Richards and Hobbs praise warm Dublin Festival welcome for British runners

Nicky Richards believes more British trainers will start using the nascent Dublin Racing Festival as a key part of their build-up to Cheltenham.

Fellow-traveller Philip Hobbs said he expects to be making the return trip to Leopardstown too in future seasons, rather than choosing to sit out the new two-day extravaganza as did many of his rivals.

The pair were among a small number of trainers to send runners across the Irish Sea for the first edition of the meeting and, although their horses ran in contrasting ways, both praised the concept and the welcome they and their owners received.

Richards was returning to the scene of a Grade 1 triumph over Christmas with Simply Ned and, although his 11-year-old had the tables comprehensively turned on him by Min in the Coral Dublin Chase on Saturday, the Cumbria-based trainer was pleased with the run – and the experience.

"The one thing you’ve got to say about Leopardstown is it’s such a well-run track and they look after the owners so well," said Richards. "The likes of Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls have got their traditional stepping-stones towards Cheltenham with their horses.

"They know exactly what they’ve got and exactly which races they are going to target, going towards Cheltenham. This is the first year of Leopardstown but I'm quite sure that’ll change over the next couple of years. I’d be certain of that."

Min and David Mullins clear the last on the way to victoryCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Of Simply Ned, he added: "He sort of half got in it coming up the hill to the last but on the day he wasn't good enough. He still went and beat Special Tiara up the run-in and these are horses out of the top drawer.

"There isn’t really anything now for him in Britain but there is a race at Naas and another one at Navan," said Richards. "Then there's the Champion Chase at Punchestown and crikey, that’s a massive prize, isn’t it? I don’t know whether just to give him a little break and come back for that.

"The one thing is his form usually tails off a bit in the spring and David and Nicky [Robinson, owners] wouldn’t be too bothered if we pulled stumps with him this season."

Hobbs, meanwhile, left disappointed with the sixth-placed effort of Defi Du Seuil in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle – last season's top juvenile will undergo tests during the week before any plans are made – but was another to back the timing of the new meeting.

Trainer Philip Hobbs with Defi Du Seuil, who didn't run up to expectations in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We were made extremely welcome with our runner, as were the other British connections," he said. "There's fantastic prize-money and incentives and it comes at the right time with regard to Cheltenham.

"I suppose it’s been mentioned before that one or two British trainers might not want to be travelling before Cheltenham. But it gives us a lot more options in terms of running the horses before Cheltenham and I’m sure I’ll go there again."

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