The week ended on a high note with my selection Harry's Bar winning. The 11/8 joint favourite was a 3 length second at the halfway stage but he pushed along and made a challenge leading just over a furlong out. He was soon clear and easily beat the other joint favourite Speak In Colours by 3 1/4 lengths.
It's the biggest weekend of the year so far with day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown with 8 Grade one's spread over the two days. The first is the opener at 1.05 on Saturday when 13 line-up for the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors '€50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff' Novice Hurdle. The standout horse here is Gaillard Du Mesnil who showed serious potential when winning here in late December but he does have much better competition in this one from the likes of Stattler, Cape Gentleman and Holymacapony in a cracking race that is anybody's. At 1.35 6 run in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase. Chacun Pour Soi is looking to win this race for the second year running and cement his place as the best 2 mile chaser and probably will although his stablemate Min along with Notebook and Tornado Flyer will have something to say about that in one of the festival highlights. 2.10 sees 9 start the Patrick Ward & Co Solicitors Irish Arkle Novice Chase. Energumene beat two of his rivals for this race Captain Guinness and Blackbow at Naas last month and should do again here with two other Willie Mullins trained runners Unexpected and Franco De Port challenging. The big race of the day is at 3.15 when 6 go to post for the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle. Honeysuckle won this race last year and has since gone on to extend her winning run to 9 from 9 starts with a victory at Fairyhouse in late November and she should make it a perfect 10 here. Sharjah is the main threat after winning a third successive Matheson Hurdle here in December,Saint Roi and Abacadabras who both run in this were beaten on that day and if Sharjah is anywhere near his best then we are in for a close race,
On afternoons like this it's very difficult to pick winners with so many highly competitive contests so just sit back and watch what will be a brilliant card.
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