Last Updated: 10:59, 07/02/22

Previous Weeks

 

Looking for Festival clues from the Dublin Racing Festival?

10:59 Monday

10 Cheltenham Festival winners emerged from last year's Dublin Racing Festival (DRF), including five who 'doubled up' after winning at the DRF, two who had placed at Leopardstown and three who finished further down the field. 

Quilixios, Appreciate It, Monkfish, Heaven Help Us and Honeysuckle completed the double, while Telmesomethingirl and The Shunter placed at the DRF before going on to win at Cheltenham.

Galopin Des Champs, Vanillier and last year's Gold Cup winner Minella Indo (6/1 best price for this year) all ran but failed to place at the DRF in 2021 before winning at Cheltenham.

Farclas, Ballyadam, Saint Sam, Blue Lord, Fakir D'oudairies, Entoucas and Sharjah ran at DRF and placed at Cheltenham, while Gaillard Du Mesnil, Chacun Pour Soi and Kilcruit won at the DRF before placing at the Festival.

Andy Holding: Facile Vega pick of the pile in Dublin

10:04 Monday

Andy Holding runs through the biggest Cheltenham betting stories from Dublin, where Facile Vega made himself “hot property” for the Champion Bumper at the Festival.

He said: "Pick of the pile was Facile Vega, who made mincemeat of his opposition in the concluding bumper on day one and is now a hot property for the main event itself on day two of the Cheltenham Festival."

Holding also discusses Vauban paying a handsome compliment to to his Punchestown conqueror, Pied Piper, the choice of two races at Cheltenham for Galopin Des Champs, and why it wouldn't be the biggest shock if Riviere D'etel were to reverse his Irish Arkle loss to Blue Lord at the Festival.

For the full article, click here.

Sir Gerhard gets the job done at Leopardstown

15:49 Sunday

Another favourite wins on Sunday at the Dublin Festival in the form or Sir Gerhard. The seven-year-old ran strongly but lacked fluency over the fences that were jumped, with the second last omitted due to the low sun.

Connections now face a decision ahead of the Cheltenham Festival with Sir Gerhard priced at 9/2 for both the Supreme and the Ballymore.

With a very competitive Supreme taking shape and Sir Gerhard a little untidy over fences, connections could opt for the Ballymore in March.

After the race, trainer Willie Mullins confirmed that they will decide nearer the festival: "He’d have no problem over two miles or up in trip. We’ll see what’s in each race and make our mind up."

14 in a row! Honeysuckle wins the Irish Champion Hurdle

15:07 Sunday

The odds-on favourite for the Champion Hurdle remains unbeaten in winning the Irish Champion Hurdle.

The incredible mare justified her short price at Leopardstown with a confident performance. The victory does little to change the betting picture in the Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle already a short price ahead of the race.

Bookmakers have clipped odds to a best price of 8/13 with Appreciate It the second favourite at a best price of 8/1.

Chacun Pour Soi back to his best at Leopardstown

14:05 Sunday

The Champion Chase is shaping up to be a cracker with the prospect of Shishkin, Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi competing for the title.

Chacun Pour Soi put himself firmly in the Champion Chase picture with a tidy performance at Leopardstown today.

He can currently be found at a best price of 7/1 having been cut from 12/1

Shishkin remains the odds-on favourite for the race after coming out on top in a scintillating clash in the Clarence House, narrowly beating rival Energumene who is the current second favourite.

Question marks remain over Chacun Pour Soi's form in England but this certainly represents a step in the right direction with Cheltenham just around the corner.

Galopin Des Champs puts in an assured round of jumping to win the Ladbrokes Novice Chase

13:39 Sunday

The Willie Mullins trained six-year-old backed up an impressive victory at Leopardstown in December with another fine display this afternoon.

Bookmakers have responded by cutting odds further for the Festival Novices Chase in March, making Galopin Des Champs the firm favourite at 13/8.

Odds have also been cut in the Turner's Novices Chase where he can be found at a best price of 2/1.

Jockey Paul Townend was happy with the performance: "He was getting brave underneath me but it’s hard to fault him. He’s been very impressive over the intermediate trip so far."

Vauban most backed horse for Triumph Hurdle in last 12 hours after success at Leopardstown

08:55 Sunday

The Willie Mullins trained four-year-old proved his class on Saturday winning the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

He overcame a quality field, including Fil Dor, and his odds were subsequently cut for the Triumph Hurdle, making him the current joint favourite at a best price of 5/2 alongside Pied Piper.

It was a performance that certainly caught the eye of oddshecker punters. In the last 12 hours, Vauban has taken 51.5% of bets in the Triumph Hurdle market with Pied Piper and Fil Dor taking 15% and 12% respectively.

Conflated odds slashed for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after victory at Leopardstown

15:47 Saturday

Conflated put in a stunning performance to win the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday afternoon. Minella Indo had ground to make up on Conflated heading over the final fence but it would be too great a distance to claw back as Davy Russell guided him over the line, winning by six and half lengths in the end. 

Subsequently, odds have been slashed dramatically for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, pre-race the Gordon Elliott trained horse was out at 100/1 with one bookie and he has now been slashed into as short as 7/1.

Minella Cocooner a sharp market mover after winning the opening race of the Dublin Racing Festival

14:02 Saturday

Willie Mullins-trained Minella Cocooner put in a strong performance to win the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors '50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff' Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. Arguably the stables second string behind Bronn, Minella Cocooner was steered home by Danny Mullins to win by two and 3/4 lengths.

Jockey Danny Mullins had this to say "The way he's so fast over a hurdle gives you a lot of options and in races over shorter he'd settle better, which would leave a bit more petrol in the tank at the business end, you'd hope, but staying is no issue as well."

Odds have been slashed into as short as 5/1 for the Alberta Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham having been 16/1 pre-race.

Declared runners for Sunday at the Dublin Racing Festival

12:28 Friday

The Dublin Racing Festival gets underway tomorrow and promises to be a fascinating weekend of action. Declarations for Sunday's racing have been released with Honeysuckle set to run in the Irish Champion Hurdle as preperations continue for the Champion Hurdle in March. One notable absentee is Appreciate It who is the current 8/1 second favourite for the Champion Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott shares latest Cheltenham plans

Friday 10:37

Gordon Elliott discussed all things Dublin Racing Festival in an interview for @champdotie. Here are some of the headlines to come from it:

  • Gerri Colombe heading straight to the Albert Bartlett (8/1)
  • Buddy Rich heading straight to the Grand Annual (16/1)
  • Folcano will be entered for Pertemps (16/1) or Martin Pipe
  • Tiger Roll for Boyne Hurdle then Cross Country (ground dependent)

Pied Piper the rightful Triumph Hurdle favourite, but can Vauban shake up the market

Thursday 12:45

Achitect Tips shared this article on why the complexion of the ante-post Triumph Hurdle market might look a bit different if Willie Mullins’ highly regarded Vauban can get the better of Gordon Elliott’s’ unbeaten Fil Dor at Leopardstown.

Betvictor announce Non-Runner No Bet promotion for all races at the Cheltenham Festival

oddschecker provide the latest on which bookmakers are offering Non-Runner No Bet promotions for the Cheltenham Festival 2022. Betvictor have just announced that they will be offering Non-Runner No Bet on all 28 races at Cheltenham in March. 

If you back a horse in any of the 28 races at Cheltenham and the horse does not run, then your bet will be voided and your stake returned. 

Thursday 09:51

Journey With Me likely to run at Naas

According to Racing TV, Journey With Me will ‘likely’ run in the 2m3f Novice Hurdle at Naas (Feb 12) rather than the Dublin Racing Festival. 

“I see him more of a Ballymore horse at this stage. He wouldn’t have the pace of Bob Olinger but he’s very exciting”, says Henry de Bromhead.

He is currently 3rd favourite for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at a best price of 13/8.  

Thursday 08:33

Mighty Potter going straight to Cheltenham according to Gordon Elliot 

The five-year-old Mighty Potter is likely to be heading straight to Cheltenham instead of running at Leopardstown this weekend. Mighty Potter's trainer Gordon Elliot had this to say "We'll probably go straight to Cheltenham with Mighty Potter. He's a big horse for the future by Martaline and we want to mind him this year for going chasing down the road. He's got different options at Cheltenham but we'll make a call on that later." 

Mighty Potter has entered for two races for Cheltenham, including the Supreme Novices' Hurdle (best price 14/1) and Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (best price 14/1). 

Thursday 08:06 

Dusart makes it two from two after an exuberant hurdling display at Exeter 

Nicky Henderson's trained Dusart put in an impressive performance at Exeter but has only been cut for the Festival Novices' Chase but not the Turners Novices' Chase the other Cheltenham race the seven-year-old has been entered in. 

The seven-year-old was a best price of 33/1 before racing at Exeter but has now been cut to a best price of 25/1 and can be found as short as 14/1 with multiple bookies. 

Wednesday 14:31

Dusart looks to prove his Cheltenham credentials today at Exeter

The Nicky Henderson trained Dusart is one to watch in the 14:10 at Exeter today. The seven-year-old's chase debut at Leicester last month failed to provide much insight with many of the fences taken out due to low sun.

Despite getting the win, Dusart didn't jump with any great fluency and failed to put himself in the picture as a Cheltenham contender. However, he has another chance today and it will be interesting to see whether we see significant improvement with less than six weeks until the start of the festival.

Dusart is currently a best price of 25/1 to win the Turners Novices' Chase although he can be found as short as 14/1 with bookmakers offering non-runner no bet. He's also 33/1 in the Festival Novices' Chase ante-post markets and as short as 16/1 non-runner no bet.

With Henderson's Cheltenham squad taking shape, Dusart will need to produce a convincing performance here to make the list.

Wednesday 11:43

Racing Weekly: Aidan Coleman on Paisley Park and Turner's top tip for the weekend

Special guest Aidan Coleman reflects on a “special day” with Paisley Park in Episode 2 of Racing Weekly, before adding that he is not overly concerned about a slow start hurting his chances in the Stayers' at Cheltenham (current best price 7/1).

Click here for more written reaction from Coleman, including his response when asked about the one thing he would change about racing (just before 53 minutes)

Entry lists for the Dublin Racing Festival

The entry list after forfeits has just been made available for the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown this weekend. Find information via the tweets below.

Classic Getaway shortened for Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and Albert Barlett Novices' Hurdle 

Six-year-old Classic Getaway has been shortened for the Ballymore and Albert Barlett Novices' Hurdle after picking up a win at Punchestown. 

Classic Getaway was looking to build upon his encouraging hurdles debut where he finished second at Clonmel over three weeks ago. Willie Mullins horse has now seen his odds shorten from 33/1 to as short as 12/1 for the Albert Barlett Novices' Hurdles. There has also been some movement in the Ballymore market as well, with the six-year-olds odds also shortening to a best price of 25/1 but can be found as short as 16/1 with a handful of bookies.

Kilcruit shortened for Supreme Novices' Hurdle after Willie Mullins "imagines" that will be his Cheltenham destination

Seven-year-old Kilcruit has shortened for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle after his trainer Willie Mullins told Racing TV that he "imagines" the Bay Gelding will go straight to the Supreme Hurdle in less than six weeks' time. 

Kilcruit was 33/1 for the race, but - after another impressive win at Punchestown and the subsequent comments from Mullins - he has shortened into to a best price 16/1. 

Andy Holding: Pied Piper the one to beat in the Triumph Hurdle

"The pick (of the weekend) arguably came courtesy of Pied Piper in the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial. On the evidence of what we saw of Gordon Elliott's gelding, he looks the one to beat in the big one itself on the final day of the meeting.

"The way he cruised to the front and quickened away from his toiling rivals was one of the images of the day and his time figure superseded anything that his stablemate Fil d'Or has achieved so far."

Click here for more from Holding on the weekend's action.

He also assesses the chances of Champ bouncing back enough to win a Stayers' Hurdle and why 'workmanlike' Chantry House now looks unlikely for a Gold Cup win at Cheltenham.

Sharjah and Appreciate It to skip Leopardstown?

Patrick Mullins provides updates on the Dublin Racing Festival as part of an interview for Sporting Life Racing.

On Sharjah: "We might just go straight to Cheltenham and catch the mare (Honeysuckle) in March..."

Appreciate It, meanwhile, could run in the Grade 2 Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park (Feb 19) rather than line up against Honeysuckle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

However, he added On Chacun Pour Soi: "He's back on the gallop, he's in full work. I expect him to run and win at Leopardstown."

Betfred announce Non-Runner No Bet promotion for all races at the Cheltenham Festival

oddschecker provide the latest on which bookmakers are offering Non-Runner No Bet promotions for the Cheltenham Festival 2022. Betfred have just announced that they will be offering Non-Runner No Bet on all 28 races at Cheltenham in March. 

If you back a horse in any of the 28 races at Cheltenham and the horse does not run, then your bet will be voided and your stake returned.