracking London Mile Series Qualifier. High On Hope and The Lost King both won here last time.
High On Hope scored in a C&D handicap and now races from just 4lb higher. He looks well placed to land the hat-trick.
The Lost King showed the benefit of a gelding operation when flying home from the rear to win over 7f. He’s gone up just 1lb and remains open to improvement for returning to a mile.
James McHenry has struggled on both starts since finishing runner-up in the 2024 Cambridgeshire. He returned from a nine-month break when last of nine at Newcastle 19 days ago. Hard to assess how much ability remains. The yard, though, is in flying form – four winners from ten in the past 14 days and are two from eight at Kempton in the past five years.
Nikovo returned to form when a half-length runner-up at Newcastle 13 days ago. He’s only 1lb above his last winning mark. He can go close if he gets a strong pace to run at which is far from guaranteed.
Punchestown
1:03 – Nine Graces lacks consistency, but she’s proven over C&D. Her only chase win came here last January. She returned to form with a solid fifth here 24 days ago, beaten 11½ lengths. She needs to take another step forward to win, but she’s capable of doing it.
2:48 – Mojoe improved for the step up in trip when winning on handicap hurdle debut over C&D 23 days ago. He’s up 6lb, but that looks fair. He remains open to progress. Heavy ground suits, and if this doesn’t come too soon, he’s well placed to follow up.
In tomorrow’s column: a first look at Saturday’s William Hill Handicap at Newbury.
Good luck with your Wednesday bets
John