THE two-day Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown will of course present plenty of pointers for the Cheltenham Festival which is less than six weeks away!
Saturday’s headliner is the Irish Gold Cup for which Galopin Des Champsis Unibet 4/7 on to take his third Irish Gold Cup after beating main market rival Fact To File in the Savills Chase in December by seven and half lengths. Galopin Des Champs can take this Grade 1 ahead of heading to the Cheltenham Festival in his attempt to make it three Cheltenham Gold Cups in succession for which he is currently Unibet 4/5 on.
Majborough is Unibet 4/6 on for the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase Grade 1 and this 2024 Triumph Hurdle winner won easily at Fairyhouse on chasing debut in December despite jumping to the left. At Leopardstown he is going the other way round and he can hold off his main rival IIe Atlantique.
At Sandown the feature is the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase Grade 1 and Jango Baie is Unibet 5/6on to win for Unibet Ambassadors Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville.
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Static was firmly put in his place by East India Dock at Cheltenham in November but there’s no shame in finishing (a distant) second to him, and he looked to get bogged down by Chepstow’s sticky ground in the Finale last time out, clearly not giving his running. Back on better ground here and with a sharper test he has plenty in his favour.
2.17 Musselburgh – Scottish County Handicap Hurdle (1m 7½f)
Florida Dreams found two and a half miles on soft ground far too much for him last time out at Aintree but his previous fifth in the competitive Unibet Greatwood Hurdle shows what he can do when he gets his conditions, and this looks a far more suitable test. A winner over two miles at Hexham previous to that, the yard continues in great form this winter, and it’s worth remembering this will only be his ninth hurdles start.
Mordor has hurdle form figures of 212 and whilst this is a considerable step up in class and trip, he looks overpriced. Mordor is certainly worth an each way play and Unibet are paying five places.
Jango Baie (nap) won the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle last season and continued to have a good hurdling campaign. He looked really good on chasing debut at Cheltenham when looking very impressive after taking up the lead two out moving clear up the hill to win comfortably beating subsequent winner Springwell Bay by 6½ lengths. Jango Baie delivered a very eye-catching performance and although he has some smart rivals, he can take his first Grade 1 over fences.
What A Johnny seems to have come to a bit of a halt in terms of progression, but some headgear applied here (cheekpieces) might eke a bit more out of him and get him to travel better in the process. He was a good third to the improving Strackan at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day when coming from off the pace to jump well at the last and stay on up the hill.
He gives every indication that we haven’t seen the best of him as a staying hurdler yet and the tongue tie and cheekpieces combination might be just what’s required to get that necessary improvement. What A Johnny is near to the bottom of the weights, which will be beneficial in what are going to be testing conditions and Sandown looks sure to suit him.
