Maxxum has been a great money-spinner for connections in handicaps and recorded his first Grade 2 win when taking the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Boyne Hurdle over an extended 2m5f at Navan.
Tareze added to an easy Clonmel maiden win last autumn when taking the Listed Ryan’s Cleaning Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle over 2m4f at Navan.
Honesty Policy confirmed the promise of his debut second under Rules to Joystick at Naas last month when going one better in the Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle.
James Owen is starting to finalise his plans for the Cheltenham Festival, with a string of live chances over hurdles for the Gredley family.
Dan Skelton insists Plan A with Grey Dawning is still to head to Kelso and Aintree rather than take on Galopin Des Champs at Cheltenham – but nothing is set in stone.
Galopin Des Champs lit up the Dublin Racing Festival with another brilliant display at his favourite track on Saturday when bringing up a hat-trick of wins in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, his seventh straight victory at Leopardstown.
The scenes in the aftermath of this latest triumph are normally reserved for the hallowed turf at Cheltenham, but such is the growing status of this rare talent that impromptu renditions of Olé,Olé,Olé resounded around the course.
My Racing StorySponsored By Tote
I'm from Kentstown in Co Meath and basically, I got into horses through my grandad, Sean Monaghan, who bred horses, and my aunt, Irene Finnegan Monaghan, who used to train horses. I was brought up in the middle of it all and grew up with horses around me. Joe Byrne, who has sadly passed away, would have been a huge influence on me getting involved in horses. He got me into riding horses. I sat up on my first racehorse when I was six years old and I had my first pony when I was seven. When I got my pony, I joined pony club and I did a bit of showjumping and eventing.
What did we learn from the DRF?
Vincent Finegan, Emma Nagle, and Johnny Ward discuss all the fallout from the Dublin Racing Festival, including Galopin Des Champs' sensational third Irish Gold Cup win.
- Only By Night has impressed with her jumping on both chase victories to date and a reproduction of her latest victory in a Grade 2 at Cork is sure to make her tough to beat. However, a 5lb penalty for Gavin Cromwell's mare could swing things in the favour of fellow progressive rival FUN FUN FUN. The daughter of Martaline made a winning chase bow over 2m4f at Naas last month and an extended 2m1f here shouldn't hamper her follow-up bid. Georgi Girl is the pick of the remainder.