1.10pm Leopardstown - Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novices Chase
This could be a real fascinating race, where we get to see Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File battle it out, two of Willie Mullins's star novice chasers. All eyes will obviously be on Gaelic Warrior in this, and he could easily be far too good and win this comfortably, although Fact To File is a really big danger for him on Sunday, as he takes the step up into Grade 1 company for the first time over fences.
He was beaten by American Mike on chase debut at Navan, and he probably needed the run for fitness and experience, plus it was also only his fourth ever run on a racecourse. He backed that decent chase debut effort up next time with a very good performance to beat Zanahiyr by 17 lengths at Leopardstown, jumping superbly well before forging clear to win very comfortably indeed.
The fact that Mullins wasted no time in getting Fact To File over fences speaks volumes, as he went straight from bumpers to fences, which is somewhat of a rarity these days, and he even came second to A Dream To Share on two separate occasions in Graded races, including the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
The fact that he was winning and running well in bumpers over two miles when he clearly wants a longer trip shows how much talent this horse has in his locker, and as mentioned they wasted no time in sending him over the larger obstacles.
Although Gaelic Warrior is a very good animal in his own right, I just think Fact To File is tailor-made for a fence over this sort of trip, and he will certainly show that on Sunday when landing the Grade 1 at the first attempt over fences.
- Selection - Fact To File (7/4)
1.40pm Leopardstown - Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle
This is another fascinating contest, where a few of these could ultimately end up stepping up in trip in due course, and although all eyes will again be on a Willie Mullins horse in the shape of Ballyburn, I have taken a slight risk with one at a very big price here.
Jit Langy is currently trading at a huge price, which is something of a rarity for a Mullins runner, and yes, he would have to really step up ability-wise from what he has shown so far to land a top-class Grade 1 contest of this nature.
However, one thing in his locker is that he does look to have a decent bit of speed over this 2-mile trip, whereas a few of these could be more staying types in the making. We all know Mullins would not pitch a horse in at the deep end if he didn't think it was good enough to run well in it, and given that he is owned by JP McManus and his only runner in the race, he could well be overpriced here.
Mark Walsh, who has ridden many Grade 1 winners for JP also takes the ride, so that is another interesting point to make on Jit Langy here.
He was a French recruit, where he came 4th and 2nd on two runs for previous connections, and although he wasn't a winner in France and the form is a little tricky to decipher, there is clearly some talent there for Willie and JP to pick him up.
There is no doubt that he really needs to have improved from his maiden hurdle win at Tipperary last time, but Mullins did say early on in the season via the Sporting Life that he is a very sharp type, but still a novice so could clearly be anything and will no doubt improve with each passing run.
His Tipperary win was by a decent 4 lengths, and he jumped well in the main before pulling clear in the closing stages to win by a comfortable margin. Granted that was over eight months ago, but we all know that Mullins’ horses can strip well and fit and ready to go on the racecourse after a break.
The form of that Tipperary maiden has been franked with the 2nd-placed horse Samui since coming out and placing 2nd behind Mystical Power (Grade 1 winner after that), an easy winner of a maiden and a Listed winner since, now clocking the rating of 128.
As mentioned Jit Langy would need to have improved a fair bit since the maiden win, but he wouldn't come straight to this contest if connections didn't think he was good enough, and I think he will have the 2-mile speed that one or two of these at the top end of the market might lack.
Willie M did state he was supposed to have another run before this, but that didn't happen and he heads straight to this race on Sunday. I genuinely think he could hit the place frame and run well here at a very decent price.
- Selection - Jit Langy EW (50/1)
4.25pm Leopardstown - Grade 2 Coolmore N.H. Sires "Hurricane Lane" Irish EBF Mares I.N.H Mares Flat Race
I really enjoy these bumper races at the Dublin Racing Festival, as they are filled with some very nice types for the future, and one of my Cheltenham Festival ante-post selections for the Champion Bumper in March runs in this on Sunday.
Connections of Baby Kate might not have the Champion Bumper in mind, but given how she won at Cheltenham last time and the fact that she is in this Grade 2 contest on Sunday suggests that Festival glory could be on their minds, and I really hope it is, all depending on how she does on Sunday.
I think she is a really nice type going forward, and she might not be the flashy Willie Mullins type due to her pedigree and connections, but she doesn't know that, and what she has shown so far suggests she could easily be a cut above most in this race on Sunday, but still head to post at a decent price.
A one-length winner at Ballinrobe on racecourse debut (form has been franked with the 2nd winning and placing in a decent bumper since) she was actually placed wide in some instances in the race to get better ground, so ran further than the rest in the end.
She then went on to land a Listed contest at Cheltenham in very taking fashion, absolutely flying up the hill when not exactly getting the rub of the green coming around the final bend, and having to dig deep to get into a decent position before pulling clear when the gap opened. Once she was niggled along by Brian Hayes, she shot up the hill like a bullet out of a gun.
The form in behind that Listed bumper isn't too bad, with the 2nd-placed horse coming out next time and winning on hurdle debut, as well as the 3rd-placed horse running well since.
I think she is tailor-made for the Champion Bumper, and although she ultimately might not be good enough to win that, she has Listed level form and has shown previously that Cheltenham really suits the way she runs.
I can't wait to see her over an obstacle in the near future at some stage, but hopefully before then she can land a nice Graded pot in a Bumper race.
- Selection - Baby Kate EW (13/2)
Previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell