*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Can rare British raider make an impact?
There are only three British-trained horses entered at the Dublin Racing Festival, but there’s an interesting one in the opening two-and-three-quarter-mile Grade 1 novice hurdle on Saturday in the shape of Weveallbeencaught.
Weveallbeencaught, a winner on his only start in a point, made a successful bumper debut for Nigel Twiston-Davies last season, doing well to win a steadily-run contest given that he has plenty of stamina in his pedigree and is a big, powerful sort.
Weveallbeencaught is clearly held in high regard by connections as he started out over hurdles in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham’s November meeting, shaping with encouragement in third behind Hermes Allen, and he then built on that effort to get off the mark in a maiden hurdle back at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
He had to dig deep to get the better of Rock My Way, but the pair pulled 23 lengths clear of the third and the form was given a big boost at Cheltenham last weekend when the runner-up went on to land the Grade 2 Ballymore Trial.
Weveallbeencaught looks sure to benefit from the step up to two and three-quarter miles and he is prominent on Timeform’s ratings for this Grade 1, so it will be fascinating to see how he fares in an early test of the strength of the British and Irish form.
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Will Mighty Potter cement his standing at the head of the novice chase division?
Mighty Potter showed plenty of ability in novice hurdles last season, winning a couple of times in Grade 1 company, but he has quickly developed into an even better chaser, putting up the best performance in the division so far when winning the Grade 1 Drinmore at Fairyhouse in December.
After making a successful start over fences at Down Royal in November, Mighty Potter then raised his game to brush aside some talented rivals in a high-quality edition of the Drinmore, beating the much more experienced Gaillard du Mesnil by four and a half lengths with Banbridge, an impressive winner of a Grade 2 novice chase at Cheltenham on his previous start, 14 lengths back in third.
There was a lot to like about the way Mighty Potter powered through that race – even stumbles on landing after the fourth last and third last couldn’t check his momentum – and he won in the style of a potential top-notcher.
He will be presented with a stern examination in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Sunday, where he could clash again with Gaillard du Mesnil, who has won a weak Grade 1 since their Fairyhouse clash, plus potentially exciting types like James du Berlais and El Fabiolo, but Mighty Potter sets the standard they all need to reach.
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Honeysuckle faces toughest task against up-and-comers
Honeysuckle is bidding for a fourth success in the Irish Champion Hurdle, though she faces her stiffest test yet in the race, arriving on the back of a defeat and facing a couple of up-and-comers from Willie Mullins’ yard in State Man and Vauban.
Honeysuckle, who receives 7 lb from her rivals, heads Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings for the Irish Champion Hurdle, though there has to be some doubt about whether she’s the force of old who completely dominated the division.
Honeysuckle won all four starts last season, including a second Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, though she didn’t need to repeat the level of form she had shown during the previous campaign.
Victory at the Punchestown Festival in April took her unbeaten sequence under Rules to a stunning 16, but she was unable to extend it on her return in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, where she finished third behind Teahupoo and Klassical Dream.
Honeysuckle, who turned nine recently, now faces a couple of stern threats from the six-year-old State Man and his year-younger stablemate Vauban.
State Man made a mockery of a handicap mark of 141 in the County Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival, looking a graded horse in a handicap. He has since proved that in no uncertain terms, winning his three subsequent starts, all in Grade 1 company, including the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.
He had four and a quarter lengths to spare over last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner Vauban – who shaped nicely on his comeback at Leopardstown – and produced a top-class effort on Timeform’s scale.
State Man left the impression that there is even more to come when the situation demands it – he has shown run-by-run improvement on Timeform’s figures – and the feeling is that Honeysuckle will have to be much better than she was at Fairyhouse, and back to something like her best, to contain him.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
PP NEWS IS YOUR HOME OF RACING TIPS
- Here’s our ultimate Cheat Sheet for Saturday at the Dublin Racing Festival
- Matt Chapman’s back with his Saturday ITV Racing Tips
- Paul Jacobs serves up his Saturday TV Tips
- Mick Fitzgerald takes us through Saturday’s Dublin Racing Festival card
- Ruby Walsh’s Leopardstown Saturday best bets
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