With Cheltenham Trials Day over and achieved with, consideration turns to the Dublin Racing Pageant this weekend and the Off The Fence crew are on-hand to preview a stellar weekend of racing at Leopardstown.
Host Vanessa Ryle is joined by common visitors Barry Geraghty and Tony Keenan as they look forward to the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase in addition to the Nathaniel Lacy & Companions Solicitors Novice Hurdle.
The panel additionally look again at a superb day of racing at Cheltenham final weekend and focus on the potential runners within the Irish Gold Cup.
‘Jetara has a number one likelihood’
Saturday’s Nathaniel Lacy & Companions Solicitors Novice Hurdle (1.20) sees Jetara set to face off in opposition to Willie Mullins’ trio of Predators Gold, Loughalynn and I Will Be Baie – all of whom have been positioned in direction of the pinnacle of the market by the bookmakers.
Tony Keenan stated: “I believe Jetara has a number one likelihood of profitable this. This tends to be one of many weaker races over the few days and never all the time one which throws up the Cheltenham Pageant winners that a number of the others would.
“She had loads of expertise over hurdles final season however did not win, however this season has come again a greater mare – which is not shocking given she’s from the household of Jezki and Jetson who each improved with time. It is the primary time she’s stepped up past two-and-a-half miles which I believe will certainly go well with her, and I used to be actually impressed along with her round Christmas when she received the Mares’ Hurdle so simply.
“The one pity is I presume Jack Kennedy, who had the ride on her in her three wins this season, won’t be on board because I’m sure Gordon Elliott will have something for him, but I think she can go well in that race anyway.”
‘Slightly little bit of worth’
The Grade One McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle (1.50) is dominated by entries from Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, with the 2 Irish trainers accounting for 14 of the 22 runners within the nine-hurdle contest.
Unsurprisingly, Barry Geraghty is backing Mullins to convey dwelling the €88,500 prize fund, though not via the present favorite Storm Coronary heart.
Geraghty stated: “The one I like is Kargese who was only three parts of a length behind Kala Conti at Leopardstown over Christmas but ran very, very keen throughout the race. He went a little bit steady and that didn’t help, but you’d like to think that in a better race with better pace, he could relax. I think there’s more to come from Kargese and there could be a little bit of value in an open race.”
What about the remainder?
Geraghty stated: “What I’m really looking forward to is the novices. Obviously Marine Nationale in the two-miler is a standout, but where will Gaelic Warrior go? The prices at the minute suggest he’s more likely to go for the two-miler than the two mile and five, which leaves the question where does Fact To File go? Could Facile Vega go two mile and five as well? There’s a lot of smart novice chasers, really.”
Keenan stated: “I think they’re going to develop into Mullins winning them all, and possibly at short prices. Historically it has been a very good meeting for the short-priced punter, although not so much last year when Lossiemouth, Appreciate It and Facile Vega were beaten.
“In case you are pondering of betting possibly wait till declarations. If all Mullins’ huge ones do not run [in the Irish Gold Cup] there won’t be an terrible lot left.”
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