Dublin Racing Festival Day 1

The first of the big spring festivals is here! SPORTING GLORY and WINGMEN go to war in the Grade 1 Novice hurdle. WINGMEN brings really nice form into this and shouldn’t be underestimated. He is more professional now and will have Danny Gilligan in the saddle. SPORTING GLORY may be one of the oldest Novice hurdlers in the country but he maturity should help, Sam rides.

WENDROCK is our leading juvenile hope and we will know how he compares with the other horses on the scene after this. Grade 1 company is a big step up but he is open to improvement and will have Sam in the saddle.

We have a brace of horses for the Listed handicap hurdle where we have 5 runners. LUCKY LYREEN will be claimed off with Carl Millar in the saddle to make the best of his mark. PATTER MERCHANT looked a classy horse so is hopefully a undercover here with James Smith booked to ride and claiming. MORDOR has an excellent string of form but this is a big step forward for him and will have Sam Ewing in the saddle. BINGE WORTHY has a tendency to sprout wings when it is least expected and will have Jordan Gainford at the helm. Finally FORTUNEDEFORTUNATA came ever so close the last day and will have Danny Gilligan booked to ride.

The next Grade 1 on the card for us is the Arkle Novice chase where we have FIREFOX and TOUCH ME NOT. FIREFOX has some excellent Grade 1 form and is well able for this level. He’ll have Sam in the saddle and hopefully he can get a good tune out of him. Touch Me Not is another who is improving and will be in the hands of Danny Gilligan.

A winner of this race in 2022, CONFLATED returns but will come up against the formidable GALOPIN DES CHAMPS. Our mercurial character will make his own mind up but hopefully he runs a good race devoid of head gear with Sam Ewing in the saddle.

We will learn more about our potential Cheltenham bumper horses here in the Grade 2 bumper. HE CAN’T DANCE leads the way for the team where Harry had a hard choice to make. He remains the only unbeaten horse of our three. KOKTAIL BRUT was stepped up in class and came home 3rd that day in a listed bumper and will have Barry O’Neill in the saddle. CLASSICAL CREEK looks a strong horse for the future and will have Deccy Lavery in the saddle.