DRF 2026 Review

There was a bit of uncertainty, but thankfully the 2026 Dublin Racing Festival was able to go ahead fully, and, as usual with this meeting, we were treated to plenty of high quality action. It's often considered a stepping stone to Cheltenham, but has become a major festival in its own right. Thanks to a bit of a revival this season from the Gordon Elliott yard, it seemed more competitive than ever, with just 1 odds-on favourite winning. I'll review the best of the action over the 2 days, focusing on time comparisons.

Day 1 - Sunday - Chases

From a time comparison perspective, there is little doubt that the best performance of the entire meeting was that of Majborough in the Dublin Chase. Although he's been a high achiever over fences, his jumping has sometimes let him down, but it finally all clicked on Sunday. He produced a performance up to a level he has threatened for some time, setting a very quick gallop throughout, that he was able to maintain right up to the line. It was no match for his opposition and also the time compares very favourably with the other races on the card.

They went a much slower gallop in the early stages of the Grade 1 novice chase, where short-priced favourite Final Demand inexplicably flopped. I would suggest something was amiss with the horse on the day, as it was a weak finishing effort off a steady pace. As for the winner, Kaid D'authie, he quickened significantly from 4 out to the last, completing this section much quicker than the other 2 chase winners on the day. He got quite tired after the last and the overall time doesn't look massively better than handicap winner Backmersackme. The performance of Kaid D'authie can be upgraded somewhat, as the race was fairly inefficiently run, but he looks too short a price for the Browns at Cheltenham currently, in what is a wide open and fairly low quality division this year. Regarding Majborough's future prospects, I'm a bit surprised there isn't more of a gap in the market between him and Marine Nationale for the Champion Chase. It was a genuine 175+ performance and odds of 2.9+ on the exchange look generous for effectively a 2 horse race, for all he is capable of errors. I can see him going off around Evens.

Day 1 - Sunday - Hurdles

The Irish Champion Hurdle went to Brighterdaysahead, with the mare putting in a performance similar to that of her win over Christmas in 2024. The pace of the race was much too quick from the start to 2 out, and the finishing efforts very slow. They actually completed the short run-in from the last to the line 13 lengths quicker on the first circuit than the second. Given the inefficiency of the pace, it is hard to draw too many conclusions regarding the level achieved, but I'd estimate it was around 160. The fast pace was too much for Lossiemouth, and she was not able to perform at her best. She has proven over her career that she is most effective in slowly-run races, where she is able to use her devastating turn of foot. There has been a lot of debate over her Cheltenham target, but she is much more likely to have the race set-up in her favour in the mares hurdle, where the pace will likely be a lot slower. She has the ability to win a Champion Hurdle, but she would need a steady pace and for it to turn into a bit of a sprint, which is quite rare. I am slightly surprised Brighterdaysahead is not favourite for the Champion Hurdle, I appreciate her Cheltenham record is not the best, but there is no reason to think the course doesn't suit her, and she has achieved the highest level of form at 2 miles this season.

Talk The Talk made amends for his final flight blunder at Christmas, showing an impressive turn of foot to win. He came from off the pace, in a very steadily run race and did very well to make up the ground he did. The overall time does not look anything special, but I think he'll prove himself to be quite a bit better than the second and third over the rest of the season. It looks like he'll head to the Supreme next, but I would be more interested should he end up in the Turners. It currently looks to be the weaker race, and he'll be suited by the likelier steadier pace of that race.

Day 2 - Monday - Chases

Fact To File returned to his very best with a high class performance in the Irish Gold Cup. They went steadily enough early on and the pace increased throughout the final circuit. The overall form looks a lot stronger than the Savills over Christmas, with Fact To File running to around 170. It's hard to imagine he doesn't go for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after this.

The Irish Arkle came down to a match between Romeo Coolio and Kargese, with the former prevailing. They went a break-neck pace up to 2 out, significantly faster than would have been ideal and finished in slow motion. The winner was 18 lengths quicker from the last to the line on the first circuit, compared with the second. Despite this, the overall time looks strong and both horses look to have achieved a high level of form. The Arkle at Cheltenham is shaping up to be one of the strongest races of the festival and both of these have firmly put their hat in the ring. It's worth noting they would have both had very hard races, so you'd have to hope 5 weeks is long enough for them to recover. Although Lulamba has been brilliant so far, I'm not sure he deserves to be as short as he currently is for the race.

Day 2 - Monday - Hurdles

Impressive performances were recorded over hurdles on day 2 by Doctor Steinberg and Narciso Has. The latter confirmed his win at Christmas, and looks to have ran to a similar level again. He was able to dictate the race and quickened significantly between 2 out and the last, putting the race to bed. It was a very eye-catching run from second place Selma De Vary, who made up ground between 2 out and the last under minimal jockey encouragement, when the pace of the race was at its hottest. There's enough evidence to suggest the gap between the first two will be a lot less next time. The time of Doctor Steinberg's win looks no more than decent. He did enough to warrant favouritism for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, but makes no appeal to me. The horse that I am interested in with an eye to Cheltenham is bumper winner Broadway Ted. The time of that race compares well with Narciso Has and Broadway Ted was able to make up decent ground under tender handling in the home straight, before holding on to win. It wasn't flashy, but quotes of 20/1 look generous in an open division.