Through the card tips on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival
This fantastic meeting kicks off at Leopardstown on Saturday 5th February
The Irish Gold Cup is the last of four Grade Ones on the card
Minella Crooner, Blue Lord and Facile Vega feature in our Leopardstown tips
Expired
Leopardstown races. (Getty)
The 2022 Dublin Racing Festival gets underway on Saturday, and attendees at Leopardstown have a fantastic afternoon of action to take in.
Four Grade Ones take place on Saturday's card, which is headlined by another cracking renewal of the Irish Gold Cup. Punters also have two excellent handicaps to sink their teeth into, plus a hugely important Grade Two bumper.
Without further ado, let's jump into our best betting tips through the card on day one at Leopardstown.
Table Of Contents
2022 Dublin Racing Festival Day One Card
2022 Dublin Racing Festival Day One Tips - Saturday 5th February
Race 1 - Nathaniel Lacy Novices' Hurdle Tips
Race 2 - Spring Juvenile Hurdle Tips
Race 3 - Irish Arkle Novice Chase Tips
Race 4 - Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle Tips
Race 5 - Irish Gold Cup Tips
Race 6 - Paddy Power Handicap Chase Tips
Race 7 - Goffs Future Stars Flat Race Tips
2022 Dublin Racing Festival Day One Card
Time
Title
1:05pm
Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors
"50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff" Nov Hurdle (Grade 1)
2m6f
1:35pm
Racing TV '12 euro Per Month This Weekend Only' Spring Juvenile Hurdle
(Grade 1) 2m
2:10pm
Irish Arkle Novice Chase (Grade 1) 2m1f
2:45pm
Paddy Power "I'd Love A Can But Pints Are Cheaper" Handicap
Hurdle (Grade B) 3m
2022 Dublin Racing Festival Day One Tips - Saturday 5th February
Race 1 - Nathaniel Lacy Novices' Hurdle Tips
Hollow Games finished four lengths ahead of Whatdewant in the Lawlor's Of Naas when they last met, and Gordon Elliott's star will be well suited by this step up in trip. Eric Bloodaxe brings Grade One-winning form to the table, having scored on heavy ground at Limerick over Christmas.
The one I prefer is MINELLA CROONER, who'll be ridden by Jack Kennedy. Gordon Elliott's six-year-old was pitched in with Journey With Me and Kilcruit on his hurdles debut here over Christmas. Although he got outpaced rounding the bend, Minella Crooner stayed on to finish a highly creditable second.
Kennedy's mount then travelled comfortably behind 123-rated Eye Van in a three-mile maiden at Punchestown, before kicking clear down the straight to score by an easy 11 lengths.
All of the runners in this field look more like three-mile stayers than two-and-a-half mile speedsters, so I doubt whether Kennedy will be worried about getting outpaced this time around. Minella Crooner has been a little overlooked in the early betting.
Race 2 - Spring Juvenile Hurdle Tips
Fil Dor has bolted up twice on soft ground this season and remains the one to beat on all known form. His least convincing win came on good ground at Fairyhouse and Gordon Elliott's grey looks like the type who might need a bit of dig in the ground.
After Pied Piper sauntered to victory at Cheltenham last weekend, it's no surprise to see that Vauban now tops this betting heat. Willie Mullins' recruit won a Listed bumper on his fourth start in France and was only beaten half-a-length by Pied Piper when they met at Punchestown.
While it's hard to side against the market principles, I fancy an each-way punt on one of the longer-priced Willie Mullins' runners.
VADALY won nicely on her sole start in France. Having been held up early, James Reveley's mount pulled her way to the front, before showing a good change of gear after the last to put the race to bed. As a filly, Vadaly will be getting weight from her male counterparts and her breeding suggests she could relish some extra spring in the ground. With three paid places available, 40/1 isn't a bad price.
Race 3 - Irish Arkle Novice Chase Tips
Riviere D'etel is greatly respected, in receipt of both age and sex allowances. However, Ferny Hollow dragged Gordon Elliott's mare out of her comfort zone by not allowing her to dictate the pace of the race here over Christmas, so I expect at least one of Willie Mullins' three runners will be sent forward to make sure Riviere D'etel doesn't have things her own way.
Of Willie's entrants, I've been most impressed with BLUE LORD this season. Three times a Grade One placer over hurdles, Mullins' seven-year-old has taken the step up to chasing in his stride, winning easily at Fairyhouse on his chase debut before motoring clear of Lifetime Ambition to secure another victory on Lawlor's Of Naas day.
Paul Townend has chosen to ride Blue Lord over Haut En Couleurs and Saint Sam, who'll both be getting two pounds from Blue Lord. I'll be expecting Mullins' charge to win on Saturday and cement his position at the head of the Arkle betting at the Cheltenham Festival.
Race 4 - Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle Tips
This is very much a "stick a pin in it" sort of handicap, where you could argue a case for practically all 24 runners. I'm going to take a small each-way punt on WHATSNOTTOKNOW who, on the form he's shown this season, shouldn't be 25/1.
Mouse Morris' seven-year-old hasn't won for a couple of years and didn't take well to fences last season. He has, however, placed in four of his last six starts and was still travelling comfortably here at Leopardstown over Christmas when Sean O'Callaghan was surprisingly flung from the saddle on the run between the final two flights.
Whatsnottoknow was beaten back down over two miles last time out, but he's clearly better suited to this sort of trip. Morris' charge boasts comparable form with the likes of Good Time Jonny and Aldo The Apache, who both sit a long way clear of him in the betting, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Whatsnottoknow run well beyond his odds.
If you plan on watching any of Saturday's races via a mobile device, then take a look at our Irish Gold Cup Live Stream page.
Race 6 - Paddy Power Handicap Chase Tips
I'm going to take a punt on A WAVE OF THE SEA, who won the Matheson Handicap Chase over course-and-distance on day two of this meeting last year.
Joseph O'Brien has been running his six-year-old over longer trips since then. A Wave Of The Sea even managed to place second behind Ontheropes in the Munster National back in October. Shane Fitzgerald's mount was a faller on his only start since then here at Leopardstown over Christmas, but could bounce back to top form in what looks a very winnable race.
Race 7 - Goffs Future Stars Flat Race Tips
It was hard not to be impressed with the performance FACILE VEGA produced at Leopardstown over Christmas. Quevega's second foal was backed into short-priced favouritism, cruised to the head of affairs at the halfway stage and sprinted clear to win by six lengths.
Good ground around a speed track like Leopardstown certainly suited Patrick Mullins' mount and runner-up Joyeux Machin boosted the form of Facile Vega's debut win with an impressive victory of his own next time out. I'll be expecting the favourite to ensure that a good day for Willie Mullins ends on an almighty high.
