Last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival was yet another enthralling two days of National Hunt racing. Reputations were made and some were ruined, but the one constant is the inevitable Willie Mullins domination.
Dublin Racing Festival: The Big Winners and Losers at Leopardstown
It was perhaps exacerbated this year by the fact that Gordon Elliott, his only real competition, was pretty much a no-show and decided against sending his big guns.
There could be some good news for Britain after some of the results, particularly in Nicky Henderson’s case, as Sir Gino, Constitution Hill and Jonbon certainly won’t be disappointed by events over on the other side of the Irish Sea.
Dublin Racing Festival Winners: Final Demand
The Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle kicked things off on Saturday and the Willie Mullins-trained Final Demand was an imperious winner of the 2m6f event. Paul Townend raced him up near the pace throughout and he made smooth progress to take up the running as they turned for home.
He then managed to put 13 lengths between himself and runner-up Wingmen very quickly and the Cheltenham Festival surely beckons for this powerful and exciting gelding. The three-mile Albert Bartlett probably wouldn’t be a problem for him, but on this evidence he’s more than good enough to mix it up with The New Lion in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle instead.
Dublin Racing Festival Winners: Galopin Des Champs
This horse is quickly establishing himself as one of the all-time greats, as he was victorious in good style once again. Mullins’ superstar stayer earned a third consecutive Irish Gold Cup and you’ll be hard pressed to find one that can prevent him from repeating the trick in the big one at Cheltenham in March.
At one stage it looked like Fact To File was going to be a major threat to Galopin Des Champs’ dominance but he failed to hold on for second and the Ryanair could be a more realistic target for that horse.
Dublin Racing Festival Winners: Solness
Solness dispelled the notion that his Grade 1 success at Leopardstown over Christmas was a fluke, as he followed up in the Dublin Chase on Sunday and confirmed his status as a major player in the Champion Chase picture. Danny Mullins kept it simple aboard the Joseph O’Brien-trained seven-year-old and he managed to hold off all the challengers, scoring by two lengths, with Marine Nationale putting in a better display to finish second.
Dublin Racing Festival: Kopek Des Bordes
We may well have seen the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle on Day 2. Kopek Des Bordes was an eye-catching winner of a maiden hurdle over Christmas, despite a below average performance in the jumping department.
It was a completely different story this time around, however, as he breezed clear of a smart field to score by 13 lengths. A similar display at Cheltenham in March would surely make him the one to beat and it was a spectacular performance from the five-year-old.
Dublin Racing Festival Winners: Nicky Henderson
The Dublin Racing Festival ended up going really well for Nicky Henderson, despite Willie Mullins’ dominance and the fact that he didn’t have any runners. Sir Gino made Ballyburn look average at Kempton over Christmas and the fact that the latter bounced back to win a Grade 1 at Leopardstown provides a substantial boost to that form. Majborough won the Irish Arkle comfortably enough, but Sir Gino remains the one to beat.
Champion Chase candidates are dropping like flies and, after El Fabiolo and Gaelic Warrior flopped, Jonbon is looking more and more like a banker in March. Lossiemouth’s fall in the Irish Champion Hurdle lead to State Man easily retaining his crown and the connections of Constitution Hill now have nothing to fear, unless Brighterdaysahead is rerouted to the Champion Hurdle.
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