I AM not alone in finding the bypassing of obstacles at the finish of races exceedingly annoying. Especially at a track like Leopardstown with such a long run from the second last. It interferes with the drama of the end of a race for spectators.

It should only be done when absolutely necessary on safety grounds. We know it can be required suddenly if there is an injured horse or rider during a race or if a fence becomes damaged.

Bypassing obstacles due to the sun is generally for two different scenarios. One when low-lying winter sun shining into the faces of the runners makes visibility very difficult. The second is more on judgement, when the sun gives a shadow at the take-off side of the fence making it difficult for a horse to judge the correct take-off point.

The three Grade 1s on Sunday from 1.40 to 2.45 had the last hurdle and fence omitted. On both circuits in the novice won by Ballyburn and then decided at what looked like three-quarters of the way into the two-mile chase and the Champion Hurdle. The reason was recorded was: “due to the sun as it steadily got worse during the race.”

In fact, the weekend sun was coming more from an side angle in the straight, not directly in front and it was intermittently cloudy and it had gone in again by the time the runners got to what should have been the last in the big hurdle on Sunday. The bypassing was jumping the gun.

And the sun did not appear to be any worse looking back at TV replays than it was on Saturday when nothing was bypassed. Certainly the four novice chasers in Saturday’s Grade 1 at 2.25pm coped with sun and shadows taking the last fence. And photos from Sunday show Ballyburn and Farren Glory jumping the hurdle away from the stands, shadow and all.

What happens if it is the mid-race obstacles with just the fence attendants beside them that encounter sun mid-race?

And what would have happened if the handicap chase at 3.20 had been run at 2.10 and a case of four runners fighting it out, suddenly bearing down on the last fence and a loose horse on their inner?

It might have been even more dangerous to try and put the field around the fence, it would have compromised some runners towards the rail and, thirdly, with no sun factor, two horses fell anyway, as at the second last in the ‘sun now gone’ handicap hurdle at 3.50.

Last fences and hurdles, especially with such a long run from the second last at Leopardstown add to the drama of the race for spectators.

Yes, safety precautions should always be considered but one hopes that this does not set a precedent that if the sun comes in and out mid-race, it is not going to become normal for late intervention to be made to remove obstacles.

Dan Heap@Ohdannyboy77

So frustrated by the last fence/hurdle omission today, that I left with 3 races to go. Races build to an exciting culmination, to see them swing off the bend, and that skill be removed takes away massively from the races. A few questions to answer for Leopardstown this weekend

Extract from Brian Keenan’s blog

They jumped the last hurdle first time around in the Champion Hurdle but not the second time around which is puzzling. Health and safety is paramount but this seems to be happening more and more and it is totally unsatisfactory. It makes a hash of the race as a spectacle.

It’s no harm these particular renewals were non-events as it would have been a crying shame to have no last obstacle if they were proper competitive races. Let’s hope a safe and practical solution can be found to this problem by the authorities for future meetings.

ON many fronts, the 2024 Dublin Racing Festival was a great success but, amid all the winners, there has to be some dissatisfaction.

Willie Mullins won the eight Grade 1s, one with his fourth string and also provided the favourite in three other races in Risk Belle, James Du Berlais and Aurora Vega. Al least his winners were shared between seven different owners.

It does pose questions going forward. Will the public and racing continue to be engaged with such dominance?

Away from enjoying top quality horses, the two results that gave the most satisfaction at the weekend were those of Madara and Lord Eskirne.

They provided the two things that the meeting needed: British participation and hope for the smaller trainer that they could still get a look-in.

This is not the biggest NH meeting of the year, in two days there is little need for the mares’ bumper so, with perhaps an additional race on the Saturday, two more handicaps could be added for trainers and owners much further down the pecking order or use some such criteria to give more of the smaller stakeholders a joyous big day among the stars and add to the whole meeting.

Acknowledge the craft

On the Mullins factor, you do again have to acknowledge his ability to keep all those big owners happy.

Last season he trained 19 individual Grade 1 winners for 14 different owners.

Perhaps surprisingly the only ‘big owner’ not to get a Grade 1 delivered by Closutton was Cheveley Park Stud, without Allaho and Sir Gerhard and Grangeclare West disappointing last season. It’s quite an achievement to deliver in some way for all.

His post-race comments after Galopin Des Champs’ victory seemed to echo this.

“He has had a tremendous season now so no matter what happens down the road, we’re very happy. The next stage is the next stage but if it doesn’t happen for whatever reason we have this in the trophy cabinet.”

So when an owner asks, ‘What have you done for me Willie?’, there can be a quick reply: ‘Didn’t you win a Grade 1?’ Amid all that competition, no one can say they did not have a big day.

Looking forward, might this hint that Facile Vega needs to get one on the board and just maybe Cheltenham is his day? And Tony Bloom needs to be back on that list too. Beware Ile Atlantique.

ONE other incident to note from Leopardstown was a saddling mix-up by the Elliott stable.

Farren Glory and King Of Kingsfield had to be resaddled after entering the parade ring with Elliott stating in a stewards’ inquiry that a staff member had put the saddles on the wrong horses.

The stewards noted Gordon Elliott’s explanation and took no further action.

But, allowing for stable staff to be very busy on a big day, (though Elliott had no runners in the previous race), this is the second time at a big meeting the two horses were incorrectly saddled by the stable following an incident at Punchestown. Farren Glory and King Of Kingsfield are similar but do have different facial markings.

This follows the Killarney incident in the summer when John Feane’s Indigo Five ran and won as stablemate Ano Manna.

Presumably, the Sunday error would have been picked up by officials post-race with King Of Kingsfield finishing third but it should not be left to the trainer to pick it up after they are in the ring.

Especially as Farren Glory was reported to have broken a blood vessel. Punters need to be certain that all runners are as they should be.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“ I’m so used to throwing a bag of feed up on my shoulder and throwing in the wheelbarrow, it’s a little bit different when you are throwing Kylie.” Davy Russell on his Dancing with the Stars partner. Let’s hope she doesn’t come off the bridle!

“It’s like going from primary school to brain surgery!!

Stuart Crawford after Brucio’s win at Leopardstown following a win at Catterick last time.