Road to Cheltenham 2026: The Dublin Racing Festival in review

The Dublin Racing Festival is over and it's time to review all the action with an eye on the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, which is now just FIVE weeks away.

Leopardstown's two-day spectacle kicked off on Sunday, due to Saturday's postponement, and I'm delighted to start my review with the 'shock' success of Kaid D'authie in the Grade 1 novice chase over 2m5f.

Willie Mullins' six-year-old, advised to Betfred Insights readers at 33/1 for the Brown Advisory, beat Gordon Elliott's 157-rated Western Fold by four-and-a-quarter lengths and odds-on stablemate Final Demand by a further eight, earning favouritism for the three-mile contest.

I thought it was a proper performance and I think he'll be even better over further in March. Hopefully he handles Cheltenham. I've got no reason to think he won't.

Every horse is allowed an off day so I can see interest building back up for Final Demand, who looked beat after a couple of fences, at 7/2. That being said, he could just be a bit overrated. Meanwhile, Western Fold at 7/1 has to be of interest, especially if the ground comes up good at the Festival. He ran a blinder under the circumstances.

Half-an-hour later, Talk The Talk left it as late as he possibly could to beat the brave Ballyfad and King Rasko Grey in the Grade 1 novice hurdle over the minimum trip. Joseph O'Brien's five-year-old is unfortunate not to be unbeaten heading into the Supreme, for which he's now 5/1 second favourite.

He's got strong claims for the curtain-raiser, but my overwhelming feeling is that Nicky Henderson, Nico de Boinville and Old Park Star will be losing no sleep. The second and third can't be ruled out either, though I'd prefer them in the Turners.

Another biggie for the antepost book - the real Majborough turned up in the Dublin Chase, beating Champion Chase hero Marine Nationale, who only needed a clear round according to his outspoken trainer, by a whopping 19 lengths.

With an aggressive ride from the front in first-time cheekpieces, the six-year-old looked unstoppable - and, against all odds, a brilliant jumper too. If in the same form in March, he'll be incredibly difficult to beat in the Champion Chase. We're sitting pretty on a 5/1 ticket.

I must quickly mention the Grade 3 handicap chase over 2m5½f, won by Emmet Mullins' Backersackme. He's being touted for the National Hunt Chase and would have to have a fine chance, too. It was pleasing to see a much-improved effort from Waterford Whispers, too. Kim Muir, perhaps?

The final Grade 1 on the Sunday was the Irish Champion Hurdle, which saw Brighterdaysahead reverse form with a laboured Lossiemouth from the December Hurdle over course and distance at Christmas.

A result that's in all likelihood booked the latter's ticket to the Mares' Hurdle (6/5), while the former deserves another crack at the Champion (9/4). Big question marks about her ability to handle Cheltenham, though.

I'd be happy to forget those in behind - namely Poniros, Anzadam and El Fabiolo - at least for this year's Festival. Poniros, winner of the Triumph Hurdle last season, stayed on well into third and I think the five-year-old has a bright future still. Did someone say 2027 Stayers' Hurdle? You heard it here first.

Onto Monday, starting with Doctor Steinberg's demolition job in the Nathaniel Lacy. That was a mighty performance, given how keen he was throughout the contest. I wouldn't completely rule out the Turners (4/1), but Mullins' post-race comments were strongly suggesting the Albert Bartlett. He's got an obvious chance in that.

As a backer of Theflyingking at 50/1 for the 'spud race', I was encouraged by the run of Kazansky in second. That's another compliment to the form of the selection, who looked like he was going to beat his stablemate rather comfortably before falling at the last in a 2m6½f maiden hurdle at Down Royal at the start of the season.

According to his owners, KDTA Racing, he'll reappear very soon and hopefully book his spot on the boat to Cheltenham. I look forward to it.

Did we see the Triumph winner in Dublin? I very much suspect we did, in either Narciso Has or Selma De Vary. The former, trained by Willie Mullins, won the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle by four-and-a-half lengths - a convincing form reversal with Mange Tout for Gordon Elliott. He undoubtedly sets the standard in that division.

I must admit I was really taken by the runner-up, who also hails from Closutton. The Rich Ricci-owned four-year-old was making her Irish debut and she was running a huge race before making a mess of the last. Connections said before the race she'd come on plenty for it, so she has to be given every chance in the big one in March. Every chance.

Despite the small field, the Irish Arkle was a thriller as Romeo Coolio held on from a rallying Kargese, who moments before looked set for a stylish success. Both horses, especially the winner, showed plenty of guts and will go to Cheltenham with a chance - though I'd be worried about them leaving their race behind.

Targets? I think both will end up in the Arkle (4/1 and 5/1 respectively), but don't be surprised if Romeo Coolio goes up in trip to the Brown Advisory (6/1) after Final Demand's flop.

Finally, the Irish Gold Cup. It promised, and it delivered - although not the Galopin Des Champs four-timer. Willie Mullins' dual Gold Cup hero was an admirable third, despite his trainer's concerns about a quick turnaround from Christmas, and connections are expecting improvement in March. The 10-year-old looks on the decline to me, though.

It was stablemate Fact To File, a two-time Festival winner himself, who landed the spoils - and in some style, too. Despite looking a non-stayer at the trip last year, he fairly bolted up under an inspired Mark Walsh and dare I say looked to have more under the bonnet at he line. A serious effort to say the least.

Connections will have to consider supplementing him for the blue riband now, which for me would push the third-placed Gaelic Warrior to the Ryanair. Annoyingly, I've been banging that drum for a while and was very, very close to putting him up for the race at 8/1 last week, hoping he would come up short at Leopardstown. Of course, I didn't, and I'm feeling very sorry for myself. He's much shorter this morning...

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