Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , assistant trainer to Willie Mullins, David Casey, has previewed their Day 2 runners ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival , whether Jake De Grugy could make a return to the hurdle scene, their Triumph Hurdle team but notes that Narcisco could return at the Punchestown Festival instead.
Casey has also offered his insight into the Gold Cup challenge, bullishly arguing they will have a strong line-up with or without Fact To File , says not to rule out any of the British hopes but notes that Galopin Des Champ s is in "really good order" ahead of historic Gold Cup goal.
Elsewhere, he spoke stronly about the credentials of Doctor Steinberg for the Albert Bartlett following his recent win at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Day 2 Runners
Day 2 Runners
Western Diego will probably run in the Grand Annual . He ran at the DRF and ran quite well with a penalty. Hopefully, he can run well and give his syndicate of owners a good, competitive run. In the Champion Bumper , we've got five or six in it. Irish Avatar was very impressive when he won at Naas on heavy ground. He won it a long way and put a lot of distance between himself and the other horses.
And the two four-year-olds, Our Trigger and Quiryn, are entered. Four-year-olds don't have a wonderful record in the race; I think there's only three that have won it. Cue Card was the last from memory. Both these horses were in training as two-year-olds, so they're different than your normal store-horses that are brought as three-year-olds and brought forward. So, I think they could run a big race too.
Hurdle Prospects
Hurdle Return For Jade De Grugy?
A lot will depend on what direction Lossiemouth will take and whether she goes to the Champion Hurdle or not. If she goes for the Mares’ , she's coming back obviously as reigning champion, and I think she'd take on the beating. Jade De Grugy is in there as well, but she's been chasing. But it wouldn't take much for her to switch back if Lossiemouth went the other way.
Kargese is in there, but she'll probably stay in the Arkle . In the Stayers’ , we’ve got Ballyburn, who was a little bit disappointing last time out. He ran brilliantly in Fairyhouse in the Hatton’s Grace . I think he can be much better than he did behind Teahupoo in the Christmas Hurdle , who looks like he’ll take all the beating. But we’re confident that we can get him better than he was at Christmas.
Triumph Hurdle
Obviously, Narciso Has was our big one for the Triumph Hurdle , but he's out, so Selma De Vary will probably go. She ran a brilliant race at the DRF when second behind Narciso Has in what was her first run for us after coming from France .
So, she has to be in the mix. Then we've got plenty of maidens and maiden winners with the likes of Charme De Faust and a few of those horses that have run in France but haven't run in Ireland . Apolon De Charnie and Proactif will probably go there now, and Macho Man . The fact that Narciso Has is not running opens up the Triumph hugely, but I think these are good horses and ones for the future.
Narcisco
It's just a small thing. There's a chance he could be back from Punchestown , hopefully. He obviously looked as though he’d be great at Cheltenham after his two performances at Leopardstown , but unfortunately, these things happen in horse racing, and it probably won't be the last before the Festival starts.
Gold Cup
Strong Gold Cup Challenge With Or Without Fact To File
I suppose a lot will be down to JP [ McManus , owner] and the connections who have got other runners in the race as well, don't they? They have Spillane's Tower, Inothewayurthinkin, and maybe I Am Maximus as well.
JP , his team and Willie will decide where they want to go but he's [ Fact To File ] obviously the reigning champion from the Ryanair last year and if he runs in the Ryanair , I think he'll take all the beating and if he runs in the Gold Cup then he's got to prove that he's going to stay three and a quarter miles. It opens up for us; he doesn't run. We've got the likes of Gaelic Warrior and Galopin Des Champs. Whatever happens with Fact To File , the yard is strong in the race anyway.
Don't Rule Out British Challengers
They’ve all got course form. Jango Baie won the Arkle last year, when it looked like he was going to get lost coming down the hill, which showed his stamina back up it. He's improved hugely for going up in trip.
There wasn’t much between him and The Jukebox Man in a thrilling King George. You wouldn’t imagine there’s going to be a whole pile between them, and it's whatever horse turns up well on the day and in the best of form. You would definitely not rule any of them out. It’ll make the race tactically strong, and we’ll see what way people play their cards.
Haiti Couleurs
Possibly, but I think he deserves to take his chance. He's won well, and I think he won there on the course last time out, so you have to give him his chance of winning. He's an Irish National winner as well, so staying won't be an issue, and it'll make it a true test.
Galopin Des Champs Is In “Good Order”
He's in really good order. I thought he ran brilliantly at Christmas but was a fraction disappointing in Dublin the last day, maybe he just had had a hard enough race at Christmas, and he wasn't fully ready. But he's been catching the eye in the last couple of days; now he's in really good order. I'm going to stick with the tried and trusted Galopin Des Champs. It would be some achievement to come back and win a third.
Albert Bartlett
Doctor Steinberg
Doctor Steinberg put up a good performance at the DRF . People said he ran a bit keen, but over three miles, he won’t have to be ridden so forceful. It was the nature of the race. He'll be fine, and he'll get the trip; he's a horse that's improved.
We didn't expect him to reach the levels he has on winter ground. We always thought he might be better on better ground. I think he's just continued to improve, and hopefully, he'll show a little bit more improvement and put up a good show.
He beat Thedeviluno , who franked that form at Doncaster in January. Doctor Steinberg came out a week later and won at Leopardstown , so the form is rock solid.
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