'I think he'll upset Sir Gerhard' - big-race views on the Dublin Racing Festival

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In this Punting Club special, Maddy Playle is joined by PC newcomers Mark Boylan and Owen Goulding, and here they answer the best of your questions on the weekend's action at the Dublin Racing Festival.

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Why do British trainers not target this festival more? Is it purely fear? Surely, with prize-money on offer, it's something they should do more. Is it maybe they don't want Cheltenham hopes dashed before March has even started? Discuss! (David Lloyd)

Maddy I spoke to Dan Skelton about this a few weeks ago and it was fascinating. He emphasised just how difficult it was to get horses to peak two or three times a season and because the Irish generally have the better horses, you’re almost guaranteed to have a hard race, which is no good if you’re targeting the Cheltenham Festival. That said, British-trained runners like La Bague Au Roi and Simply Ned have done well at this meeting and I’d love to see more give it a go. Hopefully, Paul Nicholls can lead the way with Frodon and Greaneteen.

Owen The British turnout is hugely disappointing, although somewhat understandable. Ultimately, the Irish have a stronger arsenal and given how close we are to Cheltenham, it’d be hard to have a horse fully tuned up after a tough race. From a competitive standpoint, however, it’s poor to see, and it only serves to back up the theory that there’s too much focus on Cheltenham. Paul Nicholls should be commended for effectively carrying the British flag and fingers crossed his runners go well this weekend; they both have very strong chances.

Mark It's been a disappointing theme since the meeting's inception in 2018 because we desperately want more British challengers here. Trainers are generally creatures of habit in sticking to their tried-and-tested roads to Cheltenham, and when the Irish jumping scene is particularly strong at present, perhaps there is added hesitancy. Those travelling are being rewarded, though, with just shy of €2.1 million on offer over the next two days. That makes it all the more disappointing that La Bague Au Roi's Grade 1 win at the 2019 is the only British success at the meeting from just 14 visiting runners in the 60 races so far. Here's hoping Frodon and Greaneteen do Paul Nicholls proud on a super weekend of action.

Dublin Racing Festival tips: why this horse can win at Leopardstown this weekend

If Chacun Pour Soi were to win ultra-impressively over the weekend, would you have him as a live contender to upset Shishkin and Energumene in this year's Champion Chase? I personally don't think he gets up the hill and prefers a flat track, but would love to hear your opinions. (Bryan Rossiter)

Maddy I don’t think he'll win ultra-impressively and, even if he did, I can’t envisage myself fancying him for the Champion Chase. He didn’t have any excuses last year and he still couldn’t beat Put The Kettle On. I think he’s been flattered in winning quite a few times and he has more question marks surrounding him now than ever before. He doesn’t interest me as a betting proposition whatsoever.

Owen He certainly has the quality to be involved, but given the way he failed to see it out in a weaker renewal a year ago, I wouldn’t want to be backing him. Perhaps the one thing in his favour is the fact both Shishkin and Energumene had hard races at Ascot and if he runs to his rating on Sunday, he shouldn’t need to be fully extended to win. That being said, even if you were happy to forgive his Sandown run, and both those aforementioned horses ran slightly below their best, I still don’t think he’d win. His chance to win the Champion Chase was last year, and he couldn’t get the job done, so he wouldn’t appeal to me in the market.

Mark He's definitely still a big contender in the Champion Chase for me, Bryan, and the 12-1 about him looks terrific each-way value (there may well end up being fewer than eight runners). I understand your views on his two previous trips to Britain, but he clearly wasn't right physically at Sandown, so I'm happy to excuse that. There's every chance that Chacun's massive efforts when winning at Leopardstown twice last season took the edge off him when running below par in the Champion Chase, yet he was still beaten only a length and a half. I think there was an overreaction in the Cheltenham market to Shishkin's win over Energumene. I hope it isn't the case, but there's a chance that at least one of those rivals won't reproduce the same effort in March considering the epic battle they endured at Ascot.

If Asterion Forlonge can put in a clear round, has he a great chance in the Irish Gold Cup? (Andy Parker)

Maddy: That’s a big if you’ve got there, Andy. There’s no doubt Asterion Forlonge is one of the most talented horses in the race, and it’s hardly a vintage renewal, but 9-2 is hardly huge value for a horse with a record like his. If you want to take a risk, then Delta Work could be the one and he’s a much bigger price at 14-1. He needs to bounce back to form, but he’s a former winner of this race, beating Kemboy, and Jack Kennedy tends to get the best tune out of him.

Owen: I wouldn’t trust Asterion as far as I could throw him, Andy. There’s no doubt he has an abundance of talent, but his fall in the King George marked his sixth winless run in a Grade 1, and his third non-completion at the top level too. Going left-handed doesn’t help his case and I’d probably want 9-2 that he’ll complete, let alone win!

Asterion Forlonge: 'I have serious trust issues with Asterion,' says Owen GouldingCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Mark:Unfortunately, I have serious trust issues with Asterion, Andy. He's clearly got loads of ability but his record is frustrating and I don't think there's enough juice in his price to follow him in again going left-handed. Would I be shocked if he won? Absolutely not, but Kemboy is much more reliable around Leopardstown.

2022 Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown: the runners, the odds, the verdict

Who will finish second to Honeysuckle this Sunday? (John O'Neill)

Owen I’ll go left of field and give a nod to Echoes In Rain, who won the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last April. Granted, two runs this year have been well below that standard, and there were no real excuses at Leopardstown last time, but Willie Mullins reaches for the tongue-tie and if that can help rejuvenate this evidently talented mare, she could certainly give Zanahiyr more of a race.

Mark Gordon Elliott suggested earlier this week that Zanahiyr was getting stronger all the time and I think he'll give the supermare most to think about on Sunday. Jack Kennedy was superb on him when second to Sharjah over Christmas, and Willie Mullins has opted to keep the Matheson winner at home this weekend. That leaves the door open for Zanahiyr to confirm his superiority over Saint Roi and Echoes In Rain. I don't think he'll beat Honeysuckle, but he could give her a scare.

Maddy I agree with Mark. I think the market has it spot on and Zanahiyr will be second again. He’s a strong stayer at the trip, which opens up quite a few interesting tactical avenues, but he shouldn’t have enough class to trouble Honeysuckle.

I'm going to Leopardstown on Sunday. Give me a banker for the card, please. (Maurice O'Sullivan)

Maddy: It’s a tough punting card as the handicaps are devilishly competitive and you have quite a few short-priced favourites. I don’t like Chacun Pour Soi at all and Greaneteen is still a decent price against him, and I think Sir Gerhard could come undone in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. I’m really excited about Pink In The Park, so if it all goes pear-shaped I'm hoping she can get us out of jail in the last.

Owen: As Maddy said, the handicaps are quite the puzzle and there’s potential for a lot of favourites to be undone throughout the card. Pink In The Park is probably the strongest bet on Sunday, but The Shunter also looks a good each-way bet in the Bulmers Secret Orchard Leopardstown Handicap Chase. He goes well fresh and caught the eye over 2m6f last time. I think he could have more to offer as a stayer.

El Fabiolo: 'I think El Fabiolo will upset Sir Gerhard,' says Mark BoylanCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Mark I'll be very disappointed if Chacun Pour Soi is beaten in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase. At a bigger price, I think El Fabiolo will upset Sir Gerhard in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle.

If you could pick one past Leopardstown winner to put in a race this weekend, who would you pick and for which race and why? (Craig Doyle)

Maddy: I always thought Last Instalment was a far better horse than he was ever able to show. Watching him school Tidal Bay and First Lieutenant in the Irish Gold Cup in 2014 was pure poetry and I’d love to see how he’d fare against Frodon and co. Let’s also put Honeysuckle against a proper two-miler and see how good she really is. Mark has nominated Hurricane Fly, so I’ll go with a peak Annie Power, who would also get a 7lb allowance.

Owen: I’ll also go down the two-mile route, but I’d go a different direction and have 2016 Faugheen tackle Honeysuckle. He decimated Arctic Fire in that renewal, posting the biggest RPR of his career, and I think that peak version of “The Machine” could really give Honeysuckle a scare. Aside from that, Our Conor was a horse who never got to fulfil his potential and, despite how strong this year’s Spring Juvenile looks, I still think he’d have quickened away from Fil Dor and Vauban.

Mark: Great question, Craig. Considering the lack of depth to the two-mile hurdling scene, I'd love to see a prime Hurricane Fly have a crack at giving 7lb to Honeysuckle. We know how good he was around Leopardstown, winning ten Grade 1s on his ten starts at the track, while we arguably haven't seen Honeysuckle face an absolute top-drawer challenger in this division. Otherwise, Beef Or Salmon was an old favourite of mine and would surely have wiped the floor with this year's Irish Gold Cup field in his pomp.

Read these next:

Appreciate It misses Irish Champion Hurdle as Honeysuckle faces four rivals

We're running from Willie Mullins' - bookmakers share their weekend fears

2022 Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown: the runners, the odds, the verdict

Patrick Mullins: Facile Vega will need to be every bit as good as we hope he is

One trainer, one jockey, one horse and one race to watch on Saturday

Dublin Racing Festival tips: why this horse can win at Leopardstown this weekend

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