The Punting Club Dublin Racing Festival special: the best bets, dark horses and who can step up to stop Willie Mullins?

Which horse is most likely to stop Willie Mullins from landing all eight Grade 1s at this year’s meeting? 
John Smith

Joe: Willie Mullins has taken the last seven runnings of the Dublin Chase (2.10, Sunday), six times with the favourite, so Gaelic Warrior looks sure to be popular. Rich and Susannah Ricci's seven-year-old was beaten at odds-on at last year's DRF, however, and could be the horse that prevents Mullins from claiming a clean sweep of Grade 1 wins this weekend. Marine Nationale has been slowly coming to the boil for Barry Connell and was only three-quarters of a length behind Gaelic Warrior last time. The price discrepancy between the two on Sunday looks too big.

Harry: By far the best chance has to be Hello Neighbour in Saturday's juvenile hurdle (1.50). Despite failing to settle and not jumping very fluently, he beat Lady Vega Allen, who had the benefit of hurdling experience, in a Grade 2 on his debut at the track last month. He should learn plenty from that experience and is the right favourite for the contest.

Who is the best bet of the festival and who is your lay of the meeting?
Dan Jackson

Joe: The opening 2m2f handicap hurdle on Sunday (12.40) looks Queens Gamble's for the taking. The British raider racked up a hat-trick over hurdles last season before a setback ruled her out of the big spring festivals. She showed that she retained her ability when going down by a length and a half in the Gerry Feilden on her seasonal debut at Newbury in November, producing a Racing Post Rating of 132. Trainer Harry Derham has plundered a big handicap hurdle in Ireland already this season and Queens Gamble appears to have been laid out for this prize. I'll be surprised if she can't get the job done. The lay of the festival is Gaelic Warrior, who looks far too short in Sunday's Dublin Chase (2.10) given this track doesn't seem to suit him. 

Harry: Paul Nolan has won the Listed Ryanair Handicap Chase (4.05 Saturday) on two occasions in the last nine years and his An Peann Dearg appeals most from the bottom of the weights. He was beaten just half a length by a subsequent winner, who is now rated 130, in a Wexford beginners' chase in October and showed he was handicapped to win when landing a competitive course-and-distance contest last month. The third has won since and a 6lb rise may not stop him going in again on Saturday, with the softer ground in his favour. I agree with Joe that Gaelic Warrior is the lay.

Could I get four horses at the Dublin Racing Festival for an accumulator please?
George Vasey

Joe: I'll go for a win accumulator, George, while trying to avoid the odds-on pokes. Final Demand can get Willie Mullins and Paul Townend off to a flying start in the meeting's opening 2m6f Grade 1 novice hurdle (1.15), and I fancy the combination to claim a quickfire double courtesy of Sainte Lucie in the following 2m Grade 1 juvenile hurdle (1.50). On Sunday, Marine Nationale looks a decent price at 4-1 in the Dublin Chase (2.10), while the concluding 2m mares' bumper (4.25) can go to Future Prospect, who impressed with victory at Fairyhouse last month.

Harry: It was no surprise to see Paul Townend pick Final Demand, who was so impressive on his debut, in Saturday's opening novice hurdle (1.15). He is one of three I like on the opening day, alongside Gavin Cromwell's Hello Neighbour in the juvenile event (1.50) and Paul Nolan's An Peann Dearg in the Ryanair Handicap Chase (4.05). Hopefully the winnings can roll on to Sunday, when State Man can land his third Irish Champion Hurdle (3.20). There was no reason for him disappointing last time, but these are conditions that suit and he's a better horse than stablemate Lossiemouth on all known form, especially over 2m, despite what the market says.

El Fabiolo will make his first appearance of the season in the Dublin ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Has El Fabiolo been written off prematurely in the Dublin Chase, and what would you consider his preferred trip?
Patrick Durcan  

Joe: El Fabiolo has hit an RPR of at least 163 in all seven completed chase starts and is officially rated 175, 10lb superior to anything in this field, so there's certainly a case to be made for him purely from a price perspective at 8-1. You get the impression connections see this very much as a prep run before the spring festivals, however, and he is entitled to come on for this first start since chasing home Jonbon in the Celebration Chase at Sandown in April. He looked very much like a horse who would appreciate stepping up in trip at Sandown and, if he can brush up on his jumping, the 8-1 about him for the Ryanair could look mightily big. That's the race I would be aiming him at. 

Harry: I can't believe his price, Patrick. El Fabiolo's two visits to Leopardstown have yielded impressive successes, including in this race last year, and he's by far the best horse in the race on all known form. He's got a perfect seasonal reappearance record since joining Willie Mullins, too. The jockey bookings will be interesting. I think this 2m1f suits him well, but his jumping can let him down. He's bred to get further and may make less errors going a bit slower over a longer trip, but he'd also have to navigate more fences which is far from ideal. I'd like to see him have another crack at the Champion Chase – with a clear round he's a huge player.

Hi Punting Club, are there any dark horses on your radar for the Dublin Racing Festival?
Nathan Briggs

Joe: I'll give you one for each day, Nathan. On Saturday, Desertmore House looks interesting at odds of 20-1 for the 3m handicap hurdle (2.25). The ten-year-old went close in what looked like a decent handicap hurdle at Punchestown in November and remains on an exploitable mark 12lb below his chase rating. The application of a visor is interesting and John Shinnick removes a handy 5lb. I'm also keen on the chances of Search For Glory in the following day's 2m5½f handicap chase (2.45). The Gigginstown-owned eight-year-old finished seventh in a red-hot running of the Albert Bartlett last year and was only four and a half lengths behind the smart Impaire Et Passe in a Grade 1 at Limerick last month. He should have plenty of room for manoeuvre off an opening handicap mark of 144 and his odds of 10-1 look far too big. 

Champ Kiely: a danger to stablemates Ballyburn and Impaire Et Passe on SundayCredit: Patrick McCann

Harry: Champ Kiely won't go off at a huge price, but he will definitely start bigger than he should in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase (1.10) on Sunday. He missed all of last season, having beaten subsequent Champion Hurdle runner-up Irish Point and finished third to Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham and Punchestown in novices the previous season. However, he proved his wellbeing with an authoritative success on his chase debut at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day. That form isn't far off what his rivals achieved on their debuts, and he's entitled to take a huge step forward for that first run since April 2023. You also wouldn't go far wrong backing The Goffer in the 2m5½f handicap chase (2.45) at a huge price. He's been tried as a stayer since taking this event two years ago, but he's now 2lb lower than he was back then and could take a big hand back in trip.

Read these next:

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This Leopardstown Grade 1 has produced the last four Triumph Hurdle winners - who will emerge this year to challenge Lulamba? 

Why this horse can win at the Dublin Racing Festival - including one who can upset Gaelic Warrior 

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