Jake Price's Monday Racing Tips for the Dublin Racing Festival

Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m

MANGE TOUT 1pt Win

Best odds 3/1 available at time of publishing.

The market and wider racing community seem to have already made it a forgone conclusion that Narciso Has will reverse form with MANGE TOUT this weekend, but I really don’t buy that is definitely the case. As far as I am concerned the Willie Mullins favourite is far too short, and as such Gordon Elliott’s Filly is definitely a play at the prices.

This smart Juvenile is a half-sister to Impaire Et Passe, and having bolted up at Compiegne in May she was subsequently purchased privately by the Robcour team. On the 1st November she made her debut for the yard at Down Royal, and that day Jack Kennedy just bounced her out in front against inferior rivals, where she went on to score by 4 lengths. It wasn’t the most impressive start admittedly, but she did everything she needed to do with fitness sure to follow suit.

Gordon Elliott admitted that the Filly ran away with Jack at Down Royal and that it was a mistake to leave the hood off that she wore in France, so you can probably mark it up – but that equipment swiftly went back on for her next appearance at Fairyhouse 29 days later for the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle on Royal Bond weekend. The aforementioned JP McManus recruit Narciso Has lined up against her to give this the feel of a proper race, but what is notable is that she carried a penalty for winning two hurdle races – meaning she was only in receipt of 3lbs from her rival, rather than the usual 7lbs allowance.

The weight advantage was not in her favour on this occasion, but she did of course have race fitness on side – as well as that hood back on. This time she settled really nicely in third place, and eventually that allowed Narciso Has to have first run on her. She loomed up at the penultimate flight on the bridle however, and under pressure she produced a quick leap at the last before scooting away to beat him by 2.75 lengths at the line.

Now clearly Narciso Has would have come on for that run fitness wise, and at Leopardstown over Christmas he ran out a ready winner of the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle – but there wasn’t another horse in the race anywhere near his ability. The pair now meet again in a Grade 1 where MANGE TOUT receives the full 7lbs mares allowance however, meaning she is 4lbs better off at the weights despite already having a 2.75 length advantage in her favour. I like that they skipped Christmas with her because she already had the three runs under her belt, and this will be the perfect acid test before the Triumph Hurdle.

Carrying 7lbs less on what is going to be testing conditions on the Hurdle track at Leopardstown can only help her, and whilst I do concede that I am sure they will finish closer together on this occasion, she has to have every chance of upholding the form.

Handicap Chase (Listed) – 2m1f

JACOB’S LADDER 1pt Win

Best odds 6/1 available at time of publishing.

The two-mile Handicap Chase division in Ireland is far from a strong one, and it hasn’t been for some time if we’re being truthful. With the extra rain on Thursday ensuring that the Chase course will still be testing, a combination of a strong pace over 2m1f should provide a perfect setup for Gordon Elliott’s JACOB’S LADDER, who should be seeing out his race best of all in the closing stages.

On his Chase debut at Naas in November I was initially a little disappointed by how far he was eventually beaten by Irish Panther, but considering that rival has since only gone down half-a-length to Romeo Coolio in a Grade 1, it was probably a very good opening effort to only be beaten 8 lengths when also pulling 4.25 lengths clear of Pure Steel (138).

Connections stepped him up in trip to 2m5½f at Fairyhouse just 20 days later, but this time around he bumped into Jimmy Du Seuil (155) and The Big Westerner – so a modest third place was probably to be expected against much stronger stayers. Dropping back to 2m at Fairyhouse in December he put in a fantastic performance however, as he disputed the lead from 4 out and kicked for home at the second last. He stayed on strongly all the way to the line in first-time cheek pieces, and in the end beat the useful Mare Karoline Banbou by 4.5 lengths.

In order to qualify for this Listed Handicap Chase he had to run one more time, so 20 days ago he contested the 2m3½f Grade 3 Novice Chase at Punchestown. A really good field of 5 turned up that day, and he jumped well in a held up position – but once the taps were turned, he motored home. The front pair probably softened each other up out in front, but JACOB’S LADDER once again showed just how well he can quicken after the last when splitting Kappa Jy Pyke (148) and Predators Gold (146).

The assessor certainly could have been harsher than he was in giving him 5lbs to leave him on a mark of 143, but I think it is well within his reach on his first start in a Handicap. He is still unexposed over fences, he was a Grade 3 winner as a Novice Hurdler, the cheek-pieces have done wonders for him, and Jack Kennedy retains the faith. He ticks a lot of boxes in a race where nothing scares me.