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Dublin Racing Festival - Day 2

Firstly, I must admit putting both feet into it in the blog on today's racing. I thought Honeysuckle was vulnerable and she proved me wrong in emphatic style. It was one of those times that I was quite happy to be wrong watching Rachael Blackmore at the peak of her powers with her perfect partner in the mare. As impressive as it was, you could argue it wasn't the most impressive performance of the day. For me, I was blown away by Kilcruit in the Bumper. While it was only a Grade 2, I thought it looked a real good race beforehand and he passed them like they were trees on the straight before powering away unextended to win by the proverbial mile. Chacun Pour Soi did what he does, he just oozes class and it is hard to explain his ability in words. The closest thing I can say is just that he has the X-Factor, hard to define but easily recognisable. I adore him. Energumene gave us another brilliant display in the Arkle and Shishkin will at least have something to seriously think about in 5 weeks time. That should be one of the races of the Cheltenham festival with two potential superstars locking horns. Gaillard Du Mesnil threw his name right into the Ballymore mix and it is hard to split the top three in that market now. It seems like ages ago that he passed the line in front in the opening Grade 1 but a lot has happened in that short time. The Dublin Racing Festival has raised the bar for future years.

Moving on to tomorrow, while it possibly lacks the strength in depth of today, we have four cracking Grade 1s to look forward to. The highlight of Day 2 is the Irish Gold Cup and while it is a small field, they certainly are a select bunch. I am a huge Minella Indo fan and was very disappointed to see him hit the deck at Christmas. He is a good jumper in the main and I am sure he will learn from that. However, you'd be taking his wellbeing on trust after a fall like that and he is too short for me. There is plenty of competition and Melon surely deserves a Grade 1 more than anyone. His jumping is exceptional but it is hard to make use of it without putting his questionable stamina for this trip under pressure. Delta Work is also returning from a fall at Christmas while the ground may be testing enough for Kemboy. As you have probably inferred by now, I am on the fence and that is where I will stay for this one. 

Monkfish and Latest Exhibition have the latest installment of their personal duel and while I was tempted by Latest Exhibition over this shorter trip, the price wasn't quite enough to tempt me in. Monkfish is the likeliest winner and the stable could hardly be in better form so I will watch with interest. In the Grade 1 novice hurdle over 2 miles, I am very interested in one of Monkfish's stable companions. While Appreciate It, is the clear favourite and will be extremely hard to beat, I am drawn to Blue Lord, who should enjoy the drop in trip and the likely strong pace. If you get a chance to look at his last run behind Bob Olinger and compare it to Elixir Dainay in the corresponding race last year, the similarities are uncanny. While both were well beaten in the end by very good horses, they did little to help themselves by over-racing throughout the majority of the contest. Elixir D'ainay was running very well in the Supreme when brought down and I think Blue Lord is crying out for a strongly run two miles. Blue Lord did incredibly well to finish second at Naas and in a race that lacks strength in depth he certainly makes each-way appeal. 

In the preceding 4-year-old hurdle, I am quite keen on the chance of Saint Sam. I thought he ran better than his finishing position suggested at Christmas (would not have beaten Zaanahiyr but may have been closer than 6 lengths) and before that he was no match for Zaanahiyr at Fairyhouse (beaten 14 lengths). However, that was his first run for Willie Mullins and I am sure he will improve from that run. I feel he didn't get a chance to show that improvement last time as plenty went wrong for him throughout the race, particularly a bad mistake 2 out. He was highly thought of in France and the stable had a lot of confidence in his ability prior to the Fairyhouse run. Quilixios was impressive at Down Royal but I'm not sure he deserves to be such a short price based on what he has actually achieved while the selection's stablemate Youmdor arrives here off the back of a fall. I would be surprised if the winner didn't come from one of those and at the prices I am happy to have a small interest in Saint Sam.


0.5pt eway Blue Lord (12/1 Bet365, 9/1 General)  Leopardstown 2.10


0.5pt win Saint Sam (13/2 Boylesports, Bet365 6/1 General) Leopardstown 1.40


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