This week’s racing starts today (Thursday) at Gowran Park at 12.23 pm, featuring the Galmoy Hurdle and Thyestes Chase, and continues on the all-weather at Dundalk tomorrow at 4.15 pm.
Saturday racing is at Fairyhouse, starting at 12.10 pm, and on Sunday in Co Kildare at Naas, with first race at 12.40 pm. Monday sees action again in Kildare at Punchestown. If going racing, check starting times as they may change.
There are four races from Gowran Park on RTÉ 2 today (Thursday), featuring the Galmoy Hurdle and Thyestes Chase. On Saturday afternoon on cross-channel terrestrial TV, ITV 4 are covering five races from Cheltenham and three from Doncaster Races. On Saturday night, Virgin Media 3 are covering Pegasus Cup racing from Gulfstream in America.
On Wednesday, Willie Mullins had a five-timer with the Fairyhouse meeting postponed from the previous Saturday, starting with Proactif ridden by Mark Walsh, Bambino Fever (Paul Townend), Western Diego (Brian Hayes), Port Joulain giving Townend a double, and The Wager with son Patrick in the saddle completed the feat. On Thursday he had a single winner with the very impressive Mighty Park, ridden by Mark Walsh, winning by 38l from stablemate Roc Dino. On Saturday, Mullins had a double with Joystick and Brian Hayes and in the bumper, The Irish Avatar was impressive under son Patrick and could be a Cheltenham bumper possible for Mullins.
Only four went to post in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday, where Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon, ridden by James Bowen, beat Thistle Ask. The favourite, Willie Mullins’ Il Etait Temps fell and Gidleigh Park pulled up.
The winner will now be aimed at the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, possibly taking in the Ascot Chase next month on the way. Harry Cobden was to have his first ride for JP McManus but was stood down after a fall in an earlier race.
Henderson produced another likely Cheltenham star when Old Park Star won the Haydock’s Supreme Trial Novice Hurdle with Nino de Boinville in the saddle.
The Mullins family experienced a 5-timer in Thurles on Sunday when Willie enjoyed a treble with Townend winning aboard Expresso Milan, Jade De Grugy in the EBF Mares Novice Chase, and Appreciate It in the Horse and Jockey Hotel Chase, both Grade 2 races.
Earlier, Mags Mullins won the opener with Hilberry Hill, son Danny aboard, and Emmet Mullins trained Rising Dust to win the Handicap Chase.
Racing news
Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle looks to be the choice of Old Park Star and El Cairos are not entered in the other top novice hurdles during the meeting. They are set to meet 62 others including one of my fancies for the festival, Mullins’ Mighty Park, an easy winner at Fairyhouse last week.
Last year’s Supreme winner Kopek Des Bordes and the Nicky Henderson-trained Lulamba head 23 entered in the Arkle Novices’ Chase, with the latter currently the 6-4 favourite.
Gordon Elliott has entered Romeo Coolio in both the Arkle and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, which takes place over three miles a day later with 43 entries, a healthy increase compared to the 32 entered a year ago. There is a hot favourite for this race in Final Demand, the even-money favourite and among 16 WP Mullins entries.
Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever is the general 2-1 favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
