Cheltenham Festival clues came thick and fast on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival (DRF) on Sunday, but one performance stood out head and shoulders above all others with Kopek Des Bordes slashed for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle following a devastating Grade 1 victory.
Following his 13-length win in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle, Kopek Des Bordes was cut all the way into 7-4 favourite (from 12) with Coral for the Supreme, but that price soon disappeared and 6-4 is now the best on offer.
The Willie Mullins-trained winner took over at the head of the market from stablemate Salvator Mundi after success in a race that has produced plenty of Supreme winners, with Appreciate It the last to do the double in 2021.
Ballyburn won at the DRF and Cheltenham last year and did his chances of repeating the feat no harm with victory in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase.
Following a resolute display in defeating Croke Park by five lengths, he was cut to 2-1 (from 11-4) for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase by Ladbrokes.
The huge head-to-head in the Irish Champion Hurdle never materialised with Lossiemouth’s fall at the third-last hurdle leaving State Man to come home unchallenged.
State Man’s odds for a repeat Champion Hurdle success were shortened to 7-1 (from 10), with Lossiemouth eased to 5-1 (from 11-4). With the race producing more questions than answers, Paddy Power decided to trim Constitution Hill to 4-7 (from 8-11).
The biggest surprise of the day came in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase when Solness proved his Grade 1 success at Christmas was no fluke with another front-running exhibition.
With Gaelic Warrior never involved and El Fabiolo an early faller, Solness dug deep to fend off Marine Nationale and was subsequently cut to a standout 12-1 (from 25) by Betfair Sportsbook for the Champion Chase, which Joseph O’Brien nominated as the target.
Bambino Fever maintained her unbeaten record in emphatic style for Mullins in the Grade 2 mares’ bumper and was halved in price at 7-1 (from 14) for the Champion Bumper.
Read more…
Big handicap double for Emmet Mullins initiated by Vischio landing family race
Racing Post
