Betfair are back with another stunning offer ahead of the Dublin Racing Festival. Read GG’s expert advice and selections for the Saturday meeting below, alongside this new customer offer where if you bet £10 on the 1.05, you get a £10 Free Bet on EVERY other Leopardstown race.
MINELLA CROONER (1.05 Leopardstown, Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors "50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff" Nov Hurdle) 15/4
Three of the first four in the market arrive after facing off in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle on January 2.
Despite being second that day, Grand Jury is the outsider of that trio, with both Hollow Games and Whatdeawant shorter in the betting. Hollow Games was only narrowly beaten in third though and shaped like a horse who would appreciate this trip much more, as did the fifth-placed Whatdeawant.
However, though Gordon Elliottt clearly likes Hollow Games, he may have an even stronger runner in MINELLA CROONER. The six-year-old won both his bumper starts in the autumn, but was clearly forward enough for Elliott to send him over hurdles this same season.
There was no disgrace in finishing second to Journey With Me at Leopardstown over Christmas, especially as he had Kilcruit behind him in third. He then won as an odds-on favourite should at Punchestown when upped to three miles and he looks well up to Grade 1 level already.
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VAUBAN (1.35 Leopardstown, Racing TV ‘12 Euros Per Month This Weekend Only’ Spring Juvenile Hurdle) 6/4
If VAUBAN had gotten the better of Pied Piper at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, then he’d likely be odds-on for this contest, as well as favourite for the Triumph Hurdle.
Instead he fluffed his lines over the last, not for the first time in the race, and went down narrowly by half-a-length. There is no doubt he will have to be sharper over a hurdle this time, but he should at least come on for his debut.
Similarly, anyone who saw what Pied Piper did at Cheltenham could not fail to be impressed. Gordon Elliott’s charge almost certainly improved even against inferior rivals, but Vauban has equal potential to do so.
Fil Dor has the Graded form in the race, but it’s debatable what he has achieved in doing so. All of Ben Siegel, Icare Allen and The Tide Turns arrive here off promising maiden victories and could be much better than any horse he has faced to date, as well as Vauban.
It may also be worth keeping a close eye on Il Etait Temps and Vadaly, both of whom are making their debuts for Willie Mullins here. It will be some effort from either to be competitive in Grade 1 company first time out.
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RIVIERE D’ETEL (2.10 Leopardstown, Patrick Ward & Co Solicitors Irish Arkle Novice Chase) 2/1
The first four Irish-trained horses in the Arkle market meet in this Grade 1. At this moment, preference is for RIVIERE D’ETEL.
Three of that aforementioned quartet are five-year-olds, so if the one outlier, Blue Lord, were to beat them here, he will be even shorter for Cheltenham. That is because the five-year-olds still get 2lb from their elders here, an allowance which vanishes come Cheltenham.
Haut En Couleurs and Saint Sam both made flashy chasing debuts, but the mare Riviere D’etel is also armed with her 7lb mares’ allowance, one which won’t disappear at the Festival. She also has substantially the strongest form in the race, having run Ferny Hollow so close at Leopardstown on Boxing Day.
She was still only a four-year-old then, and so got 6lb, as well as the 7lb sex allownace, from her elders, so the gap has closed slightly in that respect. Nevertheless, Feny Hollow is a serious talent who is likely at least 5lb clear of Blue Lord and co, meaning Riviere D’etel may not even need to have improved to feature very highly in this race.
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ENJOY D’ALLEN (2.45 Leopardstown, Paddy Power "I’d Love A Can But Pints Are Cheaper" Handicap Hurdle) 10/1
Since its inauguration in 2015, this handicap has been won in six of its seven renewals by horses carrying less than 11st, and on five by those under 10st 4lb or less.
That means it is worth prioritising the very bottom of the handicap and there are only three horses who feature off such a low weight this time around.
The 12-year-old, Scoir Mear might be vulnerable at this stage of his career for all his mark has fallen to an alluring one. The other two are technically running from out the handicap, but both appeal more.
ENJOY D’ALLEN is officially 33lb lower over hurdles than fences and he has never run over such a trip over timber before. He has been in tremendous form over the larger obstacles and was not disgraced off his lower hurdles mark when seventh at Fairyhouse in November. This longer trip could well see him take advantage.
Rightplacerightime is the other horse who fits the bill and ran credibly off a revised British mark at Haydock. He is another who could be well-in on his better chase form.
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JANIDIL (3.15 Leopardstown, Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup) 11/1
The most reliable horse over this course and distance would traditionally be Kemboy, but he and Frodon could end up having a battle for the lead here.
Worse still from Willie Mullins’ perspective may be him not being able to dominate from the front against Leopardstown’s inner rail, something Kemboy has done marvellously in the past. There may be an alternative option from inside Closutton’s walls however.
JANIDIL seems to be overlooked based on just one effort over three miles. He was fifth in the Savills Chase in December, behind Kemboy, and while it looked like he was found wanting for stamina after the last, he was still only beaten 7½ lengths.
This race could end up being run at a pace which suits him more and it is interesting that he is given another chance at three miles before Cheltenham. With reasons to question a number of the other runners, his price certainly seems to big.
Moreover, given Kemboy never having run to form at Prestbury Park and Asterion Forlonge a habitually unreliable jumper, there is a chance Mullins may still believe Janidil could make his Gold Cup team. With Al Boum Photo his only big hope in the blue riband contest at this stage and Allaho a clear favourite over the intermediate trip in the Ryanair, there is reason to back Janidil to come good yet.
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CAPUCCIMIX (3.50 Leopardstown, Paddy Power “I’m Never Going Back To The Office” Handicap Chase) 10/1
Mt Leinster may well be extremely well-treated off a mark of 135, but he is a horse who has promised much and regularly failed to deliver.
He has won just twice from 14 starts and is an eight-year-old now, so may not be quite as likely to improve as you may expect for a novice. He will need to show a more willing attitude on his handicap debut.
Henry De Bromhead’s CAPUCCIMIX is a reasonable alternative at the prices. Conditions simply look ideal for the grey.
He won last summer at Killarney on good ground at this exact trip of 2m1f. That came in a first-time tongue tie, which was also applied at Fairyhouse last time. He fell three out that day, but while the first two might have been getting away from him, he may well have been placed and this looks a more generous contest for him to compete in.
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FACILE VEGA (4.25 Leopardstown, Goffs Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H Flat Race) 4/5
Willie Mullins has won three of the four runnings of this race and there’s little reason to oppose FACILE VEGA from adding a fourth success.
He is the brilliant six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega’s second foal, while his sire has fathered the likes of Douvan, Min and Jonbon. Put simply, this five-year-old is remarkably bred for the jumps game.
Although things are not always so simple once a horse meets a racecourse, Facile Vega did it as easily as his breeding, and indeed his name, would suggest. His six-length win at Leopardstown on Boxing Day has been franked by the runner-up winning since.
There is also significant potential in The Big Doyen and Sandor Clegane, but they may have to be superstars to defeat Mullins’ charge.
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