2021 Dublin Racing Festival Betting Tips – Leopardstown Saturday 6th February

The 2021 Dubin Racing Festival takes place at Leopardstown this weekend and the first of the two days racing includes the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase and the Irish Champion Hurdle.

David has run through each race on the seven race card and provided a betting tip for each which can be seen below.

The Dublin Racing Festival is one of the highlights of the National Hunt season and provides the perfect warm-up to the Cheltenham Festival in March. There are some or Ireland’s best hurdlers and chasers on display this weekend and some of the big races are also live on ITV Racing.

There are 15 races across the two days which includes eight Grade One contests and you can see our 2021 Dublin Racing Festival tips below.

 

1:05pm –  Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors 50k Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff Novice Hurdle

Willie Mullins has seemingly endless reserves of talent in the novice hurdle division, once again, this season and had no fewer than seven entries in this race at the five-day declaration stage. As it is, he relies on four, the pick of which may well be French import Gaillard Du Mesnil. Gaillard Du Mesnil was beaten 8 lengths by the promising Holymacapony on his debut for Willie Mullins at Punchestown in November, but improved to win a similar race on this course, albeit over two furlongs shorter, over Christmas. Mullins said afterwards that he was ‘very impressed’ and expected Gaillard Du Mesnil to ‘go up in grade easily enough’, so that may be all we need to know; the Saint Des Saints gelding is 7/1 third favourite for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Selection: Gaillard Du Mesnil (5/2 with Coral)

 

1:35pm – Ladbrokes Dublin Chase

Last year’s first and second, Chacun Pour Soi and Min, re-oppose and it is, frankly, difficult to see far beyond the Mullins-trained pair this year. While lacking originality as a selection, Chacon Pour Soi officially has 5lb and upwards in hand of his rivals, including Min, and cannot sensibly be opposed.

Selection: Chacun Pour Soi (1/2 with Coral)

 

2:10pm –  Patrick Ward & Company Solicitors Irish Arkle Novice Chase

Described by Willie Mullins as a ‘natural chaser’, Energumene travelled and jumped well when taking his record over fences to 2-2 at Naas last month and looks the one to be on. The French-bred is second favourite, behind only the all-conquering Shishkin, for the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival and the softer the ground the better for him.

Selection: Energumene (5/6 with Coral)

 

2:45pm – Matheson Handicap Steeplechase

Epson Du Houx, The Shunter and Aramax must be high on any shortlist but, at much longer odds, it’s possible to make a plausible case for Mitchouka, who has been in fair, if unspectacular, form over longer distances on recent starts. The Gigginstown House Stud ‘castoff’ won at Thurles at this time last year on his debut for Gearoid O’Loughlin and again ran well when third, off a handicap mark just 1lb lower than today, at the same course two weeks later. He probably needs a career-best effort to win a race of this calibre, but dropping back to 2 miles 1½ furlongs is almost certainly in his favour and he could go well at a decent price.

Selection: Mitchouka (33/1 with Ladbrokes)

 

3:15pm – Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle

Four-time Grade One winner Honeysuckle has won twice over 2 miles, including this race last year and, in receipt of a 7lb mares’ allowance, must have every chance of extending her unbeaten sequence over hurdles to 11. Sharjah has 10¾ lengths to find with Honeysuckle on their running in this race last year, but subsequently finished second in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and comfortably won the Grade One Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown on his reappearance; he should ensure Henry De Bromhead’s mare doesn’t have things entirely her own way.

Selection: Honeysuckle (11/8 with Ladbrokes)

 

3:50pm – Ladbrokes Hurdle

A descendant of the Irish Sweeps Hurdle, the Ladbrokes Hurdle is invariably a competitive betting heat, but has, nonetheless, been won by Charles Byrnes for the last three years running. The Co. Limerick trainer appears to have another ideal candidate in Advanced Virgo, who was in decent form on the Flat earlier in the year and won a valuable race at Fairyhouse with something in hand on his return to hurdling in November. He has a two-month absence and a 10lb rise in the weights to overcome, but may yet have more to offer.

Selection: Advanced Virgo (8/1 with Ladbrokes)

 

4.25pm – Goffs Future Stars I.N.H. Flat Race

Formerly a maiden point-to-point winner for Sophie Lacey, the well-bred Ramillies has made two appearances in ‘bumpers’ at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival for Willie Mullins and, most recently, eased clear in the closing stages for an impressive, 10-length win. He carries a 4lb penalty in this much better race, but cost £215,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Festival Sale in 2019 and remains an exciting prospect.

Selection: Ramillies (4/1 with Paddy Power)

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