40-1 shock Dublin Racing Festival winner going for rare bumper repeat bid

Lily Du Berlais will make an unusual bid to win the same Grade 2 bumper in consecutive seasons when she lines up at Leopardstown this Sunday. 

The Stuart Crawford-trained mare caused a shock in the Coolmore N.H. Sires "Santiago" Irish EBF Mares Flat Race last year when she got up by a nose at 40-1 in a blanket finish, with no more than a length separating the first five home.

The daughter of Shirocco, who is around a 5-1 chance for a repeat triumph in the €100,000 contest, was last seen in November, when she finished second to Jetara at Navan in a Listed contest. Despite being a seven-year-old, Lily Du Berlais has been kept to bumpers and is yet to run over hurdles.

Crawford said: "She'll be giving weight away to some smart fillies so it's a big ask to go and win it again, but I think she has improved for her run at Navan. It wasn't a complete fluke last year at Leopardstown so she's definitely entitled to go and take her chance there.

"We have always thought a lot of her and hopefully her best days are still ahead."

Lily Du Berlais is owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, who have built up a strong relationship with the Crawford stable over the years, and she could be another smart performer for them over obstacles.

Crawford said: "It wasn't really our intention to be going for this race at the start of the campaign, but it isn't often you get to run your horses in such a valuable race, so we decided to go for this before sending her over hurdles.

"She has been crying out to go jumping and we're really looking forward to going down that route with her."

Lily Du Berlais (green): just prevailed in a thrilling finish to last year's raceCredit: CAROLINE NORRIS

Down Royal winner Now Where Or When could be set for a tilt at the Bulmers Handicap Chase, but the trainer is keen to send him across the water before long for a go over the Aintree Grand National fences.

Crawford said: "He's an intended runner at Leopardstown provided he gets in. He was really good the last day at Down Royal over two miles and he's a horse I always thought wanted a trip.

"We were planning to go to the Becher with him but he had a small setback a couple of days before. Getting him over to Aintree is definitely an aim. Daryl Jacob rode him at Fairyhouse last spring and said we would want to be trying him over the National fences."

O'Toole could be making the trip to Britain in the more immediate future as he is entered in the William Hill Towton Novices' Chase at Wetherby on Saturday as well as the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase, having won a handicap at Newcastle off 130 on his chasing debut in early January.

Crawford said: "Leopardstown is definitely an option for him as the track would suit him. We'll have to make a decision as he could go for the Grade 2 at Wetherby instead. At this stage it's hard to make plans because Willie [Mullins] and Gordon [Elliott] have so many entries, but he is a possibility."

Read these next:

Paul Nolan pins DRF hopes on exciting hurdler as he assembles smart spring team 

'25-1 is too big' - ante-post value for the Cheltenham Festival novice hurdles  

Members' Club special offer: 50% off three months 

New Upping The Ante star Johnny Dineen joins the Racing Post roster for a weekly Saturday column throughout the jumps season. He'll offer a guide to the weekend action, highlight the key horses and races to watch and share his punting wisdom. Read it every Saturday in the Racing Post or online from 4pm every Friday, exclusively for Members' Club subscribers. Sign up to Members' Club here for more top jumps season insight.