Dublin Racing Festival Day Two: Only one to beat

The Irish Gold Cup, now the showpiece event on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival, was won 12 months ago by subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John and, with Jessica Harrington choosing to go straight to the Festival with him this time round, it is his stablemate Our Duke that heads the betting.

He arrives here on something of a recovery mission, having finished last of seven finishers on his sole outing of this season so far at Down Royal. He scoped abnormally post-race, however, while a back issue was also identified, for which he has since had surgery. He had looked as exciting a prospect as there is in National Hunt racing when winning the Irish Grand National by 15 lengths last season and, if his issues have been ironed out, the eight-year-old should be a major contender for top honours on Sunday. He remains open to improvement after just five starts over fences, too.

One of his biggest dangers (according to the betting) is Killultagh Vic, who showed smart form in a pair of novice chases in 2015/16, including when working miracles to land a Grade 2 here. He appeared to have it sewn up jumping the last, but slithered on landing, losing all momentum and quickly dropping back to third. That he was able to recover and win marked him out as something very special indeed, and he remains potentially high-class in this sphere, having shaped as if retaining all of his ability after 22 months off when winning a minor event over hurdles at Punchestown last time.

Road To Respect may be missing from the line-up, but the form of the Christmas Chase is still well-represented, with six of the 10 runners here having finished behind Noel Meade’s charge in that Grade 1. Outlander and Minella Rocco fared best on that occasion, finishing third and fourth, respectively. The former has won his four other starts at this track, including two Grade 1s, and is entitled to be bang there at the finish once again, but Minella Rocco does not have the best strike rate for one with such high-class form, including when second to Sizing John in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season, and is likely to have that race as his chief target this year, too.

Djakadam is clearly much better than when pulled up that day and cannot be totally discounted if bouncing back here, but perhaps of more interest is the improving Anibale Fly. He produced a career best to win the 28-runner Paddy Power Chase over C&D on Boxing Day, by seven lengths from Ucello Conti, and certainly looks worth his place in this company, with the prospect of more to come.

There are four Grade 1s on Sunday’s card, overall, kicking off with the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, a race that has been won by subsequent Triumph Hurdle winners Commanche Court and Our Conor over the years. Espoir d’Allen trails only Apple’s Shakira in the betting for that Cheltenham event, and has the chance to rubber-stamp his credentials this weekend. He has won each of his four starts over hurdles to date with ease and has the beating of Mitchouka on all-known form, with the unexposed pair Farclas and Mr Adjudicator likely to emerge as bigger threats.

Class horse - yet to taste defeat, Espoir D'Allen makes it four from four over hurdles with victory in the Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at @LeopardstownRC: pic.twitter.com/hEs52m812a

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) 26 December 2017

The following Deloitte Novices’ Hurdle is seemingly all about Samcro. He created a deep impression when maintaining his unbeaten record under Rules in a Grade 3 at Navan last time, leading on the bridle on the run to two out and quickly drawing clear to win by 12 lengths. Bred to stay three miles but clearly not short of speed, he should not prove inconvenienced by the drop back to two miles and is open to any amount of improvement. Sharjah, who would have won a Grade 1 over C&D but for falling at the final flight last time, is the only other runner trading at a single-figure price – testament to the regard in which Samcro is held.

The Flogas Novices’ Chase looks a good deal more open, with only three points separating the first four in the betting for what looks a red-hot renewal. A high-class hurdler, Sutton Place was a ready winner on chasing debut at Fairyhouse last month and shades favouritism at this stage, but preference is for Invitation Only, the pick of Paul Townend from five Willie Mullins-trained runners. There was a lot to like about the way he brushed aside Koshari and The Storyteller in a Grade 3 at Punchestown last time, keeping on well to win by two and a half lengths, and it would be no surprise were he able to improve past Monalee, who sets the standard on weight-adjusted ratings.

Elsewhere on the card, Ladbrokes Trophy winner Total Recall is a hot favourite to take advantage of his lower hurdles mark in the three-mile handicap, while Hell’s Kitchen, one of just four British raiders on the card, heads a maximum 22-strong field for the 2m5f handicap chase. Add to the mix a pair of mares’ races, worth €75,000 each, to bookend the card – a 2¼m handicap hurdle and a Grade 2 bumper – and there is truly something for everyone on another terrific day’s racing.

Read our preview of day one of the Dublin Racing Festival