The Dublin Racing Festival 2026 started a day late. To explain Day one, the Saturday was abandoned due to unfit ground after huge amounts of the wet stuff falling during the week. Sunday’s card went ahead as scheduled and the Saturday card was re-arranged to Monday.
The racing got underway with a Listed Mares Handicap Hurdle and the Dennis Hogan trained Cousin Kate obliged and in doing so completed a hat-trick of wins. Final Demand was sent off at prohibitive odds of 30/100 but could only manage third behind stablemate Kaid D’authie in the first G1 of the meeting, the Ladbrokes Novice Chase. The JP McManus owned and Willie Mullins trained winner was impressive taking the running up three out and winning readily under Mark Walsh. In the G1 Novice Hurdle Talk The Talk led on the line to beat Ballyfad and made up for his fall over course and distance over Christmas when looking the likely winner. Well done to JJ Slevin and trainer Joseph O’Brien along with owners Simon Munir and Isaac Suede. Clear second favourite for the Festival opener now at 5/1.
The next G1 in this feast of jumps action was the Dublin Chase and saw another JP owned, Mullins trained and Walsh ridden charge Majborough batter Marine Nationale into submission and won near on 20 lengths. Connections of the runner up were quick to defend their horse saying the ground was far from ideal but wanted to support the meeting by running. The winner is now 13/8 favourite for the Champion Chase with Marine Nationale second in around 5/2.
The G1 Irish Champion Hurdle was won by Brighterdaysahead for Gigginstown, Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy. Lossiemouth was beaten three lengths by the winner who is now joint head of the market with The New Lion with some firms for the Champion Hurdle next month. Connections of the runner up were quoted as saying they were happy to run in either the Champion or Mares Hurdle. We shall see but I think Lossiemouth will go for the Mares over half a mile further which suits her better.
The Listed Handicap Hurdle saw another Elliott/ Kennedy winner courtesy of Bowensonfire while the G3 Handicap Chase earlier on the card saw Sean Bowen ride the winner Backmeorsackme for trainer Emmet Mullins and owner Paul Byrne. The concluding G2 Bumper saw Moonverrin take the honours but under very fortunate circumstances. The runner up, Royal Hillsborough should have won but for the jockey misjudging the correct winning post and easing down having thought the job was done. A very unlucky loser and awful for connections.
So, Saturday’s re arranged card went ahead and was cheered home by a lesser crowd on Monday.
The opening G1 Novice Hurdle for the stayers over two miles six furlongs saw the Willie Mullins trained and Paul Townend ridden Doctor Steinberg complete a hat-trick of wins when making a lot of the running. This performance probably needs upgrading as the son of Doctor Dino ran very freely at times and did well to win eight lengths from the Elliott runner Kazansky, who had won his last two outings including a G2 and is no back number. The winner is 3/1 for the “Potato Race” – the Albert Bartlett on the final day of the festival. Not for me at that price!
The G1 Juvenile Hurdle was won impressively by another JP owned and Mullins trained charge by the name of Narciso Has who made all to beat stablemate Selma De Vary by over four lengths. Triumph Hurdle next stop.
The G1 Arkle Novice Chase attracted only three runners but provided a great finish when 4/9 favourite Romeo Coolio fended off Kargese by just a neck. The Irish Gold Cup was next up and yet another winner for the usual suspects. Fact To File dusted himself down, got up off the canvas and shed the disappointing run at Kempton on Boxing Day in the King George. Make no mistake this was a proper performance beating Gaelic Warrior by five lengths with the mighty Galopin Des Champs a further 8 lengths back in third.
The Handicap Chase over two miles and a furlong went to the Elliott and Kennedy combo via Jacob’s Ladder who rather looked well ahead of his mark after winning five lengths.
A fantastic two days of action was enjoyed and credit to the Leopardstown staff for getting racing on after so much rain earlier in the week! A couple of opinions from me – I would not be reading too much into all of these results regarding Cheltenham. I can see the form for some races being reversed on ground with the word “Good” in the going description come March and Cheltenham.
Secondly, we saw something over the two days where Mark Walsh who is being replaced by Harry Cobden as retained rider for JP McManus in May riding FOUR Grade 1 winners. He is a very, very good rider and many would argue Cobden is not in the same league.