Dublin Racing Festival – A Market Snapshot

The Dublin Racing Festival has swiftly cemented its status as a prime event for those gearing up for Cheltenham, with stars such as Gaelic Warrior, Ballyburn, Galopin des Champs, and El Fabiolo shining brightly.

Novice Hurdlers

With Ballyburn proving to be an asset for Willie Mullins, his initial undefeated streak included a commendable point-to-point victory, though he faced a setback at Fairyhouse in early December. Nevertheless, he bounced back with a triumph over 2m4f at Leopardstown during the festive period.

At just six, he demonstrated his potential with a commanding seven-length victory in the prestigious two-mile Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland race last week.^thThe Flemensfirth gelding has entries lined up for the 2m5f contest at Cheltenham, and current odds with Unibet stand at a promising 7/4.

Among the impressive competitors was the third-placed King Of Kingsfield, showing promise for further improvement with extended distances.

Gordon Elliott’s contender is available for a wager at 25/1 (General) for Tuesday's feature, with speculation on whether other entries might have suited him better.

Fourth-place finisher Absurde, known for his flat races prowess, returned to hurdling with a solid performance, following some challenges from previous Grade 1 hurdles at the Dublin track.

A switch to faster surfaces is expected to enhance the Fastnet Rock gelding's prospects, especially with Cheltenham's anticipated firm ground conditions.

Slade Steel, having shown potential by finishing behind Ballburn, is likely to tackle the 2m5f novice hurdle, according to market predictions favoring longer distances for him.

Dancing City initially offered at 50/1, significantly shortened to around 9/1 (Bet365) after a successful start to the month in the novice hurdle events.

Despite his recent run over 2m6.5f, he proved his aptitude for longer races, making it a noteworthy effort.

The runner-up, Predator’s Gold, demonstrated stamina potential, hinting at a preference for longer competitions, even though he is entered in the Supreme Novice’s Hurdle.

Jetara, finishing strong behind Dancing City, remains a firm contender for the Mares’ contests, with particular focus on Thursday’s novice clash at Cheltenham.

Following his vital win at Cheltenham last month, Sir Gino is currently seen as a front-runner for Friday’s Triumph Hurdle.

Yet, Willie Mullins enjoys multiple avenues, having placed the top four in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at the Dublin event.

Kargese, runners-up Storm Heart, and Majborough are securing odds of 7/1, 12/1, and 10/1 respectively, whereas the fourth-placed Bunting is open at 20/1.

Kala Conti once outshone Kargese, bagging valuable victories but now a 33/1 endeavor after a fifth-place setback.

A Dream To Share boasts several bumper victories, including at Cheltenham last year—though this time he skips the action.

The Champion Bumper

Despite his strong odds at the Dublin Racing Festival's Grade 2 race, he misfired, finishing behind Jeroboam Machin, whose commanding performance stole the day.

Unfortunately, the Joshua Tree offspring will miss out due to an injury picked up over the weekend.

The emerging You Oughta Know, entering after a dominant Galway victory in August, impressed with his comeback, available at 14/1 (Bet365) for Cheltenham. Cheltenham Champion Bumper The biggest letdown of the weekend was the Gaelic Warrior, heavily favored to prevail in the 2m5f Ladbrokes Novice Steeplechase.

While he bends slightly to the right, he’s typically overcome those hurdles, evidenced by significant placements thus far.

Gaelic Warrior

Despite his strong start, he lost his fencing streak when unseating late in the Leopardstown contest.

Although struggling at the end, his mistake four from last and the formidable Fact To File overshadowed his performance. the Cheltenham Festival .

For now, Willie Mullins' hopeful is available at 10/1 (Bet365) ante-post for the Brown Advisory or potentially competing in the Arkle (Unibet) priced as low as 7/2 non-runner, no-bet.

Galopin des Champs secured a straightforward win, distancing Fastorslow by four-and-a-half lengths during the Hennessy Gold Cup on Saturday.

The winner is favourite for both the Brown Advisory Novices Chase on the Wednesday and the Turners Novices Chase Consequently, odds strongly favor Willie Mullins' runner for March’s blue-ribbon event, while Fastorslow, previously successful against Galopin des Champs on two occasions, stands at 5/1. Cheltenham non-runner-no-bet Gerri Colombe was absent in Sunday's race, yet despite a significant defeat by Galopin des Champs over Christmas, his previous two wins suggest he's still a big player.

Staying Chasers

Last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup With odds at 10/1 (Unibet) for Gerri Colombe and The Real Whacker's second place at Cheltenham valued at 40/1, there’s potential for a surprising turn at the Gold Cup.

Taking on a fairly straightforward challenge at the Ladbrokes Dublin Steeplechase, El Fabiolo comfortably outperformed his competition, including three stablemates.

Guided by Paul Townend, he blazed ahead by over eight lengths from stablemate Dinoblue, leaving Captain Guinness to round out third.

El Fabiolo is currently priced at 4/9, while Dinoblue, likely heading to the mares' chase, lingers around 6/5 for a non-runner, no-bet situation.

2m Chasers

Il Etait Temps placed fifth behind Marine Nationale, showcasing his first top-tier victory against Found A Fifty by a narrow margin in the Irish Arkle Novice Steeplechase.

Marine Nationale, while typically reliable across conditions, surprisingly underperformed for the Connell stable, possibly due to the ground on the day.

Nevertheless, Marine Nationale maintains favoritism for the Arkle as he seeks a second Grade 1 title, with contenders Il Etait Temps and Found A Fifty close behind in the odds at 5/1 and 6/1 respectively. Champion Chase Facile Vega, a progeny of legendary hurdler Quevega, entered third last weekend and has stakes in the Arkle, Brown Advisory, and Turners at the upcoming festival.

At WhichBookie, we're dedicated to delivering top-notch offers and swiftly aggregating market recommendations while openly acknowledging our compensation from select links on this site. Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival.

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