The Willie Mullins Festival

Hi all,

The initial instalment of a two-part review, of the significant races from the weekend on both sides of the Irish Sea. Today I will focus on Saturday’s Grade 1 action at Leopardstown and Sandown.

In Tuesday's main piece, the spotlight turns to Sunday's action at the Dublin Racing Festival action. Plus, there will be some horses for the tracker.

We had a cracking weekend of racing to kick off the new month. The Dublin Racing Festival provided Irish contenders with a final opportunity to stake their claims for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival.

Willie Mullins had 56% of the total runners in the Grade 1’s at the Dublin Racing Festival. That is a stark statistic that underscores his dominance of Irish jumps racings.  Less surprisingly he managed a clean sweep of the Grade 1 contests. Less surprisingly, he achieved a clean sweep of victories in all the Grade 1 contests.

Maybe the Dublin Racing Festival should be renamed the Wille Mullins Racing Festival.

Dublin Racing Festival – Saturday

The opening Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle set the tone for the weekend’s Grade 1’s with Mullins saddling four of the six runners.  The race didn’t get go to what looked the Mullins first string and favourite Predators Gold instead it went the way of another Mullins runner Dancing City ridden by Danny Mullins with the favourite back in second. 

There was more Grade 1 success for Danny Mullins with Kargese seeing off stablemate and favourite Storm Heart in the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle. There was plenty to like about the way she made smooth headway to take it up between the final two hurdles.

I don’t think this is as strong as Sir Gino’s form. However, Kargese is a big scopey mare open to plenty of improvement and is a Triumph Hurdle contender if she is effective on a sounder surface.

Marine Nationale's Arkle Bubble Burst

The Marine Nationale bubble was well and truly burst in the Irish Arkle. Unlike when he won here last time he was ridden as forcibly. I’m not sure whether that was down to the jockey’s overconfidence I don’t know but when he was asked for his effort his change of gear was missing and faded tamely.

Maybe this race came too quickly for him after his last run here at Christmas. Or maybe there was some problem with his breathing. Either way I’m surprised that he’s still favourite for the Arkle after this performance.

Connections don’t have long to put things right before the Festival. However, if they can then I think he can bounce back to win the Arkle. If they don’t, the race looks wide open, and I don’t think there is a star amongst the rest.

Winner Il Etait Temps enhanced his reputation and should remain competitive in the Grade 1 novice chases. However, I’m not sure Cheltenham is his track.

Galopin Des Champs Wins Irish Gold Cup, Eyes More Gold Cup Glory

Galopin Des Champs wasn’t as spectacular in victory in the Irish Gold Cup as he had been at Christmas. He was sent to the front with nearest market rival Fastorslow chasing. Paul Townend controlled the race from the front. Coming to the last Fastorslow was still bang there but he found the winner just too powerful on the run in.

Galopin Des Champ won easily in the end, and with a decent gallop in the Gold Cup, will likely outstay his rivals. His jumping wasn’t perfect here and indeed the runner-up was better overall in the jumping department. However, he should jump much better off a quicker pace. If you fancy Fastorslow to reverse placings at Cheltenham I wouldn’t put you off but it’s going to be hard if Galopin Des Champs is at his best.

If yiu haven't seen Galopin Des Champs win. You can here.

Sandown: Nickle Back Springs Surprise Win in Scilly Isles Novices' Chase

The Grade 1 Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown was the race of the day in Britain. All five runners had some sort of chance, and it was outsider of the field Nickle Back who won at 10/1.

The winner rather surprisingly got an uncontested lead and that is what he wants. He jumped his rivals into submission, at one point was 15 lengths clear, and they never got close to him. At times his jumping was spectacular and if a horse can get into a good jumping rhythm out in front at Sandown they can be hard to peg back.

The money came in for Hermes Allen who was returned the 8/13 favourite. However, he could never get to grips with the well ridden winner. He was still more than ten lengths behind Nickle Back two out and didn’t seem to make much impression when falling at the last. Sadly, the fall proved fatal for the 7-year-old.

Nickle Back now looks to be heading to the Turners at the Festival. He will love the fences but whether it’s his track I have my doubts. That said if he the ground is good, he would have an outside chance.

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John