dublin festival this weekend .

High class horses no doubt but competitive? I don't think so other than the handicaps.

What a great 2 days ahead top class horses, at least itv showing 2 races today and 5 Sunday as they don’t usually like the bookie non friendly races

If only Cheltenham adopts the same two-day format eg Gr 1's only, and cuts out the non-entities. Imagine this meeting is rescheduled for March in direct competition with Cheltenham. Which would you attend or rather have if logistics and costs are no object?

What are u wearing Andrew

Mullins shows quite a hand, so we can start to judge for ourselves

As I am English, I would always prefer to watch an English meeting before a French or Irish one. I have never seen Irish racing as having a close relationship with British racing any more than I do French, American or anywhere else. I admire the quality of their horses but that does not mean I want to watch them.

Marine Nationale drifting. Presumably, the layers think they can get a result on the softening ground?

First outsider of 6 goes in.

23/1 winner to start the ball rolling

Beautiful start love stable outsiders , depth of quality is remarkable   

they used to call this  A FLAPPING TRACK

those 2nd 3rd 4th 5th strings luv em !

Another outsider coming out? Money for Bunting in the same ownership as Energumene.

So there we have it.  Racing is nothing to do with watching good quality racehorses.
According to sageform anyway. 
Without these horses going at Leops over these two days there wouldn;t be a Cheltenham.  Not as we know it anyway.
If ever a festival was ruined by quantity as opposed to quality it is Cheltenham in March.

Crazy to compare the DRF to Cheltenham , instead compare like for like with that so called trials weekend we had over here last week then you'll really see the difference between chalk and cheese.

Patrick needs to have a word with Danny - "calm down mate"

Danny is riding like a "pro" eh Patrick?
Storm Heart gave up the outside to no-one all way round.
Imo, will reverse placings with winner in future.

I didn't say I don't like watching quality horses, I said that I admire them but given the choice between Leopardstown and Sandown today I will watch Sandown. Same thing with football. I will watch a Premier league match rather than a Spanish or Italian game. Can't see the difference myself.

Back to the old days when Connell couldn't manage a cat

they are not machines! I am not unhappy with 25/1 JPR One now.

Flopped Big Time.

THE DUBLIN ROBBING FESTIVAL ,

Bookies benefit - give up lads ;)

who's got the Danny Mullins multiple bets - ooooh - imagine

Great result for my Gaelic Warrior Arkle ticket
Will he change plans now?

Agree Jumping 

Sullivan gets the sack after that ride....
mistake at the last aside,,, what was he playing at cosying up behind the mullins crew?

No pics here..what happened to Marine ?

Not good enough

(Marine Nationale) Jock too far off the pace, and never likely to pick up, and ended up folding to nothing. No doubt Arkle market now all  over the shop, and short price backers just hoping that was the ground. Hard to think of any other excuse.

If your into mullings you know exactly what the game is and you’ll be winning

wheres all these superstars people were telling us would trot up ?

Marine seemed aimed for Cheltenham at least they will get a price

mullins is going to look or a koont or an idiot at chelt

Feb 3, 2024 -- 2:39PM, 1st time poster wrote:

mullins is going to look or a koont or an idiot at chelt

or both

**** of a ride.

last time - jumped well, made all - same track/comditions - why change? crazy game

Facile Vega just looks like it needs a longer trip to me

Big drift on the Mullins horse there and ran accordingly.

You would think that Fastorslow might have wanted something to hassle Galopin Des Champs on the front end, but in the end he has just been outstayed. Brief moment approaching the last when the favourite looked like he thought about running out, but Townend wise to it.

if i was the 2nds connections and they think galop is the horse to beat at chelt,i,d be getting upsides him and try to half lenght him at every fance and try to sicken him off, the fav does like to balloon a few

there would be something in the race that would do that for them anyway. The winner came through from the back last year. Certainly keep chipping away, get him one day and already have

fair point
i backed my max once for azyteiup to do it to moscow flyer in ch chase and THE FLYER FELL

stick that 1 up ya r s

the boy has only had 6 rides - cool as a cucumber in a 60,000 race

cant see many jumping in that net 

Ground a lot more stickier today than I was expecting,  considering the few days dry weather and high winds before this mornings rain. Some of the results with Cheltenham in mind I would put a line through. Galopin would've won today whatever way the race was won. Townend rode a race to keep a bit in the locker for March. Connections insist Fastorslow has to be ridden to challenge later rather than lead earlier so they were never gonna take on the winner early. The winner has too much speed for the second.

chalk eaters gone out on stretchers today

This has turned into a bookies benevolent day. The shorties have imploded with the exception of Galopin Des Champs.

Real eye-catcher in the bumper, The Yellow Clay. Badly hampered on the inside, dropped back, came wide and flew home.

A Dream To Share looks a goner with the game. Another purchase has gone sour for JP.

I would give the horse another chance on better ground. Had a lot of ground to make up when they quickened and flattened out then.

Saved by Mandara today. Any thoughts about tomorrows racing, any more shorties turned over?

i like the shape of the 1.40 tommorow a short priced fav stepping up in class in a race full of similar unexposed types ,fav could be too good and townend  rides but he has shown he is not unbeatable and the other mullins horses are more interesting to me and at big prices i have taken the fav on with  GOLD DANCER AT 33/1 & JLT LANGY AT 66/1 BOTH B365 EACH WAY  .......both winners and totally unexposed who cost plenty and in a yard choc full of talented novices could be right up there with the best of them . i dont spose they put the gun to thier heads at home and any of the 2 could be the type that dont show much at home anyway so townend may just be going on what he has ridden on the racecourse . whatever just thought the prices of these 2 were too big given they could be anything .

Galopin Des Champs just outstayed Fastorslow. If he had more speed than Fastorslow why bother to set the pace? Gold Cup trip and he likely beats the second even easier.

The Yellow Clay was an eyecatcher, but only in terms of finishing second. The winner won with plenty in hand, and looks the number one irish challenger for the Festival Bumper.

Good luck Foyles, nice price.

Been looking at Mullins tomorrow as always,

1.10 cant split Gaeilic Warrior and Fact To File.

1.40 WP has 5 in this, Ballyburn was very impressive last time even if it was just a Maiden Hdle but drops back to 2 miles, second and fourth won next time up so form looks strong. Daddy Longleggs was impressive on hurdles debut and maybe the heavy going was not to suit next time up? I thought that Elliotts Farren Glory was going to win the Tolworth on Boxing Day but for a mistake two out so might dutch that one with DLL.

3.20 Mullins 5 again, Jamed Du Berlais has a big weight pull with Meetingofthewaters and over the shorter distance could be the one, will maybe dutch this one with Inothewayyourthinkin who was beaten easily by Gaelic Warrior last time, still good form though, opening mark of 144 looks lenient to me? Has an entry in the Brown Advisory.

3.50 Just 2 from WP with Zenta the interesting one for me, won the Jewson Hurdle at Aintree and then switched to fences, 3rd in a Grade 2 without looking a natural, has an entry in the Mares at Cheltenham and at 10/1 looks a solid place bet.

4.25 4 in this, all of them possibles for the Champion Bumper (closing not until 27th Feb) might dutch Fleur Au Fusil who won a Pro Am race easily so could be anything and Femme Magnifique who was an easy winner at Thurles giving weight away.

Agree about Yellow Clay, definite eye catcher for me.

Gaelic Warrior is a better horse going right handed.

Notto crab anything but can anybody name a single horse trained in Ireland that never left and was known as a champion outside IRELAND
Flat or jumps?

Regardless whether they currently have the best stock the status is worthless until Cheltenham , always been so and always will be for jumps!!!

Probably true but boy have they been proving their worth plenty in recent times.

Feb 3, 2024 -- 7:42PM, differentdrum wrote:

Galopin Des Champs just outstayed Fastorslow. If he had more speed than Fastorslow why bother to set the pace? Gold Cup trip and he likely beats the second even easier. The Yellow Clay was an eyecatcher, but only in terms of finishing second. The winner won with plenty in hand, and looks the number one irish challenger for the Festival Bumper.

Townend set his own pace. As the old adage says waiting race in front. As Townend said himself afterwards he was just popping around. He knew none of the other three would want to make the running.

the irish champion hurdle looks a straightforward job for the ultra consistent state man and he will be hard to beat but no good to me at long odds on . impaire et passe has near 4l to find but but surely they will ride him differently this time ,hopefully go off in front and make it more of a stamina test and the ballymore win reads quite well .5/1 each way 2 places looks fair to me.

just the 2 runners in the 13.10 doubt if we will learn much from that and no good for betting purposes, by the way for shortie fans b365 boost going 2 .26 the 3 odds ons... gaelic ,state man and el fabiolo not for me but others may be interested .

Really exciting race coming up. Will they both get round and reward Willie with another E117,000?

What a farce and all that money too

Be a brave man to back the 3 short ones for little reward Cheltenham is weeks away you’d think they would be fighting fit for that and as yesterday he ain’t bothered which one of his wins at this meeting, I don’t think galopen des champs was spot on yesterday but still won

Gaelic Warrior went out like a light

Biggest news of the week. Finished alone but Willie still collects all of the prize money. Gaelic Warrior looked drunk.

denise new ^^^^

Time to make it a handicap when they can't get the runners.

Rather keep the positives myself and wonder what the winner is capable of   

Rather look at the positives myself and wonder what the winner is capable of , we'll no doubt find out in a few weeks   

Rancid

Positives my ar£e

Winner looks a machine.
Made a very good horse look ordinary.

The kind of event that puts me right off this sport - what a nonsense - if you're not in the inner circle - still that probbaly applies to most of life

Eggsackly shooda

I backed a biggie later.

3.50 Leopardstown - One Last Tango on the exchange in the win and 6 place markets. Around about 20s

Returned from 140 days off to run a very good race at Navan and then won nicely over C&D back in December where he basically did what Hermes Allen couldn’t yesterday. Sat well off 2 run away leaders, closed them down then booted right away from everyone on the run in. He really scampered away from them.

There might be something left and also while he got put up 9lbs for his win last time he’s only moving up in weight from 10-6 to 10-12 so it’s only really a 6lb rise for a very good way.

He’s also the choice of Mark Walsh who could’ve ridden 6 others for McManus in here.

I suppose as well maybe the flat breeding ie Ovavango x Kris Kin so might enjoy the slightly better ground.

Short priced Cheltenham novices are failing like ninepins. Marine National and Gaelic Warrior were supposed to be superstars. They still might be but not this weekend.

Saint Roi and Echos now look certs

My glass is always half full freddie , it makes life far less complicated   

Very annoying for anyone who expected/hoped that Gaelic Warrior would go down the hurdle route. Looks as if bookmakers have cleaned up both hurdles and chases ante post money on him. Winner might be decent, but you couldn't judge on that as Gaelic Warrior has put up minimal resistance.

Winner looks a machine

More brandy brandy

Was a believer so terrific. When they say it beat nothing, one cannot disagree

Massive performance from Ballyburn. Farren Glory has done a Gaelic Warrior.

Last couple of runs from Ballyburn have been superb.

I can see Willie sticking with the Supreme for Ballyburn as his other runners in the 2 mile novice today were lapped. He has others for the Ballymore.

so that's all 8 grade 1s for WPM...christ on a bike

I would say so

Feb 4, 2024 -- 2:45PM, sageform wrote:

I can see Willie sticking with the Supreme for Ballyburn as his other runners in the 2 mile novice today were lapped. He has others for the Ballymore.

I would say so

Scooted up. It's sad for me to see Impaire, how could they not arkle 2024 with him with his scope and class

Think Barnahash Primrose would be shorter in price if trained by a big name trainer. Interesting to see how it runs.

Ran well MJK

Ran well MJK.

Fleur Au Fusil and Zentara saving the day for me.

*Zenta

Nice to see someone looking at the 2nd and 3rd strings Tiger , good call 

No idea why some people are knocking the DRF, its been a good two days racing, same folk complain about lack of graded races etc etc just what do they want.

Feb 4, 2024 -- 4:31PM, Hayden wrote:

Ran well MJK

Yeah ran well. Think the jock got caught out following Patrick around and letting the winner away, but flattened out anyhow in last furlong.