BoyleSports caught up with legendary jockey Charlie Swan – 17-time Cheltenham Festival winner and the man who guided Istabraq to three consecutive Champion Hurdle victories – to get his expert insights on the upcoming Dublin Racing Festival.
Swan shares his thoughts on the key Leopardstown runners to watch this weekend, reveals the secret to the success of the Dublin Racing Festival, and why British racing is struggling to keep pace with its Irish counterparts.
Keep An Eye Out For These Runners At Leopardstown This Weekend
There are some good horses taking each other on. It’ll be interesting to see Willie’s horse Sainte Lucie and Hello Neighbour from Gavin Cromwell’s yard take each other on in the Juvenile Hurdle. And Lady Vega Allen .
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A lot of people would have backed some of these horses ante post and they’re taking each other on early.
I have always liked Hello Neighbour. He has only had one run over hurdles, but I think he’ll improve an awful lot for it. He only had two runs on the Flat and he won them both so he could be a horse to take on Willie.
Majborough got beaten in the race last year and he went on to win the Triumph Hurdle. So, you don’t necessarily have to win the race. But it will be nice to see who runs well and stays on at the finish as the Triumph does take a bit of getting.
Positive Sign To See English Raiders Make Trip Across For The Dublin Racing Festival
There are a good few entries so hopefully they can come. Warren Greatrex has a couple and there’ll be a few others. It is great to see.
There are some very good Grade 1’s on the first day. The two mile 6 furlong Novice Hurdle. Gordon Elliott has five or six in the race! So does Willie, including Supersundae and Sounds Victorius as well as Final Demand . So, if any of them turn up, it’ll be a fascinating race.
The Impact That The Dublin Racing Festival Has On Cheltenham
This is What Makes the Dublin Racing Festival So Special
It fits in very well with the timing of Cheltenham. People don’t like running their horses a month before. They like to run them for five or six weeks, and no closer to Cheltenham than that.
Everybody wants to get a run into their horses and all the best ones clash at Leopardstown.
It is a big Festival, but it is seen as a stepping stone to Cheltenham. Everyone is dying to see what horses are going to perform and which way they are going to go.
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The DRF Helps Establish A Pecking Order For Trainers Ahead of Cheltenham
It does. You know what sort of trip they are going to go. Or do they miss Cheltenham altogether if you’re beaten well and look at Liverpool and Aintree? People will have that in their heads as well.
The Dublin Racing Festival Is a Really Good Cheltenham Trial
Ballyburn got beaten by Sir Gino over two miles, but Kempton is a sharp track. He has always looked as if he would stay very well. He is going the staying chase route.
Gaelic Warrior often gets beat at Leopardstown. I don’t know why, but he is a very good horse.
Galopin des Champs loves Leopardstown. He is a great jumper and he’ll be very hard to beat at Leopardstown. He might not be quite as good around Cheltenham.
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Leopardstown is a really big galloping track. It takes a bit of getting. The last couple of furlongs are slightly uphill. It is a good Cheltenham trial.
Cheltenham Is Still The Pinnacle of Horse Racing
Yes, everybody involved in racing wants a Cheltenham runner and ideally a winner! It is the main reason why big owners get involved. I had 17 winners which compared with Ruby [Walsh] and Barry [Geraghty] who came after me might not seem that many. But in my day, it was three days, now it’s four days!
It is strange like that in terms of the build-up. But I love the buildup, when everyone is talking about who might win at Cheltenham. It’s a bit of fun. It brings great excitement.
It is not the be-all and end-all, but it definitely is top of the agenda for trainers, owners and jockeys! But when Cheltenham finishes everybody wants to have a winner at Liverpool!
I come over every year for it. I buy horses for JP McManus, most of the French horses for him. I’d be around his guys.
This Is The Biggest Problem With British Racing
If you go back through the history books and Vincent O’Brien’s era, he used to win both divisions of the Supreme Novices’ He was dominating then. But it does change.
There was a time when the English were buying all our best horses. And now it has turned full circle, and we are buying the best.
The prize money is a problem in England and that is the main reason why they’re losing owners. It’s good in Ireland but it’s not brilliant.
Willie, Gordon, Henry and Gavin are dominating, but you have that in any era. It goes in cycles. They are very good trainers.
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