There are four Grade 1 races on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival this Sunday. Kemboy is tipped to win the Irish Gold Cup which is the richest race on the card. The horse can be backed at +175 favourite with Bovada to prevail in a field of nine of the best chasers from Britain and Ireland.
Each way bets are settled at one fifth the odds for 3 places but the bet on Kemboy is win only. There is no value in backing the horse to make the payout places.
The Irish Gold Cup is one of those Grade 1 races. Horses aged five and older are eligible. The race distance is three miles and there are 17 fences. It is a conditions race in which horses carry 11-10, except mares who receive a 7 pounds allowance. La Bague Au Roi is the only female in the field but she does not have the form and ratings to win at this level.
Here are some 10-year betting trends which can help to identify the best priced horses:
- The average price of the winners: almost over +800.
- Range of Starting Prices: +125 to +3300.
- Number of outright and joint favourites: 4.
- Odds-on favourites: 0.
- Double-figure priced winners: 2.
- Most common range of odds: 4 winners from +125 to +225.
Please note that up to 2015, the race was known as the Hennessy Gold Cup but it was called the Irish Gold Cup for the first four runnings from 1987 to 1990.
Florida Pearl is the leading horse with four wins between 1999 and 2004 and the leading jockey is Mark Dwyer with four wins from 1987 to 1995. Four horses have won the race and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Willie Mullins is by far the winning most trainer with 10 wins between 1999 and 2019. He trains Kemboy whose jockey on Sunday is Paul Townend because the regular jockey, Ruby Walsh, has retired. Kemboy is aged 8 but the last winner of that age was in the 2012 renewal. The most common age of the winners this century is 9 with eight wins.
The second favourite behind Kemboy is Delta Work at +200 with Bovada so it’s a close betting market between the two leading contenders. Delta Work won a Grade 1 race over the course and distance in December and is respected.
Presenting Percy started the favourite for the Gold Cup last year but ran poorly and he has four lengths to make up on Delta Work from their last race. Bellshill won the Irish Gold Cup last season but was well beaten in his last race, the one won by Delta Work.
Kemboy fell at the first fence in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last March. The horse then won Grade 1 chases at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring. He was fourth in that race won by Delta Work at the end of last year.
Kemboy has three and a half lengths to make up on Delta Work but that is feasible in this race. The horse should be fitter for that run and is the nap of the day at Leopardstown in the Irish Gold Cup.