Our racing podcast team discuss Dublin Racing Festival including is this the last-chance saloon (over two miles) for Majborough?

Ben Linfoot: Let's look ahead to the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup on Saturday because it's a big day for Galopin Des Champs as well, Fran.

Fran Berry: It is indeed and while it was Affordale Fury who won the Savills Chase at Christmas, where we had great scenes afterwards and he got the credit he deserved for winning despite jumping to his right throughout, it was the return of Galopin Des Champs, who has won this Irish Gold Cup three times, that everyone was talking about.

With that being his belated seasonal debut and given the way he shaped, one would think with the stable coming into much better form into the Dublin Racing Festival, he can take a significant step forward. Particularly with the rain and with the way the track will ride at Leopardstown, it should suit him very well. He should be sharper, he should be better. Last time, briefly, I thought going to last he was going to grind it out in the Savills. So with the benefit of that run, he can only take a step forward, I think, to set a big standard.

As for Affordale Fury, how good is he? I don't know. Despite all of those jumps to the right, he still managed to pick up and win the race very well. And he's an improving young horse for all that he seemed to enjoy the speed-favouring nature of Leopardstown at Christmas on a chase track that seemed to benefit those on the pace at that meeting. On contrasting ground, will it be the same at the Dublin Racing Festival?

And where are we with last year's Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin? I Am Maximus, he's come in to the reckoning for the Gold Cup at bigger prices with a few people. The conditions might slow things down again for him to see him run a good race, but as much as I like I Am Maximus, it'd be disappointing if there wasn't one or two to step forward and beat him here again in Leopardstown on Saturday.

Graham Cunningham: Can I put in a theory about Affordale Fury? I agree with Fran. He didn't have to work too hard to get the lead over Christmas in the Savills Chase and he's still jumping right and hindering his momentum at a lot of fences. At the weekend, you have to think that Paul Townend is going to be more proactive on Galopin, but perhaps even more of a thorn in his side will be little Sean Bowen who will be winging away on Haiti Couleurs from a long way out. And I think that spells significant potential trouble for Affordale Fury. I'll be really surprised if he can back up that big win with another one.

Ben Linfoot: Billy, Galopin Des Champs, second run of the season, going for his fourth consecutive win in this race. Just how close do you think we are to seeing peak Galopin Des Champs?

Billy Nash: Well first of all, if he does manage to win he'll be the only horse to win four consecutive Irish Gold Cups. Florida Pearl did it age 7, 8 and 9, then took two years off and came back and won it as a 12-year-old. Galopin Des Champs will be the first to do it four years in a row and you'd have to think he's got a great chance of doing just that. I'd agree with everything Fran said, he just looked like a horse that needed a run. All the vibes coming from Closutton prior to Christmas were that they kind of just had him ready in time and that he would improve from the run and he certainly ran like that.

He showed enough to me to suggest that at least the vast majority of ability is still intact so if he does come forward any bit at all from that he's clearly the one to beat. We know how good he is at Leopardstown and he'll have proper soft ground at this track for a change which he hasn't always had in recent years and that will really suit him, because he relishes those conditions.

It will be a proper test, as GC said with the likes of Haiti Couleurs and Affordale Fury in the race. So I think everything is set up for a big performance from Galopin Des Champs. This will show us exactly how good he is and I think this is probably the race they've targeted more than any other this year. Yes, it would be great to go back to Cheltenham to win another Gold Cup, but I think Willie has a real affinity for the Irish Gold Cup and he would love to win it four years in a row with this horse.

Now there are others in the race that are really interesting. I'm intrigued to see how Fact To File will get on if he turns up. Again, he'll have conditions in his favour, he'll have proper soft ground. I think he was taken off his feet at Kempton. That didn't go to plan, but if he runs here with proper soft ground, I would hope to see a better run from him. He's a nine-year-old now, so if he's ever going to be a Gold Cup horse, this is probably his last chance.

Haiti Couleurs is obviously really interesting. I'd just be slightly concerned about the ground for him. I think he's a horse that's probably better on quicker ground. Let's not forget the Welsh National was good to firm this year which was almost unheard of but I do think he's slightly better on faster ground. But the really interesting one for me is Spindleberry who, again, I'm not sure if she's going to run. She's an intriguing mare, five from five over fences, she's never tried three miles, but if you look at her pedigree, her dam was a stayer and she's absolutely bred to stay. Her owner is mad keen to have a go at the Gold Cup. And from what we've seen over fences, she's certainly worth her place in a Grade One. Whether she's up to it or not, we'll find out at the weekend. But I'd be fascinated to see how she gets on if she runs. But having said all that, you'd expect Galopin Des Champs to win it.

Graham Cunningham: Scoop, you're too polite to pick Billy Nash up on this, but he mentions Galopin Des Champs having won three Irish Gold Cups and neglects to mention the mighty Jodami, who has a bar named after him at Leopardstown.

Billy Nash: No, I mentioned that Florida Pearl won four and I didn't mention Jodami, but I didn't forget Jodami either, GC. Don't worry!

Graham Cunningham: Okay, fair enough, but put it on the poll then. If Galopin wins the fourth Irish Gold Cup on Saturday, will Jerry Hannon's head blow off?

Remember it nearly did last year, 'Galopin, this is the stuff of legends!'

Ben Linfoot: I don't think we need a poll for this one to be honest!

Fran Berry: Speaking of legends in the Irish Gold Cup, you mentioned Jodami, Graham, we had a connection with the Beaumont family. Dad used to do a bit of business with them, so Peter Beaumont would be over in Dad's yard looking at young horses and all of that. So we followed his career closely and I used to go and see him at Leopardstown, but when Danoli won the Irish Gold Cup, I was down the last fence as an 11 or 12 year old kid and he broke the last fence, he got right into it, and he rallied to win.

The roar from the stands to the last fence was fierce and the reception afterwards was incredible. And there's every chance, based on what happened last year with Galopin Des Champs, if he were to follow up at the weekend you could get scenes like that, because we're on the cusp of something really special if he were able to do it.

Ben Linfoot: Yes, it would be great to see Galopin win four on Saturday. We're going to stick with the open races, the Grade Ones, before we get stuck into the novices. And there's one more I wanted to speak about, the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase over 2m1f. Is this last chance saloon for Majborough to prove himself over this sort of trip?

Fran Berry: Possibly, with the ownership, and what happens with the likes of Fact To File will have a big bearing on what happens, but at two miles one in Leopardstown for Majborough, it does look make or break. These will be slower conditions than what he encountered at Christmas. He didn't help himself with his jumping through the run and got impeded after the last one, looking to have a chance before fading inside the final furlong.

There's a great shot of him in the Hilly Way. I don't know if I've seen it on Racing TV, but it was an RTE at the fourth last where he literally left his two hind legs on the board of the fourth last fence, that overhead drone shot. And that's his problem. He has no momentum away from a fence. It cost him the win in the Arkle at Cheltenham last year and despite all of his mistakes, he only just got beat. But I fear that's always going to be a problem.

He doesn't have any use of his rear-end in the air and that leads to him being on the back foot, particularly at that trip. So yes in essence at this two mile one trip, it's a make or break for him as regards his Cheltenham target. Anyway this could be all about Marine Nationale, it's surely a one-horse race according to his trainer, isn't it?!

Graham Cunningham: Punters love Majborough, don't they? He's had six chases, he's never been bigger than 6/4. I was a bit more encouraged by his jumping at Leopardstown and he was squeezed on the run-in. So I could make a case for him going well. I was making a case for him going well - and then I looked at the market and they're going for him again! He's almost the same price as Marine Nationale and he probably shouldn't be, should he?

Billy Nash: I suppose the question is will Marine Nationale run? I know Barry Connell, I saw him quoted yesterday as saying that it's kind of touch-and-go at the moment. They'll wait and see. He doesn't want to run on heavy ground and it's potentially going to be heavy at Leopardstown at the weekend. So we'll see if he runs. If he does run, he's clearly the one to beat. But let's not forget Solness has an excellent record at Leopardstown.

Graham Cunningham: Yeah, that's a point Billy, very good point.

Billy Nash: He won't be inconvenienced by heavy ground and we know exactly what he's going to do, he's just going to go out and make them catch him if they can so he'll make it tough for them. Look, I'm like everybody else at Majborough, we all know how much ability he has but he has a habit of beating himself by making mistakes. Personally I'd love to see him in headgear but I do think, Ben, I agree with your original point, I think this is his last chance at two miles and if he doesn't win here surely they'll have to step him up in trip as his jumping continues to hold him back at this distance.

Graham Cunningham: Hmm, I might take a chance on his jumping. I was encouraged by what I saw last time and I think at Leopardstown, he might be able to get it right this weekend.

Billy Nash: Softer ground would probably suit him as well GC, they might be going a half a stride slower which should help.

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