THE opening Grade 1 races on what turned out to be the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival were won by a pair of geldings by Doctor Dino (Muhtathir). That 24-year-old stallion is about to embark on his seventeenth season at Haras du Mesnil.

Remarkably, this leading sire has never once in his career had his fee lowered, something that can be said about few stallions. Doctor Dino began at just €3,000, and this year will stand for a second time at a fee of €24,000.