The Dublin Racing Festival was a superb weekend of racing that provided plenty of talking points heading into the final stretch of the National Hunt season.
Lossiemouth still the one to beat
Lossiemouth was one of the unluckiest losers of the weekend when being edged out by a couple of lengths by Gala Marceau in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle.
She really tried from the back of the second-last so, if nothing else, she will have learned plenty about racing. She is still one hell of a filly and, without a doubt, remains the one to beat in the Triumph Hurdle.
With five weeks to go until the Festival, I just hope the race didn’t leave too much of a mark on her.
Shake up for Willie Mullins’ Arkle chances
This might be doing him an injustice, as he’s clearly very good, but it didn’t look like the hardest work for El Fabiolo in winning the Irish Arkle. He made a mistake down the back that could have cost him the race, but he was good from the back of the last and was a worthy winner on the day.
You’d have to say they would have been disappointed with Appreciate It, who they all thought was going to be very tough to beat but finished a distant third.
They went a ferocious pace that Banbridge couldn’t keep up with earlier on, but he stuck on well in second. He’ll be going up in trip in the Turners next, I’d say.
Galopin Des Champs looks the Gold Cup winner
Galopin Des Champs was handy every step of the way in winning the Irish Gold Cup in emphatic fashion. He settled beautifully for Paul [Townend], jumped well and stayed very well.
He stayed three miles over hurdles when they generally go faster, so I’m not sure why people thought he wouldn’t stay over fences. I can’t wait to see him again at Cheltenham.
Mighty Performance a standout performer
Mighty Potter produced one of the performances of the weekend. He was exceptional, to be fair to him.
I’m not sure Davy [Russell] would have wanted to be there that soon, but he had plenty left and jumped and stayed well. He’s going to be very tough to beat in the Turners if he turns up in the same form.
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase is wide open
If the Clarence House at Cheltenham didn’t blow the Champion Chase wide open, then the Dublin Chase certainly did! It now looks like it’s going to be one of the most competitive Grade 1s at the Festival.
You get the feeling they were all very disappointed by Blue Lord getting beaten, but take nothing away from the winner, Gentleman de Mee, who loved the quicker ground. He’s another who got a great ride by Danny Mullins this weekend.
State Man and Honeysuckle
State Man put them all in their place, didn’t he? He bucked out, jumped and stayed well and made light work of a very good bunch of horses. I’m not sure if he’ll beat Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle, but it’ll be a good clash between them both.
I thought Honeysuckle ran well enough to stay on for second. If she were mine, I’m not sure where I’d go with her. She wouldn’t be out of place in another Champion Hurdle, but if she won the Mares’ on her last run, it would be seen as a good idea!
Bubble burst for Facile Vega
Even without going the pace they did, I’m not sure Facile Vega would have won the Novice Hurdle. If nothing else, it was a great reminder that all horses can be beaten.
I watched his run at Christmas back recently where he stopped pretty quickly after the line, so he might have just found his level.
He’s obviously very good, and I’ve no doubt that he’ll win more races, but it will take something special to come back and win at the Festival now.
Other thoughts
Gaelic Warrior jumps out to the right too much and that won’t help him at Grade 1 level. It might suit him at Punchestown at the end of the year, but he’s going to have to find a way to stop that before Cheltenham.
I thought the bumper winner on Saturday, A Dream To Share, who has since been sold to J.P. McManus, was very good. I’d love to see him go to Cheltenham – he’s as good a bumper horse as I’ve seen this year.
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