Five top horses of the Dublin Racing Festival

It has been a little quieter on these pages lately, but that is changing again now. This time our view goes to Ireland, because  many of the Irish cracks for the Cheltenham Festival are in action on Saturday and Sunday at the third edition of the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown. Jump racing at its best: Four Grade 1 races on Saturday, the same number again on Sunday, promise lots of class and excitement. Five top horses of the festival. 

Chacun Pour Soi (Ladbroke Dublin Chase): It was in April 2019 during the Punchestown Festival, when the name Chacun Pour Soi was on everyone's lips. He had easily defeated Defi Du Seuil and Duc Des Genievres in the Ryanair Novice Chase. The defeated horses had won the JLT Novice Chase and the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, two of the most important races for young chasers. It was a fantastic performance by the gelding who had come to Willie Mullins from France in December 2016.
He was, like many Mullins horses, not yet at 100 percent at his seasonal start in Leopardstown and lost to A Plus Tard (Trainer Henry de Bromhead). This horse will be opposing again on Saturday and the two other Mullins horses Min and Cilaos Emery will also be tough opponents.

Cash Back (ERSG Arkle Novice Chase): Other candidates such as Samun son Notebook (Trainer Henry de Bromhead), Fakir D'oudairies (Trainer Joseph O'Brien), Bapaume and Melon (both trained by Willie Mullins) are traded higher, but in my opinion Cash Back (also prepared by Mullins) is the most interesting horse. The gelding is a highly talented chaser and still unbeaten over chases. In his successes in Navan and Naas not everything was without faults, but nevertheless he showed his great talent. Now Cash Back must continue to improve, the opponents are much better, but he should have reserves.  

Klassical Dream (PCI Irish Champion Hurdle): Klassical Dream was an outstanding young hurdler last season, winning both the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in Cheltenham and the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle in Punchestown (both Group 1 of course). These successes were pure class, both times the Mullins horse won very confidently.
But this season there were only disappointments: At his first start only third in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown and then Klassical Dream dropped out completely after a serious mistake in the Matheson Hurdle. In both races the gelding seemed to be very excited and nervous even before the start.
"If he learns from his mistakes, he is still a very high class horse," said trainer Mullins, hoping for compensation and soft ground on Saturday. But the favorites are others: Honeysuckle, the still undefeated mare or Sharjah, who recently beat Klassical Dream and has proven himself many times in Group 1 races. 

Faugheen (Flogas Novice Chase): Last year there was a lot of discussion about whether a 12-year-old horse, who was highly successful in his career and won the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle, could be expected to campaign in novice chases. I too was in favour of sending Faugheen into a well-earned retirement. However, owner Rich Ricci and trainer Willie Mullins decided differently and their horse remained unbeaten twice in novice company.
Particularly how he distanced the former "wonder horse" Samcro (see video) at the second start was great to watch. Now it's time for Group 1 company and I'm curious to see if Faugheen will present himself again in top form. Battleoverdoyen and Easy Game will demand a lot from him.

 

Kemboy (Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase): Kemboy (Trainer Willie Mullins) was my bet in the last Cheltenham Gold Cup, but the dream only lasted until the first obstacle when the gelding sent jockey Danny Mullins out onto the grass. The weeks after proved that the bet was not wrong: Kemboy triumphed against Clan Des Obeaux at the Betway Bowl Chase in Aintree and then defeated his stablemate and Cheltenham Gold Cup triumphator Al Boum Photo in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Fourth place at the Savills Chase in Leopardstown at the start of the season was a bit sobering, Kemboy was a bit too keen and made niggling mistakes. In the end he was three and a half lengths behind Delta Work. He will meet him again on Sunday, and Presenting Percy, last year's favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but disappointing at last, will also line up.