Rachael Blackmore Dublin Racing Festival Rides: Big chance on Meetingofthewaters

• Sommesky is a really nice horse and has been going well at home

• Meetingofthewaters looks well handicapped and is a great ride to pick up

• Leopardstown should suit Monty's Star so hopefully we'll be bang there

• Our Cheltenham offer is live! Get a completely free bet every weekend until the Festival

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Betfair Ambassador Rachael Blackmore has some decent chances on the first day of the Dublin Racing Festival today, including one on Monty's Star in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at 15:30.

The horse has never finished outside of the top four when completing in his whole career, and today you can back him at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 - from 4/61.67 - to finish in the top four again. To take advantage, just click on the odds in the bet banner below to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

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13:15 - Sommesky

It's a great weekend of racing ahead, the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, top-class racing and there's always a brilliant atmosphere there.

I ride Sommesky in the opening race, the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle, it's obviously a high-class race, a Grade 1 contest, but he goes there with his chance.  

He won his bumper on his racecourse debut at Limerick last March, and he ran well on his first run over hurdles at Fairyhouse in November in a two-mile maiden hurdle, when he stayed on well to finish fourth.  He stepped up in trip to two miles and three furlongs last time to win his maiden hurdle at Limerick over Christmas.

He's going to have to improve again if he is going to be involved here, but he's a really nice horse and he has been going well at home.  The step up in trip to two miles and six furlongs should suit him, and we're hoping that he will run well.

14:25 - Meetingofthewaters

It was great to pick up the ride on Meetingofthewaters in the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle.  It's obviously a very competitive race, but he looks to be on a very good handicap rating over hurdles compared to his chase mark.

It doesn't always work out as easily as that, as we know, and he hasn't run over hurdles in almost two years, but he had a great season last season over fences, he won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas, and he finished third in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.  

This is a big-field handicap hurdle, you need a lot of luck in-running, but he's a brilliant ride to pick up.  They seem to be happy with him in Willie's and I'm really looking forward to riding him.

15:30 - Monty's Star

I'm really looking forward to riding Monty's Star too in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.  

He came out of his run at Tramore on New Year's Day really well.  That was his seasonal debut, so he should come on for it.

We're not under-estimating the task ahead, taking on Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown in the Irish Gold Cup, a race that he has won twice, but we're looking forward to seeing what Monty's Star can do.  

He wasn't beaten far by Fact To File in the Brown Advisory Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, so hopefully we're going to be bang there.  Leopardstown should suit him better than Tramore too.

16:05 - A Law Of Her Own

I ride A Law Of Her Own for Peter Fahey in the Ryanair Handicap Chase.  She hasn't won yet over fences, but she ran some good races in defeat in the autumn.  She finished second behind San Salvador in the Grade 3 Kilbegnet Chase on soft ground at Roscommon in September, and she finished third behind Pink In The Park, just in front of Allegorie De Vassy, in a listed mares' chase at Clonmel in November.

She's in here on a lovely racing weight of 10 stone, bottom weight, just 1lb out of the handicap.  This will be my first time riding her, but I'm looking forward to seeing how she goes.

Watch Rachael talking through her DRF chances here 

🏇 Sommesky
🏇 Monty's Star
🏇 Queen's Gamble
🏇 Quilixios

Betfair ambassador @rachaelblackmor spoke to our @LHayhoe about some of her exciting rides at this weekend's Dublin Racing Festival. pic.twitter.com/SBvTjI6bkD

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) January 31, 2025

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