Vicki Gibbins is trackside as Fact To File wins the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup and Saturday becomes Monday for one year only.
The racecard tells me that we’re on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival and ready for an exciting weekend at Leopardstown.
I’m less convinced, given that I arrived in Ireland on Friday and it appears to be Monday – although at this stage, who can be sure.
It’s a Bank Holiday in Ireland. St Brigid, Ireland’s patroness saint, is being celebrated but only for the fourth time. She was added to the bank holiday roster in 2023 and oversees protecting the household from fire, illness and evil – a busy woman.
“So it’s not about repelling the English?” I ask one of the Irish bookmakers as I make my way to the press room.
“No, that’s the rest of them!” he quips.
There’s not many Brits left standing after a raucous weekend in Dublin and no-one really knows what the attendance will be. There’s a risk that I may never go home after the Irish culinary discovery of a ‘spice bag’ and I’m hopeful that enough will have stayed to bolster numbers.
Not that the Irish need supporting. They have a love for the racehorse that transcends simple fandom and people will have flocked to see Galopin Des Champs attempt a historic fourth Irish Gold Cup. It has the potential to be a ‘you were there’ moment.
We’ve got four races to get through first though.
Doctor Steinberg turns the Nathaniel Lacey into a procession, reminiscent of stablemate Final Demand’s performance 12 months earlier and finds himself at the head of the market for the Albert Bartlett.
“We thought he was a summer horse first, so he seems to go on all sorts of ground,” says Willie Mullins.
It’s hard to believe Doctor Steinberg was convinced that it’s summer today. My teeth started chattering at the second-last and I’m on my eleventh mug of Barry’s tea.
Narcisco Has strengthens Mullins Cheltenham hand with an easy victory in the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle, earning 10/11 quotes for the Triumph Hurdle, and then it’s the Irish Arkle.
There are shouts of ‘go Paul’ as the trio pass the stands for the first time, but I’m not convinced Paul Townend has much of a say in the matter. Kargese has her head down and is channelling her inner St Brigid – she needs to get on. Romeo Coolio comes past, but the brave filly refuses to give an inch, providing Jack Kennedy with a late scare as she lunges for the line. It’s a Grade 1 success for Romeo Coolio but he’s left surprised as Kargese re-passes him three strides after the winning post.
Time for the big one. The crowd surges from every corner of the racecourse to the paddock, craning their necks as they press ten-deep against the rails. There’s plenty to see – we can offer you two Gold Cup winners, a Grand National hero and too many Grade 1 horses to count.
The action doesn’t end at the paddock. At the fourth-last, the Irish Gold Cup could be going home with anyone. Even Monty’s Star is considering a revival, jumping his way into contention under Darragh O’Keefe, making for excited faces amongst Henry de Bromhead camp.
But there’s no stopping Mark Walsh this weekend and Fact To File cruises to the front in search of a fourth Grade 1 success of the meeting for his partner-in-crime. No one has mentioned to the nine-year-old that he doesn’t hold an entry for the Cheltenham Gold Cup anymore and he crosses the line with a side-glance at the press tent – ‘I told you I could stay three miles’.
It doesn’t take long for someone to pose the question to Willie Mullins.
“He deserves [an entry in the Gold Cup], and it was a hell of a performance from both Mark and the horse,” he says. “It was terrific.”
“He jumped from fence to fence, and it was something to watch. He jumped his way to the front and Mark didn’t want to disappoint him. He kept galloping and I was wondering if he’d stay that pace because they went a fair lick from the start. He stayed every inch."
The dark begins to descend on Leopardstown and I suppose it’s time to head to the airport.
“Punchestown tomorrow?” someone asks.
Don’t tempt me.
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