Keith Donoghue’s William Hill blog: Dublin Racing Festival Preview

William Hill ambassador Keith Donoghue talks through his rides across the two days of top-class racing at the Dublin Racing Festival.

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It is great to be involved in the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, as many of the best horses turn up here. It is packed full of great racing, and it’s good to be going there with a strong chance in one of the Grade One races on offer across the two days.

Saturday, Leopardstown

First up for me is I Am Lorenzo. He is yet to win any of his three starts over hurdles, but we think he has a good each-way chance in the Grade One novice hurdle (1:15pm). I think the step up to two miles six will suit him. He ran a good race at the track at Christmas, and he only just got touched off that day. It is a very strong race, but we are hopeful he can finish in the top three. If he were to go well, we could possibly look at the Albert Bartlett afterwards, but he is a big horse that we are looking forward to going over fences with. The owner and Gavin (Cromwell) felt there was nothing to lose by going for this, as he can always go for a maiden afterwards.

I am really looking forward to getting back on Hello Neighbour in the Grade One juvenile hurdle (1:50pm), as he would be my best chance across the whole weekend. He has got the mare Lady Vega Allen that he just beat the last day up against him again, but Paul Townend has picked Sainte Lucie, who won at Punchestown. There is no doubt he will have to step up again and do things right this time, but if he does, he is the one to beat. I would say since his last run, he has matured a bit and has started to settle better at home, so hopefully that will carry through to the track here. We are putting a hood on him for the first time, but I think it was clear to everyone that he was a bit keen the last day. He has been riding out at home to get used to it, and it seems to have helped.

Inothewayurthinkin is taking on the best of them again in the Irish Gold Cup (2:55pm), but I thought he put in a good run over course and distance at Christmas. This is a much more suitable trip for him than on his first start in the John Durkan but taking on these top-class horses in open company is a different level. I thought he had every chance turning in last time out, but Galopin Des Champs and a couple of them picked up a bit better than him. It looks like he might just lack the gears of those at the top level, but Gavin thinks he has a right to run in the race, and hopefully he can improve again on that last run. He is rated up there with a good few of them in the race, and I think a good result would be finishing a strong third.

I end Saturday riding My Mate Mozzie, who has been a very good horse for the yard. He goes in the two-mile handicap chase (4:05pm) and has probably been a bit unlucky in a lot of races when you look back at his form. He is coming back from a break, and this is his first run over fences since last season’s Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival. He does go well fresh, and hopefully he will get his ground. He does have a lot of weight on his back, but he should still run a big race. He ran a good race in the Galway Hurdle on his last jumps start, but this will be a stepping stone into a spring and summer campaign.

Sunday, Leopardstown

On Sunday, I only have two rides, starting with Eastern Legend for Jim Bolger in the two-mile Grade One novice hurdle (1:40pm). He ran a good third at Christmas behind Romeo Coolio on his step up to Grade One level. This is another strong race, and we would be hoping he can run on into a place again. I think he would probably need to take a step forward to achieve that, as there looks to be a bit more depth in this race.

I’m back on board Visionarian in what looks like another good renewal of the valuable Grade Three handicap chase (2:45pm). He has come down in the weights a little, but he is 10 now, and this is one of the most competitive handicap chases. He is in good form, and we know he is a good jumper. Leopardstown suits him, and it would be nice to see him run his race.

Looking beyond the DRF

Looking beyond this weekend, we still hope that Yeah Man can be a horse for the Grand National, despite getting beaten recently in the Thyestes Chase. Finishing fourth on paper looks like he has run well, but we were a little bit disappointed with him. We were beaten by 24 lengths, and we thought he would be closer. He just got a bit outpaced down the back straight and couldn’t hold his position, but he then stayed on well up the straight. Maybe he is just better over those extreme distances coming up, including the Grand National Trial at Haydock Park, which he won last year. He probably still needs to go up a couple of pounds to get into the Grand National, but if he does, I will say that is where he will be going.