The Dublin Racing Festival delivers once again
Mark Walsh, onboard Fact To File, along with Georgina Fenwick, celebrate winning The Irish Gold Cup (Grade 1) at the Dublin Racing Festival, Leopardstown. Photo: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
With the never-ending rain delaying the Dublin Racing Festival by a day, racing got the green light on Sunday, with Saturday's postponed card moved to Monday. But as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and the wait was worth it.
The Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase came with an air of expectation as the unbeaten novice chaser Final Demand was expected to put on a show. Final Demand would face three rivals, which included two of his stablemates, Jimmy Du Seuil and Kaid d'Authie, along with Gordon Elliotts Western Fold.
As the field of four were sent on their way, Mark Walsh made an early decision on Kaid d'Authie not to leave Paul Townend and Final Demand have things their own way, and took on his stablemate for the lead.
The plan seemed to be working as Final Demand started to put in some sloppy jumping as Kaid d'Authie was jumping impeccabley giving his rival no time to catch a breather, with the keen Jimmy Du Seuil and cold ridden Western Fold playing catch-up.
Supporters of Final Demand began to fear the worst as Kaid d'Authie took a clear lead at the third last, and made another costly mistake two out, ending any hope of him holding onto his superstar billing.
Mark Walsh and his will partner had a clear lead coming to the last, and a good jump sealed a first Grade 1 win for the the son of Choeur Du Nord, beating the staying on Western Fold by over four lengths.
Mullins said, “He’s always a horse that showed me a lot at home. I’d think just putting cheekpieces on him today has made a huge difference. It’s bringing out the sort of ability that he shows me at home.
“He’s a horse that’s always been disappointing to me, on the racetrack. The cheekpieces just made a big difference to him.
“Mark said he only made one bit of a mistake, at the third last, but he said otherwise he was foot perfect.” When asked if that had earned him a tilt at the Brown Advisory he added: “I’d imagine, yes.” “I was just disappointed the way he jumped the second and third fences. He missed the fifth last and when a horse does that in a race like that he has to improve quickly and he didn’t.
“He went on and did the same at the next. To me that was not good enough.
“Paul said he twisted a little bit in the air. I couldn’t see that as I didn’t watch the head-on. I like watching them sideways. There might be some little niggle there that we’re not seeing, we might see it tomorrow morning.
“I just think he didn’t show that enthusiasm that he normally does.”
The best was yet to come for the master of Closutton.
At 2:10, the stands were packed to watch the clash of the day between the current Champion Chaser Marine Nationale and the hugely talented Majborough, who up to that point had yet to put it all together in open company. But hope was high for the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old with the addition of fist time cheekpieces, and underfoot conditions coming in his favour. However, the betting market said something different as Marine Nationale was well backed into the 5/4 clear favourite.
As the field of six lined up at the start, Mark Walsh was about to adopt a new tactic on Majborough by send hsi mouth out on the lead from the drop of the flag. It was clear from a long way from home that Marine Nationale and co were in trouble with Mark Walsh setting Majborough alight before four out.
The further the pair went, the bigger the gap was getting between them and the chasing pack. With two flying leaps at the final two fences, Majborough was met by deafening roars from the packed Leopardstown stands as he bolted up by 19 lengths.
Winning jockey Mark Walsh said: “That’s the real Majborough today. In Cork he couldn’t go right-handed and here the last day I tried to hold him up behind horses and when I came in I said we were doing the wrong thing.
“His big stride is his biggest asset, so Willie rang me the other morning and said we’ll put cheekpieces on and let him roll in front. That made a man of him today.
“He was looking at what he was doing today. The second fence he came up out of my hands, and he has some power behind him.”
Anything Willie can Emmet can do.
Nephew of champion trainer Willie Mullins, Emmet got on the scoresheet with the Paul Byrne-owned Backmersackme, who got his head in front under UK champion jockey, Sean Bowen, in the Grade 3 O'Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase.
Emmet Mullins said: “That was great. Sean said he was a bit flat to the boards early doors and he let him find his rhythm jumping and he was able to sneak into it at the third last. It was pretty clear sailing from there. He’s improved.
“I was saying to Sean beforehand that there was a handicap hurdle in Navan last year, the Proudstown, and the winner was Mark Fahey’s horse (Flicker Of Hope) who is going for the Irish National.
“We were second and Oscar’s Brother was third, so we were the only horse that hadn’t gone and done something over fences yet. That was strong form and it’s all come together now.
“I suppose over the trip the slower ground helped, definitely. I think ground-wise he’s fairly versatile. He had a tongue-tie on today as well so that probably helped with the slower ground.
“The plan was the National Hunt Chase over 3m5f at Cheltenham. He was 125 today and that’s 145 so that should be still on the cards. He’ll have a bit more weight now but we’ve a great pot behind us so we can’t complain.”
Despite failing to settle from the drop of the flat to the final hurdle, Doctor Steinberg displayed true class by beating each one of his rivals from the front. The son of Doctor Dino enhanced his growing reputation by putting in a performance that has shot him to the top of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival Next month.
Willie Mullins said: “It was very impressive on that ground, it’s very tough.
“Every time we’ve gone up in trip, he seems to like it. He’s out of a Cyborg mare and that’s all stamina.
“I think we bought two off Walter (Connors) that year, Kopek Des Bordes and this fella so it’s a 100 per cent record in Grade One's which is fantastic.
“It was probably going to the last the first time before he relaxed. There was a horse up his backside everywhere he went and he was very free, but he kept galloping - the fact that he could pull like that and still be galloping at the end of two-miles-six on very tough ground.
“We thought he was a summer horse first so he goes on all sorts of ground, but he seems to be better when he has tougher conditions.”
Willie Mullins seems to have what some would call the first Cheltenham Festival banker, with Narciso Has taking the Grade 1 Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle. The son of Doctor Dino led from the drop of the flag, and the result was never in doubt as the classy four-year-old jumped the last clear, storming clear to win by over four lengths.
On the back of that win, this classy four-year-old is the clear favourite to win the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next month.
Willie Mullins said: “He settles lovely in front, jumps well in front, and has enough for a kick at the end.
“He’s mature as well and, looking at him, I think he’s going to make into a nice chaser. He’s a fine, big, specimen of a horse.
“I liked him from the first day that he came in. He was very green the first day that he ran, but he’s learning all the time.
“He has his two ears pricked going down the back the whole way. He seemed well within himself and well able to handle himself.”
In a race that brought crowds from far and wide in the hope of witnessing Galopin Des Champs create history by becoming the first horse to win four Irish Gold Cups in a row, his loyal fans were left down in the dumps as the gallant ten-year-old could only manage a third-place finish behind his stablemates Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior.
This taking win was a coming-of-age performance from Fact To File, who was well beaten in the last year's renewal but, a year older and a year wiser, has seen the JP McManus-owned gelding storm to victory. The current Ryanair Chase winner does not have an entry for the blue ribbon event at the Cheltenham Festival, but it may be a case of De Javu with another JP McManus supplement. But will it have the same outcome as it did with Inothewayurthinkin winning the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Mark Walsh said: “Class, that was the real Fact To File. He never showed up at Kempton, but today he showed what he can really do.”
Mullins on Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs: "I'm delighted for both the horse and Mark. He just jumped his way to the front, and Mark didn’t want to disappoint him. I didn’t know if he would stay the trip going like that, but he hit the line well.”
“The excertions from Christmas seemed to tell on Galopin, but that will leave him spot on for Cheltenham.”
