With just under three weeks to go until the start of the Cheltenham Festival and less than a week away from seeing the entries for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (race closes on Tuesday 28th February). However, plenty has happened since my last update and the obvious place to start is with the two Grade 2 contests which took place at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival.
On day one, A Dream To Share beat seven Mullins-trained horses (four for Willie, two for Emmet and one for Thomas) in the geldings’ race, on what was his first start for 235 days. An impressive winner at Tipperary last May, he then scrambled home at short odds the following month at Roscommon and likely appreciated the relatively sound surface, given his Flat pedigree. The lack of a true gallop might well have suited John Kiely’s five-year-old, although to come from off the pace isn’t always easy when held-up, so it was a meritorious success over Fact To File. There was a lot to like about how the winner quickened up off the home bend and if conditions are similar at Cheltenham, he looks to be a leading player.
Interestingly, less than a week later, Fact To File’s owner JP McManus bought A Dream To Share in a private sale, so he will carry the green and gold hoops when next seen. Patrick Mullins stated in an interview after racing that he would like another crack at the winner, granted a more truly-run race at Cheltenham, but I wouldn’t be sure that Fact To File – a winner over 2m4f over the Christmas period – would be capable of turning the form around, unless the ground came up soft (seems unlikely at present). The first five winners of that Grade 2 – Blackbow, Envoi Allen, Appreciate It, Kilcruit and Facile Vega – all went on to run in the Champion Bumper, with respective finishing positions of 51221.
In 2018 – the year that the DRF was introduced – the Champion Bumper went the way of Relegate, who had won the mares’ bumper at the same fixture and Willie Mullins landed that Grade 2 for a third time, with the impressive Fun Fun Fun. An odds-on winner at Sligo on her racecourse debut, the daughter of Martaline was bred by Patrick Mullins and he retained the partnership as the five-year-old made the best possible start in the silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. Ridden similarly to A Dream To Share 24 hours earlier, she swept around the outer on the home turn and soon eased clear, to beat the 2022 winner Lily du Berlais by 9½ lengths. From the family of Yorkhill, she clearly possesses a considerable amount of talent and although the same connections are responsible for the current Champion Bumper favourite, It’s For Me, it would not be a surprise to see Fun Fun Fun form part of the Mullins team, which looks like it could (once again) be quite strong, numerically.
Aintree’s Grade 2 Nickel Coin Bumper could be an ideal spring target, but given the four week gap between Cheltenham and Aintree, and the fact that she was having her first start since October at Leopardstown, there is every chance that she could run in both races. She looks to be an exciting prospect.
Ballyburn is another from the Mullins yard to throw his name into the hat to make his Cheltenham squad, having made a successful Rules debut at Punchestown on Sunday, where he had Irish Panther (had earlier finished 2 lengths second to Fact To File) back in third. Never far from the pace, the winning Pointer would almost certainly have appreciated a stronger gallop and took a keen grip under Patrick Mullins. With that in mind, he probably did well to reel in the front-running runner-up, especially on the sharp inside track. He should come on plenty for that initial experience, but will need to if he is to play a hand in the Champion Bumper.
The previous day, Gordon Elliott introduced a nicely-bred filly to win at Gowran Park, with Brighterdaysahead successful on her racecourse debut. A four-year-old by Kapgarde, she actually featured in the Breeding Angles section of Jumpers To Follow this season (unnamed at the time), due to her being out of the dam, Matnie. A half-sister to high-class novice chaser Mighty Potter, she hails from a precocious family, with French Dynamite, Caldwell Potter and Indiana Jones – who won on Sunday, incidentally – also successful on the track at the age of four. The Gigginstown-owned youngster travelled with ease throughout under Harry Swan and although the form can be questioned slightly (with her two main market rivals seemingly disappointing), the third home had finished much closer to Fancy Girl (4th behind Fun Fun Fun at Leopardstown subsequently) on debut. Given her age and owners, I would be hugely surprised if she were handed an entry at Cheltenham, but there was a lot to like about this performance and she could be one for the other spring festivals, with options at both Fairyhouse and Punchestown – against her sex – as well as Aintree.
Domestically, the hitherto unbeaten Queens Gamble seemingly had her bubble burst at Market Rasen on 7th February, but on reflection, it might not have been such a bad performance and given the current climate – and the prospect of her getting her beloved good ground at Cheltenham – there is still a chance that she could run a big race for trainer Oliver Sherwood. Previously unbeaten in two starts at Cheltenham, she was ridden a lot more prominently on this occasion and might appreciate being ridden with more patience, with the promise of a strongly-run race another positive. Having been sent for home early in the home straight, she was eventually worn down by Dysart Enos, with the pair nicely clear of Take No Chances, who had earlier got to within a length of Inthewaterside (won impressively again since). Queens Gamble was attempting to concede 4lbs to the winner and definitely remains a mare of some potential, especially if the rain stays away and she gets a strong pace to aim at.
Again, she could go on to Aintree after the Champion Bumper and is was suggested that the winner Dysart Enos would skip Cheltenham, with the Nickel Coin in mind. Fergal O’Brien’s daughter of Malinas had earlier won in similar fashion at Ludlow, coming home strongly inside the final furlong. She was picked up for £95,000 at the Grand National meeting sale last year, on the back of a 2-length second behind the aforementioned Fancy Girl, in a four-year-old maiden Point at Ballyragget. She more than deserves her chance in stronger company now and perhaps, the Listed race at Sandown on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival will also be considered.
Finally, Newbury staged a Listed contest on Saturday 11th February, but arguably the more interesting winner on the day was the Alan King-trained Favour And Fortune, who quickened up in style to win under a penalty at Warwick. A winner on debut at Southwell in November, the son of Soldier Of Fortune – who is a half-brother to Dreal Deal – again travelled with purpose and put the race to bed with authority, early in the home straight. He currently isn’t even quoted in the betting for the Champion Bumper and it might not be on the radar of his connections, but they did run Pangbourne in the 2006 renewal, where he finished ninth behind Hairy Molly, before winning the Grade 2 at Aintree, where he beat Tidal Bay a neck, with Wichita Lineman back in in eighth.