THE Dublin Racing Festival was the setting for eight Grade 1 contests, so to say the meeting is a stepping-stone to Cheltenham massively undervalues its position and status in the National Hunt season.

With no fewer than 10 Cheltenham winners lining up at Leopardstown last year, a focus on the outstanding performances of the weekend is a likely route to finding festival winners.

Willie Mullins dominated, accounting for six of the eight Grade 1 races.

Smart effort

The main event on Saturday however, went to Gordon Elliott’s Conflated (166), who produced a smart finishing effort to win the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, having been well positioned throughout by Davy Russell.

In a race which promised to be run at a strong gallop with Frodon and Kemboy (154) in the field, the race time portrayed the gallop to be even throughout which is supported by the final circuit comparison with the two-mile-one-furlong chases on the same card.

In his customary style, Frodon was quickest to stride and assumed possession of an uncontested lead at the head of affairs until the third last fence.

A comparison with Saint Sam (Irish Arkle) and Mt Leinster (handicap chase) through the early stages of the final circuit, shows Paul Nicholls’s gelding to be travelling slightly slower than the handicap field as he covered the ground between the fence past the stands and the first fence in the back straight 1.4secs slower.

In the meantime, Saint Sam had gone through the same point 1.3sec before the handicappers, setting a pace which none of the main protagonists in the Arkle Chase could maintain.

Saint Sam (153) stretched on by a further 2.1secs on the run to the last obstacle in the back straight and there was just 0.2secs between Mt Leinster and Frodon with the Gold Cup closely matched.

Burst of speed

On crossing the final ditch, Davy Russell sent his mount for home and Conflated’s initial burst of speed carried the combination to a five-length lead as they posted a closing sectional of 87.3sces from the fourth last fence.

Blue Lord (157) stopped the clock for the sectional at 88.4secs with the credibility of both races rising when evaluating the efforts of handicap chase winner A Wave Of The Sea (135) who clocked 89.3secs for the same distance of ground.

Lord fastest

Blue Lord proved the fastest in the reduced race despite the slow finish and would have been 3.6secs too fast for Conflated with Joseph O’Brien’s handicap winner a further 0.3secs behind.

The addition of an extra 43 yards to the usual two-mile-one-furlong chase distance raises serious questions in terms of allocating a final rating as I am inclined to believe the Arkle Chase is the faster race, a theory the final circuit data endorses.

In fact, I envisage the winner of Cheltenham’s equivalent coming from the first three home on Saturday without being truly convinced Blue Lord will hold the edge over his rivals on another day.

If Conflated heads to the Gold Cup he will do so as his stable’s second string with Galvin almost certain to be the choice of Davy Russell.

Minella Indo (160) showed signs of a resurgence as he builds up to defending his crown, Henry de Bromhead’s gelding stopped the clock at 88.6secs for the closing sectional.

In contrast to the Arkle, I don’t believe the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was present in Saturday’s field.

In respect of the handicap chase, R’Evelyn Pleasure (129) caught the eye with his finishing effort as he closed off in 89.5secs from the fourth last fence.

The 10-year-old can drop into a lower grade than Saturday’s contest where he should be capable of returning to winning ways with a repeat of this performance.

Vauban best over hurdles
on Saturday

WILLIE Mullins opened his Grade 1 account in the very first race of the meeting when his Minella Cocooner (144) won the battle of the Minellas, beating Minella Crooner (142) in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Novice Hurdle.

One win soon became two in the following Spring Juvenile as Vauban (145) posted the best performance over hurdles of the afternoon and in the process grabbed a share of favouritism for the Triumph Hurdle with his old adversary Pied Piper.

There was little to choose between the two races when adjusted for distance and the merits of both are enhanced when compared with Good Time Jonny’s handicap hurdle victory.

A comparison of how the final circuit developed for each winner indicates they are well equipped for their assignment at Cheltenham and the other spring festivals.

On joining the races from the last hurdle with a circuit to run, the juveniles held the early advantage as they sought a good position. They left the ground at the second flight on the circuit 0.3secs ahead of Minella Cocooner with The Jam Man, who led the handicap passing through the same section, 4.4secs further adrift.

Danny Mullins enjoyed the perfect passage down the back straight on Minella Cocooner as the partnership met all three hurdles on a perfect stride and, as a result, completed the section 1.6secs faster than Fil Dor who had edged ahead in the other Grade 1 contest. The pace in the handicap hurdle had lifted with The Jam Man still making the running, Ronan McNally’s nine-year-old was the fastest of the three leaders to the third last hurdle as he covered the ground 1.2sces ahead of the opening race winner.

As Davy Russell allowed Fil Dor to stride into the lead, Paul Townend tracked him through to deliver a winning challenge aboard Vauban with the Rich Ricci-owned youngster delivering the fastest closing sectional of the day over hurdles.

The son of Galiway stopped the clock at 85.6secs, 3.2secs faster than Minella Cocooner’s 88.8secs and 5secs quicker than Good Time Jonny (130+) who arrived late on the scene in the handicap.

Fil Dor (142) was gallant in defeat and was clear of the third at the line as he posted 86.5secs for the closing sectional, and Il Etait Temps (133) made a fantastic hurdling debut, stopping the clock at 86.3secs after coming from the furthest back. Icare Allen (129) loomed large on the home turn after being on the back foot courtesy of a few errant jumps, his closing sectional of 87.4secs was hindered by a further mistake at the last hurdle.

Staying trips to suit Minella Crooner

LIKE Icare Allen, Minella Crooner has frailties in the jumping department although it is quite clear Gordon Elliott’s gelding possesses the engine to be competitive at the highest grade over a staying trip.

The six-year-old was slightly faster than his conqueror as he clocked 88.5secs for the concluding sectional despite a shuddering error at the second last.

Looking to Cheltenham and rivalries being renewed, I would suggest it will be difficult for Fil Dor to reverse the form with Vauban although I could see Minella Crooner doing so with Minella Cocooner as the layout of the hurdles track on the New Course places less emphasis on jumping from the top of the hill.

Formidable Vega

The formidable Facile Vega (135+) completed a four-timer for the Closutton team and confirmed the impression he created on debut with another smooth success.

The five-year-old was not quite as fast on this occasion with his closing sectional of 90.0secs, when adjusted for three hurdles, not a true reflection of his ability as he was only asked to stretch when entering the home straight.