Morning all,
It might be recency bias but with crowds returning I think this was the best Dublin Racing Festival so far. The sight of unrestricted and no socially distanced crowd also added the spectacle. The racecourse even seemed to get the watering right. Compared to recent seasons we didn’t have the deluge of non-runners on the Sunday card.
Inside today’s main piece. I look back at the four Grade 1’s on the Leopardstown card. Plus, there are some eyecatchers from the Dublin Racing Festival and a selection from Market Rasen.
Dublin Racing Festival – Day 2
Sunday saw more wonderful action and wonderful equine performances. Once again Willie Mullins dominated proceedings. Saddling three of the four Grade 1’s with the other going to the indomitable Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle.
Ladbrokes Novice Chase (Grade 1) – 2m 5 ½ f
Galopin Des Champs put in the performance of the day to make it 2-2 over fences. We lost his stablemate Capodanno who unseated his rider at the fifth. Closely followed by Beacon Edge who fell at sixth.
Outsider French Dynamite led the field with favourite tracking in second. The leader lost the lead five out and Galopin Des Champs jumped on. He never looked in any danger from then on. He only had to be pushed out coming to the last to go clear of the useful Master McShee who was the only one to get close to the winner. The runner-up a Grade 1 at Limerick is very useful novice chaser but he couldn’t live with the winner.
The winner stablemate Gaillard Du Mesnil ran a much better race to finish third and he may have given Master McShee a race for second but for a mistake at the last.
In the end this was all about the winner. Like after his previous start. His jockey had trouble pulling him up at the end of his race which augurs well for the future.
A best priced 6/1 for the 2023 Gold Cup and you can see why. He won’t be going for that race this season. If he did and despite his inexperience, I think he would win it.
Whichever race he goes for at the Cheltenham Festival. Whether he’s up in distance to Brown Advisory Novices Chase or stays at the intermediate trip and takes on Bob Olinger & Co in the Turners Novices Chase. He wins, doesn’t he?
Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (Grade 1) – 2m 1f
Chacun Pour Soi a bitterly disappointing 8/13 favourite when well beaten in the Tingle Creek at Sandown on his seasonal reappearance. Bounced back to form to win a third Dublin Chase on Sunday. He clearly goes well at Leopardstown and his form figures at the track are 21111. He travelled beautifully and jumped soundly through the race which will have pleased connections after last time. Granted his task was made easier by main market rival Greaneteen running no sort of sort of race but this was a solid effort by the winner who firmly on track for another tilt at the Champion Chase.
My each-way selection in the race Dunvegan gave the winner a race until the last. But when Paul Townend asked Chacun Pour Soi to go, his class told and he only had to be pushed out to win by 12 lengths.
The winner’s is a bit of an enigma. An impressive performance from the 10-year-old and whilst you can’t really rule him out in the Champion Chase. You have to wonder if Cheltenham and /or travelling to England sees him at his best like he is at home. If he was to reproduce his Leopardstown in March he would be a real threat to Shishkin and Energumene.
Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m
This was all about Honeysuckle who made it 14-14 and gained a tenth Grade 1 success, as well as a hat trick of Irish Champion Hurdle successes.
It looked like she had just joined the race coming into the home turn she was going that easily. Taking it up after the second last the mare soon pulled clear of her toiling rivals and that was the race over as a contest. Although she was kept up to her work all the way to the line, she was always holding runner-up Zanahiyr.
The runner-up will head to Cheltenham with excellent place chance but then there are few who fall into into that category.
Despite her easy win she only achieved an RPR of 159 which is 7lb below last season's Champion Hurdle figure and only her sixth best RPR. I don't think she was at her best on Sunday like plenty from the Henry De Bromhead yard which have been struggling for winners.
It’s a pity she doesn’t have any real opposition in the division. The mare is head and shoulders above of her rivals and I can't see her losing her Cheltenham Hurdle Crown this year.
Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m
Low sun meant the second last hurdle was omitted. Sir Gerhard, trained by Willie Mullins, was fully expected to make it 2-2 over hurdles and he duly did, albeit it in workmanlike rather than spectacular style.
He had put in slick round over jumping to win on his hurdles debut at Leopardstown over Christmas. However, that excellent jumping wasn’t as evident on Sunday as he lacked fluency at a few of his hurdles.
Sent to the front with nearest market rival Three Stripe Life tracking. It stayed that way all through the race. Coming to the last Three Stripe Life was still in with a chance. Despite the leader making a mistake he used his flat speed to pull clear of the runner-up on the run-in to win by six lengths with Colonel Mustard a further six lengths back in third.
Despite a below par round of jumping. Sir Gerhard beat Colonel Mustard by further than Jonbon had at Ascot. Whether it’s the Supreme or the Ballymore next month. His speed will always make him difficult to beat but he needs to improve his jumping.
The Supreme is gearing up to be the race of the Cheltenham Festival. What a race it will be if Constitution Hill, Dysart Dynamo, Jonbon and Sir Gerhard are all in the line-up.
Dublin Racing Festival – Eyecatchers
There were plenty of eyecatcher’s over the weekend and most of them ran at the Dublin Racing Festival. Here are two of them, one from the Saturday card and one from Sunday’s.
Saturday
Enjoy D'allen – Ciaran Murphy
Enjoy D'allen was trying to take advantage of a much lower hurdles on Saturday. He found things happening a little to quick returned to the smaller obstacles. Doing his best work at the end of the race in finishing a 10 ½ length 5th of 24. The 8-year-old has put a in a career best effort over fences on his previous start when 3 length 3rd of 28 to School Boy Hours in the valuable Paddy Power Chase (3m) here over Christmas. He remains unexposed beyond 3m over fences and proved he stayed 3m 5f when a 4 ½ length 3rd of 28 in the Irish Grand National. Another run in that race could be in the offing but his trainer has indicated that the Aintree version is very much a possibility. A race which could really suit him.
Sunday
Gallant John Joe – Oliver McKiernan
Backed during the week for his handicap chase debut for the Sunday’s Leopardstown Handicap Chase. The 9-year-old had been off for 22-months before finishing 4th to Ferny Hollow in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown at Christmas and the fifth of 8 to Bob Olinger at Punchestown. There was plenty to like about his never nearer 7-length 4th of 17 to the well handicapped Birchdale here. A 2m 6f winner over hurdles. He shaped like 2m 5 ½ was to short and a step up in trip to 3m could be what he needs. Shouldn’t go up too much for this effort, hopefully not at all, and I’m sure he remains better than a mark of 142.
Honourable mention for Blackbow in the same race. An excellent 3 ¼ length 2nd of 12 to Dunvegan in Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse last time. He’s up was up 5lb for that effort. Up with the pace and upped in trip. He was a too keen but was still bang there coming to the last. However, his stamina for the trip gave way and he weakened on the run-in to finish fifth. He jumped soundly and a more strongly run race back over shorter looks ideal for the 9-year-old. He could well now head to Cheltenham for the Grand Annual and that race could suit.
Tuesday Racing
Taunton and Market Rasen provide the jumps action this afternoon and there’s an evening all-weather card at Southwell.
Yesterday’s selection Brandisova jumped well enough on her debut over fences but was far to keen and was pulled up. She will win races over fences when she learns to settle better. Not a great start to the week but today is another day. I’m off to Market Rasen for today’s selection.
Market Rasen
2:10 – The Cincinnati Kid, a winner on the flat remains a maiden after six starts over hurdles. His best effort came over C&D in two starts back. Subject to a steward’s enquiry after his 10th of 14 at Wincanton last month. That was the 5-year-old first start since wind surgery and he was said to have not enjoyed the heavy ground. Today’s sounder surface should suit and a better run can be expected with Brian Hughes 2-7 when riding for trainer Henry Oliver.
Selection: The Cincinnati Kid
Good luck with your Tuesday bets.
John