All Attention Turned to Dublin Racing Festival for Potential Changes Among Cheltenham Favorites

Although Cheltenham Trials Day presented a clear Gold Cup lead-up event, a Stayers Hurdle trial, and in 2022 a race that significantly impacted the Champion Chase odds, it's at Leopardstown this weekend where the main competitors for the Championship races will take the spotlight.

Considering what's an outstanding couple of days of races within the broader perspective of the upcoming month, it’s a tad unfair to summarize the Dublin Racing Festival in that manner, as that's how it's perceived in the racing community at present. Festival meeting at Cheltenham Each of the two days has four Grade 1 races planned, together with a Grade 2 bumper rounding off the schedule, and engaging handicap races happening over both hurdles and fences.

Barring Newbury next week, an occasional race at Warwick in the near future, and the Finesse Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton, this weekend will likely be the last significant reshuffle in the Cheltenham odds market.

As expected, the event is flooded with entries from Ireland's top trainers, Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, dominating the two-day lineup, particularly with Mullins fielding a formidable seven out of nine competitors in the weekend's second Grade 1 race, the Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

Lossiemouth has delivered impressive performances recently, likely making her a favorite with short odds in the upcoming four-year-old race.

Already favored in the early markets, her previous victory against her stable companion and close contender Gala Marceau suggests only an unexpected defeat might alter the current Cheltenham odds drastically.

An eight-strong lineup is set for the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase, which will notably influence Cheltenham objectives for several participants, including the current Leopardstown favorite, Appreciate It , who is entered in both 2m and 2m4f events next month. Triumph Hurdle Dysart Dynamo has been consistent within distances not exceeding 2m1f since he won a 2m2.5f bumper on his debut at Clonmel in March 2021, having similar considerations entry-wise.

On his chase debut at Fairyhouse last December, El Fabiolo stood out, likely making him a crucial player concerning Cheltenham ambitions. Like his stable counterparts, he's entered in both 2m and 2m4f events, and given his chase debut performance, there’s likely a temptation to stretch him to 2m4f for Cheltenham.

The initial Nathaniel Lacy race over 2m6f on Saturday is shaping up to be the toughest of the Grade 1 contests during the meeting.

Elliott and Mullins collectively contribute five entrants within the nine running, and Henry De Bromhead has his course maiden hurdle victor Deep Cave going forward.

After recent support for Cheltenham, Good Land could see the available 12/1 odds for the Ballymore rapidly disappear should he triumph here.

Possibly the field’s most intriguing candidate is the twice-raced Quais De Paris for Willie Mullins. He placed on his only outing in France, captured a maiden hurdle at Tramore for his Irish debut, and has been entered in both of the staying novice hurdles at the Festival, with odds for the Albert Bartlet tightening to 18/1 over recent days.

Sandor Clegane is a gritty competitor for Paul Nolan, and while he couldn't match top novice hurdle Facile Vega in bumpers, he impressed over an extended 2m5f in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown last November.

Entries indicate a clear direction for him with just the singular Festival entry in the Albert Bartlett.

The Irish Gold Cup stands tall as a prominent race alone, with Galopin des Champs anticipated to be the odds-on favorite against last year’s champion Stattler and the victor from two years back, Kemboy , making it potentially unfair to classify it as merely a Cheltenham warm-up.

Although dominant thus far, Galopin des Champs’ sole prior attempt over 3m or beyond took place at a Grade 1 novice hurdle in Punchestown in April 2021. After a commanding win that day, distance should pose no issue here, although connections are keeping options open with entries in both Ryanair and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Stattler was beaten by previous Cheltenham victor Minella Indo initially at Tramore and is expected to progress from that outing, while other runners, aside from Kemboy, appear suited to Grand National prospects, particularly Any Second Now, a frequent contender at Aintree. National Hunt Chase Noted previously when evaluating novice chase entries, it’s intriguing Gerri Colombe is heading to Sandown for the Scilly Isles instead of the 2m5f Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase.

Trainer Gordon Elliott still maintains a strong hand with Mighty Potter being a likely favorite. ante-post racing tips available for.

While Mighty Potter is entered at 2m, 2m4f, and 3m at Cheltenham, the markets suggest the 2m4f Turners Novices’ Chase is the most probable target, and unless his performance indicates otherwise in this race, switching his distance seems unlikely.

James Du Berlais has been a talking point before, and his performance here is likely to heavily dictate his next month’s path, especially given he showed his best Irish form in hurdles over 3m, making him an evident contender.

Considering past performances, he could easily fall behind before regaining ground.

Blue Lord is a leading candidate in the betting for next month, influenced significantly by last weekend's drama at Cheltenham involving his fellow stable contender, Energumene .

On current ratings, he stands a decent advantage over potential rivals in the 2m1f Grade 1 Dublin Chase, alongside veteran Sceau Royal , owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and aiming for a comeback on his first chase appearance since finishing second at Sandown last April. Brown Advisory Novices Chase A strong showing from Sceau Royal might greatly narrow the current 66/1 for the Champion Chase and 50/1 for the Ryanair Chase.

Discussion around Honeysuckle’s retirement has intensified, corresponding to the non-Cheltenham choice for star mare guided by Henry De Bromhead. the Champion Chase The participation of Willie Mullins’ runners the State Man and Vauban in the Irish Champion Hurdle, both having taken the first two spots in a Grade 1 over course and distance this past December, seems pivotal.

Should Honeysuckle secure a win, her odds for the next month’s Champion Hurdle would undoubtedly shorten, especially after Teahupoo’s recent victory in the Grade 1, where she previously ended third during her seasonal return at Fairyhouse.

Sunday's program’s Grade 1 2m novice hurdle might see Facile Vega considered a strong favorite with the bookmakers.

Anything less than a fairly straightforward win for the Willie Mullins-trained gelding would be unexpected according to the experts, and while the team prudently keeps their options open, an easy victory should lead to a confirmation that the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is the principal aim.

Gaelic Warrior narrowly missed the mark in last year’s Fred Winter at Cheltenham but enters both Sunday's Grade 1 novice hurdle and Grade B 2m handicap hurdle this time, aiming to capitalize on his dual successes thus far this season.

Given his excellent showings this term, Gaelic Warrior is anticipated to be formidable at a mark of 143 if connections opt for the handicap hurdle.

Dark Raven , another competitor trained by Mullins, remains unbeaten across three attempts, but is substantially moving up in level if he competes here following his 2m maiden hurdle win in December.

Arguably the race's most fascinating entrant is High Definition trained by Joseph O’Brien, with a flat track high rating of 119 and nearly clinching a win at the top tier when he came second in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh in May.

The Galileo son led throughout when debuting over hurdles in a 2m race at Leopardstown last December, and notably among a field of 27, jockey JJ Slevin kept him trouble-free at the forefront.

Holding two Cheltenham entries, the market leans towards the Supreme Novices’ as Joseph O'Brien’s priority for the five-year-old equine.

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