Festival Fever: The Key Weekend Runners with Cheltenham Festival in mind

Sunday - Ones to watch

APPRECIATE IT – 2.10 Leopardstown

Appreciate It is already favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham but we could be talking in terms of old-fashioned 'Irish banker' should he come through this weekend's test unscathed.

The son of Jeremy won the Goffs Future Stars Bumper on this card last February, before finding stable companion Ferny Hollow too good in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper the following month.

He's been pretty faultless over hurdles so far this season and such was his dominance in December's Grade One Future Champions Novice Hurdle, it's very hard to see anything preventing him following up over the same track and trip on Sunday.

Ballyadam – fourth behind Appreciate It over the festive period – could well bounce back to put up more of a fight, while fellow Mullins inmate Blue Lord also merits respect dropping back to this trip after his second behind Bob Olinger in the Lawlor's Of Naas.

But it's all about Appreciate It on paper, and sometimes in horse racing that's all you can do. (Matt Brocklebank)

MINELLA INDO – 3.40 Leopardstown

All eyes on Minella Indo in Sunday's Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup after his fall when sent off favourite for the Savills Chase here over Christmas.

His jumping – both over hurdles and earlier this season in chases – had been perfectly sound so a blip can always be excused.

The smaller field size is likely to help him in that department this weekend and he may well end up in a prominent position if attacking the first few fences as well as we know he can.

With all due respect to Melon, Kemboy and last year's winner Delta Work (not forgetting The Storyteller who has plenty to find on form), Henry De Bromhead's charge really needs to be winning this if he has genuine pretensions of lowering Al Boum Photo's colours at Prestbury Park next month.

Whether he's joined in the Gold Cup line-up by Savills Chase-winning stablemate A Plus Tard is another matter but Minella Indo remains a hugely exciting stayer and one with plenty of Festival experience under his belt already, having won the 2019 Albert Bartlett and been second to Champ in last year's Festival Novices' Chase (formerly RSA). (Matt Brocklebank)

Saturday - Ones to watch

DAME DE COMPAGNIE – 1.50 Sandown (Unplaced)

Dame De Compagnie has been given a host of Festival options, both over hurdles and fences, but perhaps her most likely target is the new Mares' Chase, the entries for which will be revealed next month.

Dame De Compagnie – a progressive hurdler last season who notably landed a gamble in the Coral Cup – made a pleasing introduction over fences at Ayr last month, brushing aside sole rival Cornerstone Lad (a Grade One-winning hurdler) with ease.

This is a strong renewal of the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices' Chase, featuring exciting types who have achieved more over fences such as Shan Blue and Messire Des Obeaux, and it will present Dame De Compagnie with an altogether stiffer task.

However, the strength of her form over hurdles and progressive profile entitles her to take her chance. She wouldn't necessarily have to win this to advance her Mares' Chase claims. (Tony McFadden)

SANTINI – 2.20 Sandown (Unplaced)

Santini was well beaten in the King George VI Chase at Kempton last time, but a steadily-run three miles on a sharp track wasn't in the favour of a horse who has shown stamina to be his forte.

It's easy enough to put a line through that performance and he ought to be seen in a much better light in the rescheduled Cotswold Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

Santini beat Bristol de Mai in last year's event when it was staged at its traditional home at Cheltenham, and while the switch in venue isn't ideal – Cheltenham's New Course suits galloping types – the extremely testing conditions at Sandown should put enough of an emphasis on stamina.

Santini has already shown that he is capable of top-class form under the right conditions, so we are unlikely to learn anything new, but this looks like a good opportunity for him to return to form before having another crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup (he was a close-up second in last year's race). (Tony McFadden)

GAILLARD DU MESNIL – 1.05 Leopardstown (Won)

Appreciate It took a stranglehold on the market for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle with a wide-margin win in a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas, but the betting for the Ballymore is a more wide-open affair, with Bravemansgame and Bob Olinger disputing favouritism.

It's likely we will have a new Ballymore favourite, though, if Appreciate It's stablemate Gaillard Du Mesnil lands this Grade One, which features some of Ireland's most promising young hurdlers.

Gaillard Du Mesnil was beaten by the reopposing Holymacapony at Punchestown on his first start for Willie Mullins, but he left that form well behind, looking a novice of serious potential, when bolting up at Leopardstown last time.

He cruised clear in effortless fashion, beating a couple of subsequent winners by wide margins, and that effort identifies him as the one to beat in the opening contest of the Dublin Racing Festival. (Tony McFadden)

CHACUN POUR SOI – 1.35 Leopardstown (Won)

The lightly-raced Chacun Pour Soi has a score to settle having been ruled out of last season's Queen Mother Champion Chase due to a late setback.

He's never featured at a Cheltenham Festival at all and, as such, is yet to fully capture the hearts of most casual onlookers this side of the Irish Sea.

That could all change next month but first up another shot at the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, the race in which he really came of age last term when getting the better of Min in a high-class battle of the two Willie Mullins stable companions.

After a 19-length comeback win at Cork he arguably matched last February's performance when slamming Notebook by six and a half lengths here over Christmas and there's every indication he could yet have a touch more improvement in him as a nine-year-old.

Standing his racing has seemingly been an issue in the past but he comes through this weekend with flying colours then it's all systems go for Cheltenham, where he'll be a very short price to complete his trainer's career grand slam of the Festival's four championship races with a first success in the Champion Chase. (Matt Brocklebank)

ENERGUMENE – 2.10 Leopardstown (Won)

Energumene – roughly translated as a shady or argumentative character – looks interestingly named in the context of this year's two-mile novice chase picture.

Shishkin has been the shining light in Britain and has last season's Sky Bet Supreme on his Festival resume already, but Willie Mullins' rising star could yet have a major say in the Sporting Life Arkle argument, having clocked some extraordinary figures in his short career to date.

The seven-year-old wasted no time over hurdles, bagging a Gowran novices' maiden last March on his sole start at that discipline, and has taken to fences in tremendous style this campaign.

He was devastating when making all over two and a half miles at Gowran in November and followed up in much deeper waters when slamming Captain Guinness over two at Naas last month.

He looks a considerable talent and will be very hard to hold back while the ground remains testing. If it's much drier at Cheltenham next month then he'll have that question to answer, but for the time being he's ticking along very nicely and could be ready to square up to Shishkin on the first day of the Festival. (Matt Brocklebank)

HONEYSUCKLE – 3.15 Leopardstown (Won)

Honeysuckle is the kind of mare any owner would dream of, quietly getting on with her business and now heading for her second Irish Champion Hurdle as an unbeaten winner of nine races.

She stays two and a half miles well and the big question constantly being levelled at her is whether or not she truly has the pace for a two-mile championship race.

She toughed it out well to beat Darver Star half a length in this race last season but it's hard to argue 2/1 shot Sharjah – ultimately well back in sixth – was anywhere near his best that day. He looked close, if not right on it, when winning over this course and distance to claim a third Matheson Hurdle over Christmas and he's the obvious threat to Honeysuckle's perfect record.

If she beats an on-song Sharjah then connections will have little choice but to go for a crack at the Unibet Champion Hurdle, a race they sidestepped last term in preference for the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle, which she won narrowly from Benie Des Dieux. (Matt Brocklebank)