With Cheltenham Festival 2026 fast approaching, Dublin Racing Festival took place this past weekend - and Coral reviews all of the action.
Day One
12.40 - Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle
After a 24 hour delay owing to the weather, the DRF finally got underway on Sunday and Cousin Kate, a runner bred by former footballer Kevin Doyle, picked up the win in the opener to make it three wins on the spin. There are no plans for Cheltenham just yet for Cousin Kate, but that could well change if connections decide the opportunity of a winner at Prestbury Park is too good to turn down.
1.10 - Novice Chase
The first big shock of the DRF came early on day one when hot favourite Final Demand was turned over by stablemate Kaid d’Authie in the first Grade 1 of the Festival. Final Demand is still a 7/2 favourite for the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham with Coral but the winner, Kaid d’Authie, has rocked into second favouritism at 4/1 from 20/1.
A lot of talk before the race was for the supplemented Talk The Talk for trainer Joseph O’Brien and he duly obliged to land the Grade 1 contest, rallying late to see off King Rasko Grey and Ballyfad. The five-year-old has two entries at Cheltenham, in the Supreme and the Turners, but the Supreme and the opening race at Cheltenham looks likely with O’Brien’s runner only longer in the betting than current favourite Old Park Star.
2.10 - Dublin Chase
Majborough showcased why he is one of the best jumpers around in the Dublin Chase, seeing off Marine Nationale and Found A Fifty to land the spoils for the Mullins team, and is now the top-rated chaser in Ireland according to Timeform after winning by a huge 19 lengths. Mullins’ runner was cut from 7/2 to 6/4 with Coral for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham as a result of his absolute rout at Leopardstown.
Coral ambassador Sean Bowen picked up a win at DRF on board Backmeorsackme, a length scorer from Win Some Lose Some. His Cheltenham plans are still up in the air, but a potential tilt at either the Festival Plate or the National Hunt Chase could be on the radar, with the latter a very likely option.
3.20 - Timeless Sash Windows Irish Champion Hurdle
It was always going to be a straight shootout between Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead in this one, and the latter prevailed for trainer Gordon Elliott as Willie Mullins’ star mare suffered a very rare defeat. Brighterdaysahead is now a joint favourite for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham at 5/2 with Coral alongside The New Lion, while Lossiemouth has drifted out to 11/4.
3.52 - Padel At Leopardstown Golf Launching Spring 2026 Handicap Hurdle
Bowensonfire landed the spoils in this Listed contest to bring up a second win on the day for trainer Gordon Elliott and beat the heavily-supported Started A Joke. Elliott confirmed after the race that Bowensonfire will now head to the County Hurdle at Cheltenham.
4.27 - Irish EBF Mares Flat Race
Day one came to a close with Moonverrin landing the bumper for the Martin Hassett team in very controversial circumstances. Royal Hillsborough’s jockey, Stephen Connor, misjudged the 50-yard marker for the winning post and eased his runner down, only to then get caught on the line by the fast-finishing Moonverrin and saw Connor get slapped with a 14-day ban and cost connections £35,000, the prize money difference between first and second.
Doctor Steinberg moved into clear favouritism for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham after a crushing win in the opening race on day two at DRF for the Willie Mullins team, with Coral cutting the runner from 7/2 to 3/1 after a facile win at Leopardstown, coasting clear to win by eight lengths.
1.50 - Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle
Jockey Mark Walsh picked up a third Grade 1 win of the weekend when landing this contest with Narciso Has, who strengthened his Cheltenham claims in the Triumph Hurdle as Coral cut him to 7/4 from 9/4 and is now a clear favourite for the two-mile contest.
2.25 - Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle
Saint Le Fort landed odds of 10/1 to score in this Listed contest for the Philip Fenton yard, who admitted after the race that the owners would like to head to Cheltenham but the horse is not a great traveller, so whether that trip is made remains to be seen.
2.55 - Goffs Irish Arkle
This race was probably a lot closer than it was initially thought but, eventually, Romeo Coolio got the job done for the Elliott yard, winning by a neck from the Mullins-trained Kargese. Elliott has his star chaser entered in the Arkle and Brown Advisory at Cheltenham, with a decision to be made on where to head. He is 8/1 for the former and 6/1 for the latter, while there is also the option of the Ryanair, where he is a 6/1 chance.
3.30 - Irish Gold Cup
The big race of the weekend and a big pointer towards the Cheltenham Gold Cup, this was won by the mightily impressive Fact To File for the Mullins team, who saw off stablemates Gaelic Warrior and the legendary Galopin Des Champs to bag another Grade 1 win for jockey Walsh. Last year’s Ryanair winner was cut to a very hot favourite to defend his title in March, but connections have to be thinking about the Cheltenham Gold Cup as well where he would need to be supplemented.
Last year’s winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Inothewayurthinkin, was very disappointing at Leopardstown and pushed out to as big as 16/1 to retain his crown, with Galopin Des Champs now out to 10/1.
4.05 - Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase
Jacob’s Ladder got the job done here for the Elliott team, winning by five lengths from outsider Golden Joy in a very impressive handicap debut.
4.40 - Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Flat Race
Elliott saddled four of the seven runners in the DRF finale so it was no surprise to see the Cullentra handler end the Festival with victory and it was Broadway Ted who prevailed, scoring by a short head from With Nolimits in second.
