Racing Blogger's BOOSTED Horse Racing Tips: Dublin Racing Festival
I landed in Dublin this morning and I genuinely can’t wait for what this weekend has to offer!
A full weekend in Ireland and Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival is about as good as it gets, one of the standout weekends of the entire National Hunt season.
With the declarations now in and a few notable absentees, including Kopek Des Bordes heading straight to the Arkle after just one chase run, here are the horses catching my eye!
Racing Blogger's Horse Racing Tips - Dublin Racing Festival Day One
My horse racing tips for Saturday and day one of the DRF are below, along with the latest odds from the best betting sites, so you can see what prices are currently available on them all.
1:50pm Leopardstown - Narciso Has
This has been a proper race over the years, with the likes of Vauban, Quilixios, Zenta and the ill-fated Sir Erec all winning it. Once again, it looks a key stepping stone towards the Triumph Hurdle.
For me, this is all about Narciso Has. A reported €750,000 purchase from France, he was beaten on debut by Mange Tout, but that was very much a run that suggested improvement was coming. He duly delivered next time, producing a seriously impressive performance at Leopardstown that really caught the eye.
He’s a big, powerful, brutish type with an official mark of 144 and I’d expect him to go straight to the front here. Even though he's 4lb worse off with Mange Tout, I think he’ll be very hard to beat.
He looks a strong Triumph Hurdle contender and I expect him to advertise those claims by winning here.
3:30pm - Leopardstown - Galopin Des Champs
What can you say about Galopin Des Champs that hasn’t already been said? One of the greatest National Hunt horses of the last 25 years, an absolute icon of the sport.
He lines up bidding to win his fourth Irish Gold Cup, something only Arkle and Florida Pearl have achieved, and I’d love to see him do it. He often comes on for a run, but even so, I’m much happier backing him than taking him on.
Gaelic Warrior hasn’t really been at his best at Leopardstown, Fact To File comes here off the back of a disappointing effort in the King George, and while Affordale Fury was impressive when beating Galopin in the Savills Chase, I think he’ll need to step up again, especially if the ground is on the softer side.
For me, this race still belongs to the king. He’s a special horse and I’ll be firmly in his corner.
4:11pm - Musselburgh - Kelce
Away from Leopardstown, I like the look of Kelce in the 0–135 handicap chase at Musselburgh for Neil Mulholland, who’s been in excellent form this season.
He finished second at Aintree on Boxing Day behind Fortunate Man, who runs at Sandown on Saturday, and that looks strong form.
This is a weaker race in comparison and I think there are a few pounds still to come from him off a mark of 118.
A previous winner at Wetherby and Market Rasen, he should relish the trip, and Mulholland does very well when sending horses north of the border. I expect a big run.
4:05pm - Leopardstown - Jacob's Ladder
In what looks an open contest, I’m siding with Jacob’s Ladder for Gordon Elliott, who will be desperate to make his mark at Leopardstown as he goes head-to-head with Willie Mullins in the Irish Trainers’ Championship battle.
Owned by Gigginstown House Stud, Jacob’s Ladder has plenty going for him. A point-to-point winner, successful novice hurdler and novice chaser, he’s shown solid form lines behind smart horses and looks well treated off a mark of 143.
With Jack Kennedy in the saddle carrying 11st 8lb, I think he has a definite class edge in the race. He should be prominent throughout and could be right there when it matters.
