Seven days on from Cheltenham Trials Day comes Willie Mullins trials day, or the Dublin Racing Festival as it’s also known, with the master of Closutton mob-handed as he bids to emulate last year’s feat of winning all eight Grade 1s across the two day meeting.
Needless to say all our best bets across the weekend are Mullins trained, with an eye on those that represent value in relation to their stablemates.
Dublin Racing Festival tips
Saturday 1.15 Final Demand to win @ EVS
Saturday 3.30 Embassy Gardens each-way @ 12/1
Sunday 1.10 – Impaire Et Passe to win @ 10/3
Sunday 1.40 – Kopek Des Bordes to win@ 10/11
Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone
Form of Final Demand’s maiden win working out nicely
Paul Townend has opted to partner FINAL DEMAND in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (1.50) and it’s easy enough to see why given the way his first run over hurdles has worked out.
The six-year-old came home at a canter 15 lengths clear of the opposition over 2m5f at Limerick in late December in what was his first run under rules and his first outing over hurdles.
Despite that dismissive margin of victory, the second won an Ayr handicap hurdle by more than six lengths on his next start and the third also comfortably took a maiden on his next outing.
This will be a good deal more competitive, but none of his competitors’ maiden wins are working out anywhere near as well, bar that of Jasmin De Vaux. However hers came over 2m rather than anything close to this 2m6f trip.
Tip: Saturday 1.50 Final Demand to win @ EVS
Embassy Gardens can claim bronze behind stable’s big two
Odds-on favourite Galopin Des Champs and the market’s clear next-best Fact To File seem certain to fill the first two positions on the rostrum in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase (3.30).
The contest for third place is far more open and EMBASSY GARDENS looks a decent price to claim that position on the strength of his five-length victory in the O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase.
It was a fine performance on the lightly-raced nine year old’s return from a 246-day layoff and he had the re-opposing Monty’s Star five lengths adrift in second, while stablemate Classic Getaway was 15 lengths back in third.
Further improvement should be to come on what will be just his sixth start over fences and that makes him a decent each-way bet provided the field size remains at eight or more runners.
Tip: Saturday 3.30 Embassy Gardens each-way @ 12/1
Back Impaire Et Passe with the jury out on Ballyburn the chaser
Ballyburn is likely to go off odds-on for the Ladbrokes Novice Chase (1.10 – Sunday) but is passed over, having looked out of sorts when beaten seven-and-a-half lengths by Sir Gino at Kempton on Boxing Day.
That followed a bloodless maiden victory on debut over fences that also somehow failed to convince and stablemate IMPAIRE ET PASSE makes far more appeal.
Rated 1lb better than Ballyburn over hurdles, he’s amassed a more convincing body of work over fences too. A 12 length winner over this trip at Fairyhouse on his chasing debut, he’s since landed the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick and looks the value versus his stablemate.
Tip: Sunday 1.10 – Impaire Et Passe to win @ 10/3
Kopek Des Bordes form has far more substance that his chief market rival
Any price around evens for KOPEK DES BORDES looks worth taking, with his maiden win working out far better than that of fellow Willie Mullins inmate and next shortest in the betting Kaid d’Authie.
The former came home two-and-three-quarter lengths clear of Kawaboomga over course and distance on Boxing Day, with that one going on to win a Fairyhouse maiden a month later.
Koktail Divin was more than 20 lengths behind Kawaboomga in the latter race, but had finished a mere half a length behind Kaid d’Authie at Leopardstown on December 28th.
