Down Royal Racecourse: Preview and Tips for Saturday 31st October 2026 at the Festival of Racing
It’s a high class race meeting at Down Royal this weekend with the Festival of Racing.
Saturday’s seven-race card brings us three races over hurdles, three over fences and a bumper to conclude the card, but we have two Graded races to look forward to most.
Read on for a preview of and tips for the Down Royal card from BOYLE Sports, who have all the horse racing odds.
The opener is a three-year-olds’ hurdle run over two miles and a furlong (13.00). There’s a fairly small field of eight here, all of which are converts from the Flat.
The highest rated of them under that code is Admiral Will Brown, who was consistent this summer and is interesting on debut here, while it’s always worth thinking about a horse of Joseph O’Brien’s, who in this case is Kenough, who was developing nicely on the Flat and made a good hurdle debut earlier this month.
Next is a maiden hurdle run over two miles and a furlong (13.30). There are a handful of newcomers here, but Emmet Mullins’ Young Rebel looks attractive after a place last time and a bumper win last year. Skerry Hill, though, is going to be exciting, having been unbeaten in bumpers and makes his hurdle debut here today.
Race three is a handicap hurdle over the same trip (14.05). This looks a high class affair, with Lazare de Star bringing the highest rating after some good performances in black-type races last term. Given weight by his rider, he looks good here, and should find this company easier.
A three-mile handicap chase follows (14.38). Antrim Coast won his last race and looks competitive but is higher in the weights now. Intense Approach looks more interesting, given weight by his claiming rider, while Dinoland could be capable of better today, having gone well on reappearance for fifth of 13 at Fairyhouse.
The fifth race is the three-mile Grade One chase (15.15). Haiti Couleurs comes here from England to try and win in Ireland again after a success in the Irish Grand National last term, but his might need heavier ground and longer distance to win. Banbridge is tempting, fit from a run on the Flat, and is more than capable of winning this, if back to his best. Romeo Coolio and Heart Wood are significant threats, though.
Second to last is the two and a half mile Grade Two chase (15.50). Koktail Divin is the highest rated, having won the Manifesto novices’ chase last season at the Aintree Festival. Henry De Bromhead’s horses are going well at the moment, and this horse is in with a massive chance. Kala Conti has a mare’s weight allowance, though, which makes her a danger.
Finally is a bumper to conclude the card (16.20). It can be hard to gauge races like this with lots of newcomers and unexposed young horses in the mix, but Bravemans Call has displayed ability, while Uncle Pad has won a point-to-point by 10 lengths. The form has been very well franked, so he is the one to beat at the moment.
Down Royal selections – Saturday:
13.00 – Kenough
13.30 – Skerry Hill
14.05 – Lazare de Star
14.38 – Intense Approach
15.15 – Banbridge
15.50 – Koktail Divin
16.20 – Uncle Pad.
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