The Dublin Racing Festival gets underway on Saturday, and we have all the tips you need for the weekend's racing at Leopardstown.
We had former Ireland footballer and horse breeder Kevin Doyle sit down with jockeys Nina Carberry and Paul Townend to discuss their tips for three of Saturday's biggest races at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Townend will be in action in multiple races across the weekend at Leopardstown, and he's certainly in the hunt in several of those.
Dublin Racing Festival tips: Kevin Doyle, Nina Carberry, Paul Townend
Juvenile Hurdle (Saturday, 13:35)
Nina Carberry: I think Gordon [Elliot] holds the cards in this race. Fil Dor looks unbeatable all season. He was very very good at Christmas. You can tell me about Vauban...
Paul Townend: Yeah, he's a lovely horse, he ran into a fair one in his maiden at Punchestown. That performance backed up at Cheltenham last week. I didn't get the clearest of runs down the straight that day and it was still in the balance. What's your pick for it Kev?
Kevin Doyle: I actually haven't seen Vauban, any of his races. I have seen Fil Dor a couple of times, so...having not seen Vauban, I'm going to stick with Fil Dor.
Irish Arkle Novice Chase (Saturday, 14:10)
Kevin Doyle: I always look at the sires and the mares and who they're buying and everything. Blue Lord is the favourite, being ridden by our man here [Townend] and he's very hot at the moment. Very popular...from a breeder's side of it I'm looking at the sire.
Paul Townend: I'd imagine unless something changes in the morning I'll be on Blue Lord.
Irish Gold Cup Chase (Saturday, 15:15)
Kevin Doyle: Saturday, start with the big race of the day - I suppose you're riding Kemboy?
Paul Townend: Yeah, track form and everything. Best form around there by far, he ran a cracker there at Christmas. Frodon will make it interesting - I think at this stage of his career, getting taken on a little bit might actually help him instead of inconveniencing him.
Nina Carberry: It's a race that Kemboy has won twice and you can't get away from him, but Minella Indo is still a Gold Cup winner, he's on a fact-finding mission why he ran a bad race in Kempton. I definitely wouldn't rule him out.
Frodon I feel will run a big race but he might be just caught out towards the end in Leopardstown, it's quite a stiff finish.
I think Paul is right, he's going with the form horse in the race, he's won it twice, he loves it around there, good ground. Minella Indo is gonna need to be at his Gold Cup standard to be with him at the end.
SEE ALSO: 4 Reasons Why The Dublin Racing Festival Is Going To Be Sensational This Year
