Dublin Racing Festival

Day 1

The Dublin Racing Festival has been a revolutionary addition to the racing calendar and the quality on show this weekend proves what a success it continues to be. The races are competitive, as are the betting heats and there will be Cheltenham clues aplenty to take from it.

1:05 Leopardstown

We kick off with a Grade 1 novice hurdle over 2m 6f where Gaillard Du Mesnil heads the betting for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. He was electric here over 2m 4f at Christmas, and for all that he was a bit keen, the daylight he put between himself and Mr Incredible, who has won since, was impressive. That being said, I’m not convinced a step-up in trip on heavy ground in a race of this quality is what he needs. He has shown he has plenty of pace, and the application of a first-time hood suggests that connections are also worried about the trip, so I feel he’s worth taking on.

HOLYMACAPONY has already beaten the market-leader, quite comfortably too, although there’s no doubt the French-import has improved since. The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding weakened very quickly at Naas where something was clearly amiss, and provided that wrong has been put right, he looks overpriced in the current market at around 8/1. He looks a strong stayer, and admittedly isn’t as flashy as the likes of Gaillard du Mesnil or Cape Gentlemen, who are both blessed with natural pace. However, he’s already shown a high level of ability and if he improves on his debut, he has a great chance.

Of the others, there are many with chances, including the aforementioned Cape Gentlemen who has a flat rating of 100 and Stattler, who won well here at Christmas and looks a ready-made type for the Albert Bartlett.

1pt EW – HOLYMACAPONY – 8/1

2:45 Leopardstown

This is a near-impossible puzzle to work out, with any number of well-handicapped horses lining up. The one I’m interested in is PONT AVEN who looks to have a race in him off his current mark. He was keen, but stayed on well behind Daly Tiger at Fairyhouse, a run which confirmed the promise he showed when fourth over CD on Boxing Day. The addition of a hood will hopefully allow him to settle better, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was ridden more prominently here as he’s a horse that stays the trip well. There are umpteen chances against him, most notably Entoucas who looks well-treated if/when he gets his jumping together. It’s not a race to go mad in, but the Danny Mullins-ridden gelding looks to have a great chance.

1pt WIN – PONT AVEN – 6/1

3:15 Leopardstown

Honeysuckle heads the betting for the Irish Champion Hurdle in her bid to win back-to-back renewals. Reports are that she’s a lot slicker on the jumping front and she’ll need to be if she’s to reach the top level over two miles. We know she stays well, so expect this to be run at a decent pace and she’s definitely the horse they all have to beat. However, with that said, her last two wins have come over further and, despite reports, she does tend to jump ‘big’ at her hurdles. At 6/4, she’s the right price and it’s not one I want to rush in and take. The value in the race looks to be SALDIER at 12/1. He has had his problems, and his last run was abysmal, but if he can find his old level of form, he’s a huge price at 12/1. He arguably had the measure of Espoir Dallen when falling at Naas and lowered the colours of Klassical Dream when winning the Morgiana in 2019. He was absent for a year before bombing out over Christmas, so he’s entitled to come on for the run. He might not be the horse of old, but at 12/1 he’s very hard to ignore and I’m certainly going to take a chance on him.

1pt WIN – SALDIER – 12/1

3:50 Leopardstown

Another fiercely competitive race in the Ladbrokes Hurdle where a case can be made for the majority of the field. The likes of Blue Sari could be thrown in here off a mark of 140, but this is a tough ask after a year off. THE MOYGLASS FLYER is at the right end of the handicapped and will have learnt a lot when third to Master McShee at Christmas. He runs here off the same mark, and the experience of a race like that will definitely stand to him. He looks particularly well-handicapped off 129 and it will be a big surprise if he doesn’t go very close.

1pt WIN – THE MOYGLASS FLYER – 7/1