Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty’s William Hill blog: Ground gives Majborough chance to gain his revenge
William Hill ambassador Barry Geraghty previews Sunday’s Dublin Racing Festival action from Leopardstown as well as the Edinburgh National from Musselburgh.
Leopardstown, Sunday
An ability to handle heavy ground will be key at Leopardstown on Sunday, and COUSIN KATE fits that bill in the opening Listed mares’ handicap hurdle (12:40pm). She won on heavy ground at Limerick over Christmas and it gets very testing there, so she should handle these conditions well. Since then, she’s gone on to back up that win at Cork. While both those successes have come in mares’ company and aren’t perhaps outstanding bits of form, her ability to handle conditions is such an asset in a race like this, especially with a lot of her opposition unproven on this sort of ground.
FINAL DEMAND should be tough to beat in the two-mile five-furlong Grade 1 novice chase (1:10pm). He probably wasn’t as impressive at Limerick over Christmas as you would have expected, but some of Willie’s [Mullins] weren’t firing on all cylinders at the time. He was really impressive in Navan first time out this season, when the going was heavy, so he should have no issue with conditions. He’s taking on a couple of quality stablemates in Jimmy Du Seuil and Kaid d’Authie but I think Final Demand could be the real deal.
The two-mile Grade 1 novice hurdle (1:40pm) is a really good race and should prove very informative going forward. There are plenty with chances. Ballyfad won really well at Leopardstown over Christmas and the runner-up from that race has gone on to win since, while Talk The Talk had a Grade 1 at his mercy when he fell last time out. However, I thought KING RASKO GREY put in a good performance to beat Shuttle Diplomacy in Limerick and that rival has gone on to win well since. He looked to go through the mud really well then, which should stand him in good stead in similar conditions here. He’s the choice of Paul Townend and I thought he could be the one to side with.
Solness was a good winner of the two-mile Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas when beating Marine Nationale by half-a-length. Marine Nationale made a bad mistake early in that race so it was a big performance to have that happen and still only be narrowly beaten. Better ground is key to both horses though, so the heavy conditions may benefit MAJBOROUGH in the Grade 1 Dublin Chase (2:10pm). He didn’t settle when third behind Solness and Marine Nationale at Christmas and didn’t jump with the rhythm that you would like, but I think this ground could help him relax as well as turn it into the test of stamina that he needs. I’m surprised that he’s going to be fitted with first-time cheekpieces as he ran too keen the last day, but they may have a positive effect on his jumping. I think he has a chance of reversing Christmas form with the top two on this ground.
KINTURK KALANISI ran a big race when third to Favori De Champdou over three miles at Leopardstown in December and might be able to build on that in the two-mile five-furlong Grade 3 handicap chase (2:45pm). He was ridden quite aggressively and probably got to the front sooner than ideal there, so if his challenge can be slightly delayed, I think he should have a good chance. This slight drop back in trip should suit too. It’s a wide-open race and many can be given chances, but he looks the pick to me.
LOSSIEMOUTH was a good winner of the Grade 1 December Hurdle last time, and while runner-up Brighterdaysahead can be expected to come on for that run, I’m not so sure conditions at Leopardstown this time will suit her so well. Lossiemouth has proven stamina over further and copes with conditions, so a gruelling test at the trip might benefit her more. It’s interesting to see Harry Cobden booked to ride Anzadam, and if he can get him to relax, he could be something of an unknown quantity. Lossiemouth is just so consistent though and everything here looks stacked in her favour.
The Listed two-mile handicap hurdle (3:52pm) is a bit of a minefield. Charles Byrnes’ I Started A Joke was an easy winner last time and is of strong interest, but he is a very short price. A Dream To Share looks potentially well treated but there is a question mark over his jumping. The worry for the highly consistent Bowensonfire is that the ground will be too testing for him. That leads me towards MURCIA who was third in a Grade 3 on her reappearance at Fairyhouse in November and hasn’t been since. She had some good form in the book last season, winning a Grade 1 in Aintree and then finishing fourth behind Lulamba at Punchestown. Her form on soft ground in France suggests she should be fine on the surface. Willie [Mullins] has nine of the 20 strong field, and Paul [Townend] has chosen to ride her, so that suggests she is the pick among them.
Musselburgh, Sunday
I thought GROZNY might be the one in the Edinburgh National (3:05pm). Course form is always worth noting at Musselburgh and Grozny finished a close second in a novice handicap chase here two years ago. That came off a mark of 130, and he’s two pounds lower here. Last time out he won well at Kelso and going up five pounds for that looks manageable. Having finished fourth to Captain Cody in last year’s Scottish National, he brings strong staying handicap form to the table.
