Dublin Racing Festival, DRF

an capall said:
I think we should all focus more in living in the moment, or as a friend once advised, 'be where your feet are.'

An uncomfortable amount of contributions (btw, forum is fantastic at present) are judging the weekend merely as a precursor for Cheltenham in March. Why don't we just embrace the weekend for the discreet feast of goodness that it was and enjoy it while its still warm in our memory.

Plenty of time in the next five weeks to feed forward.
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It's a feast of a festival in its own right but the bottom line is that the Irish themselves treat most of the races as trials for Cheltenham. How many beaten runners at Cheltenham end up labelled, 'left his race behind at Leopardstown'? Gye few, I'd suggest. Half the chat at Aintree is about whether a Cheltenham runner will back up its run even when there's fully four (or occasionally five) weeks between them.
 
SuperBee said:
Strange for a festival not to have a winner at double figure odds.
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A sign of the times.

There'll be a load of odds on shots at Cheltenham aswell.

I think the Ultima will be the most interesting race for me from a betting point of view on day one this year, more so than ever before.
 
I've run the KDB race and the McLaurey simultaneously to see how they shape up.

The handicap is almost invariably well run and the fact that the principals cam from midfield and further back lends weight to that idea.

The handicap was about five lengths ahead early, they were about level in the back straight before the handicap pulled clear again but on the run from two out KDB reversed those distances, seemingly without being asked for an effort and despite easing down was still 2.7s faster. That's about 14lbs.

I'd say McLaurey was a very bare minimum 132 horse and probably some way more since the first four were 10 lengths clear in what is Ireland's premier and most hotly contested handicap hurdle.

KDB has beaten it around 14lbs on the clock carrying 28lbs more. That's bordering on frightening.

Of course, it's dangerous to take these kinds of calculations at face value but it suggests none the less that KDB is a bit special.

I'm thankful that the Leopardstown executive carded these three races on the same day as it allows for more meaningful comparisons.
 
The sectionals are now up at the RTV site so I've taken screenshots and present them below. The original are too small to take a readable picture for my eyesight so I've zoomed in on the later sections of the race which give times for individual furlongs, the final four furlongs and the finishing percentages. Those percentages appear to confirm that the races were truly run.

Make of them what you will. Hopefully Simon Rowlands will be able to put some flesh on these bones tomorrow or shortly afterwards.

Screenshot (131).png

Screenshot (132).png
 
In fact, it was less of a Willie Mullins fest than usual - but it is a much better Festival I think when there is more competition from Elliot and de Bromhead.
 
G
Gaz's Way De Solzen said:
I have to say, Galopin Des Champs is up there with Denman for me now, in my own fondness of national hunt horses. Don't think I have liked a horse as much as I do GDC, since the days of The Tank!
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I'm with you. Can't understand why he's not already seen as an all time great. Just a master of a horse who just grinds down the opposition and has plenty of speed at the end to pull away from the field. His jump at the last at Xmas was just jaw dropping. Clearly both townend and mullins think he's the best they had so that will do for me. He's made very good horses look very ordinary. I get the comparison to Denmark totally. Gdc just edges it for me. Pointless comparing eras but both horses caused a rush of adrenaline watching them. I think we are seeing a great and feel blessed to watch him in action. What nh racing is all about.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I've run the KDB race and the McLaurey simultaneously to see how they shape up.
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Desert Orchid said:
I'd say McLaurey was a very bare minimum 132 horse and probably some way more since the first four were 10 lengths clear in what is Ireland's premier and most hotly contested handicap hurdle.
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Desert Orchid said:
Of course, it's dangerous to take these kinds of calculations at face value but it suggests none the less that KDB is a bit special.
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McLaurey up 13lbs to 133.

And KDB gets 157. Not many go into Cheltenham with that kind of rating.
 
Winners' new ratings ((-) = no previous OR):

Final Demand 152 (-)
Hello Neighbour 142 (-)
Perceval Legallois 146 (+11)
Majborough 162 (-)
GDC no change (177)
An Peann Dearg 132 (+10)
Vischio 129 (+10)
Ballyburn 160 (-)
KDB 157 (-)
Solness 161 (+3)
Backtonormal 142 (+12)
State Man no change
McLaurey 133 (+13)
 
Desert Orchid said:
Winners' new ratings ((-) = no previous OR):

Final Demand 152 (-)
Hello Neighbour 142 (-)
Perceval Legallois 146 (+11)
Majborough 162 (-)
GDC no change (177)
An Peann Dearg 132 (+10)
Vischio 129 (+10)
Ballyburn 160 (-)
KDB 157 (-)
Solness 161 (+3)
Backtonormal 142 (+12)
State Man no change
McLaurey 133 (+13)
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If they were with lesser trainers and also owners who might only gte one shot, this years QM novices, could be up to winning an Arkle
 
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