Willie Will Boss Dublin Festival but Best Bets Are Elsewhere
Racing fans have an enormous weekend of national hunt action to look forward to. Leopardstown Racecourse is anticipating 25,000 racegoers on both Saturday and Sunday for its two-day Dublin Racing Festival. The two cards comprise of 15 races, eight of which are Graded contests.
Appreciate It destroyed the field in the 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Lightly-raced since, can he go three-from-three in chases on Saturday? ©GettyImages
Back in Blighty, Sandown will stage the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase. This Grade-1 has fallen to some of the most popular horses of recent times. Its Roll of Honor includes three-time Gold Cup winner Best Mate and three-time Betfair Chase winner Bristol De Mai.
Four of Mullins’ Best Hopes
Remarkably, the Willie Mullins yard claimed over half of the 2021 Dublin Racing Festival’s races and won seven contests in 2022. Resultantly, in 2023 the focus is trained on the runners representing his County Carlow stables. The betting suggests the perennial champion jumps trainer could once again land seven or more of the contests.
Amongst the anticipated haul, Mullins can claim Saturday’s Grade-1 Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle with the unbeaten grey filly, Lossiemouth. The Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase looks like another penalty kick for the trainer. He fields both Appreciate It – the 24-length winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – and Dysart Dynamo.
Mullins can also claim a twelfth Irish Gold Cup courtesy of Cheltenham Gold Cup favorite Galopin Des Champs. The 2021 Cheltenham Festival winner won the John Durkan Chase by 13 lengths on his last start in the shape of superstar. Sadly, the online betting sites agree, and the French bred is odds-on to take his fifth chase in six starts.
On Sunday, Blue Lord – winner of six of his seven chase starts and an 11-length course-and-distance winner last time out – has an outstanding chance of providing Mullins with another Grade-1 winner. Alas, a distinct lack of worthy opposition means Blue Lord is trading at odds of 1/3.
Thunder Can Rock Our Patent
While watching these stars and potential champions will bring a great deal of excitement, nothing matches backing a winner at a nice price. The wheels on Mullins’ Dublin Racing Festival juggernaut are all short odds to roll over the line ahead. The three suggestions for our Saturday Patent are all generously priced. Should one prevail, a meaningful return is guaranteed. A second or third winner will result in a handsome profit.
Our first selection goes in Sandown’s 2.20 pm, the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase. Here we are prepared to forgive Thunder Rock for his last-time-out defeat at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. The undulating circuit may not have suited this seven-time winner, and three notable errors cost him dearly.
Back on a flat track, we believe this 150-rated seven-year-old can find the few pounds required to give Irish raider Gerri Colombe plenty to think about. He can outrun the 5/1 odds offered by the best horse racing betting sites.
Bangers and Cash Can Smash It
Bangers And Cash may have failed to win a bumper or hurdle race, but the Ben Pauling-trained horse has found his niche over fences. In Sandown’s 3.30 pm he will be chasing a hattrick.
🏇 Bangers And Cash defies a late stumble to win the Chris Liesack Lincolnshire National Handicap Chase for Luca Morgan and Ben Pauling 👏@benpauling1 pic.twitter.com/LmWBZuebU7
— Market Rasen Racecourse (@MarketRasenRace) December 26, 2022
Judged by his latest success – at Market Rasen on Boxing Day when plenty of use was made of him – a drop back in trip should pose no problems. He has to overcome a seven-pound rise in the handicap, but this normally sound jumper is improving, and all three of Bangers And Cash’s victories have come in big fields.
Back in Ireland, Patrick Foley’s small string is running well. The yard had a winner on Tuesday, and its flagbearer, Rebel Gold, won comfortably at Fairyhouse in mid-January. Despite shouldering top weight, this one can go in again and land Leopardstown’s 4.10 pm.
Saturday’s Best Bets
- Thunder Rock 2.20 pm Sandown
- Bangers And Cash 3.30 pm Sandown
- Rebel Gold 4.10 pm Leopardstown
