Leopardstown Dublin Racing Festival Day 2

Well, the Dublin Festival started with a bang on Saturday and so did we, with Tower Bridge getting up in the dying strides for us in the opener at 40/1. Joseph O’Brien and JJ Slevin won their first ever national hunt Grade 1, and Tower Bridge will be even better on nicer ground. Simply Ned and Mick Jazz also placed for us at 12/1 and 14/1, but typically the two I fancied most ran poorly.

Tower Bridge did the business for us on Day 1.

Kilfenora was never put in the race and pulled up, while Agent Boru got badly outpaced before staying on strongly again in the last furlong. His best trip remains a mystery, and perhaps he won’t be seen to best effect until getting genuine good ground. I fancy a few more at fancy odds tomorrow and you can find out what they are by reading below.  


Race 1

The one I like at a big price in this 2m 2f mares’ handicap hurdle is Dermot McLoughlin’s 7yo daughter of Holy Roman Emperor, Dixie Lee. This Down Royal maiden hurdle winner (16f yld) has failed to back that up in three runs since, but she has been running on ground that has been softer than ideal and with Tower Bridge winning on Saturday my guess is that the ground is closer to yielding than soft at Leopardstown.

It was very gluey and testing when she disappointed here last time out behind Trainwreck, but her previous run in a Grade 3 when 4th beaten 8L wasn’t too bad considering the ground was against her. Mark Enright keeps the faith with this mare and she had subsequent maiden winners Osco Mosco and Court Artist well behind her when winning at Down Royal. I think the ground is absolutely crucial for Dixie Lee, and at odds of 25/1 she could go well.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: DIXIE LEE E/W @ 25/1

Race 2

Espoir D’Allen has moved up through the grades with consummate ease for Gavin Cromwell since arriving from France. He is 4/4 over timber, and his Grade 2 win here last time was his best performance yet. However, he is a shade of odds on and at 5/2 I think Farclas could give him plenty to think about.

Gordon Elliott’s son of Jukebox Jury was having his first ever run over hurdles last time here in the Grade 2 won by Espoir D’Allen and he ran a huge race to finish 2nd, beaten just over a length. He is sure to come on bundles for that outing, and he could be open to a lot of improvement. He represents value in what essentially looks a match, and at odds of 5/2 Farclas is the pick.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: FARCLAS @ 5/2
 

Debuchet looks a big danger to Samcro.

Race 3

I have been hearing rumours that Samcro might not take his chance tomorrow, but I hope he does because I don’t want a big rule 4 applied to my NAP. Debuchet is a horse that I not only fancy for today, but I also think he can be a big threat in the Supreme if he decides to go that route. He has been written off by many after being beaten on his seasonal return here over Xmas, but he was unlikely to have been fully wound up for that and he should come on loads for it.

Samcro is the hype horse in Ireland, filling the role played by Death Duty last season. He has undoubtedly been visually impressive but the biggest question is, what has he been beating? Mind’s Eye and Jack Dillinger were behind him at Punchestown and they haven’t done much since. He beat Jetz easily last time, and while that horse did run well in a Grade 1 here behind Tower Bridge on Saturday, I think it was one of the weaker top level races of the weekend.

Debuchet’s form has a lot more substance, once a line is put through his seasonal comeback. His run at Cheltenham when chasing home the ill fated Fayonagh is in a different league to anything Samcro has done. He had some serious horses in behind that day, and he hosed up in a Listed Bumper at Limerick next time out. He will appreciate the nice ground at Leopardstown, he should be fully fit with his comeback run behind him and at 14/1 he is my each way NAP of the day.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: DEBUCHET @ 14/1 E/W NAP

Race 4

Willie Mullins and Rachael Blackmore teamed up with Patricks Park to take the big handicap chase on Saturday, and Giant Spirit has been backed to repeat the trick in this 3 mile handicap hurdle for that combination. However, I like the chances of Racing Pulse off a mark of just 123 and the booking of Brian Hayes is an interesting one. He was 4th on 25/1 shot Makitorix for Mullins in the Coral Hurdle here yesterday, and he has hit the frame on 7 of 14 rides for the yard (1 win).

Racing Pulse is a three time winner from nineteen starts under rules, including one handicap chase. He used to be trained in the UK by Rebecca Curtis and then by Richard Hobson, and he started out for Mullins by being pulled up as 5/2 fav in the Cork National. Heavy ground and the 20f trip were against him last time, but he is of interest off his current mark back up in trip on slightly better ground. He was rated 144 over timber at one stage, and at odds of 28/1 he is the e/w pick.


STEVOS’ SELECTION: RACING PULSE E/W @ 28/1

Race 5

I put Bon Papa up last time when he was upped to 3 miles here, and he ran well in a dramatic race that saw odds on favourite Monalee fall. Bon Papa caught my eye with the quality of his jumping, particularly from the 5th last when Monalee fell, and he looked as though he might win before his stamina gave out on the extended run in and he faded into 3rd.

Bon Papa impressed with his jumping here last time.

I think the drop back in trip to 21f is the right move for Bon Papa after that run, and the application of a tongue tie would suggest that he may have had some problems breathing last time. The tongue tie could bring about another jolt of improvement from Bon Papa and with Mark Walsh taking over in the plate I think he could outrun his odds of 28/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: BON PAPA E/W @ 28/1

Race 6

It is disappointing, but understandable, that we won’t get to see Sizing John or Coney Island in this Cheltenham Gold Cup trial. In fairness, with 200k prize money on offer the Irish Gold Cup is more than just a trial. The bookies reckon Our Duke’s last run was just a blip and he has been installed as the 10/3 favourite. At a bigger price I think Minella Rocco could go well on this nice ground.

Minella Rocco will love the ground at Leopardstown.

Jonjo O’Neill’s flat bred 8yo son of Shirocco flew home for 2nd behind Sizing John in the big one last year and that ultimately must be his aim for the season. He has had three nothing runs so far this season but his last one here over Xmas was his best and he could be on his way back to top form. I think he will be hard to beat if he can repeat the form of his run at Cheltenham last March and at odds of 11/1 he should be well capable of hitting the frame.


STEVOS’ SELECTION: MINELLA ROCCO E/W @ 11/1 NB

Race 7

The penultimate race of the Dublin Racing Festival is a 21f handicap chase and a total of 22 horses are due to go to post. British raider Hell’s Kitchen is the favourite for Barry Geraghty and Harry Fry, but in races like this a small each way bet at bigger odds is the approach to take. At a monster price I think Colms Dream looks an interesting contender for Karl Thornton and Donagh Meyler. This 9yo son of Beneficial looked a chaser going places this time two years ago.

If he is at his best Colms Dream could go well at a price.

He hacked up in a handicap chase over today’s c&d off a mark of 125 and followed that up with a fine run at Punchestown behind Irish Cavalier off 139. He has only seen the track twice since then so he has evidently had some issues, but his spin over timber here at Xmas will have put him right for this return to chasing. If he retains his old spark he is capable of making his presence felt at odds of 40/1 off a mark of 140.


STEVOS’ SELECTION: COLMS DREAM E/W @ 40/1

RACE 8

Not a race that interests me and I won’t be having a bet.