Nothing sets the ante-post markets for Cheltenham alight like the Dublin Racing Festival. Each year, you think you have an idea of how things are going to unfold then Willie Mullins takes aim with his battalions and the landscape changes dramatically.

So after two brilliant days in Dublin, we have a clear picture and there are now 10 horses priced 2/1 and under for The Festival. They are: Kopek Des Bordes, Jonbon, Lulumba, Constitution Hill, Galopin Des Champs, Ballyburn, Brighterdaysahead, Teahupoo, Fact To File and Sir Gino.

Already giddy punters are looking at a super accumulator, which begins with Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices Hurdle and ends with Galopin Des Champs in the Boodles Gold Cup, and thinking it cannot fail to pay. The odds for all 10 obliging are a whopping 2231/1.

There is no denying they all have mesmerising claims and if you wanted to be even more ambitious, you would throw Final Demand – another Mullins horse – into the equation. He was breathtaking on Saturday and the word from those close to him is that his engine is jet-propelled.

Final Demand’s target remains unclear – he could run in the Turners Novice Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles or step up for the Albert Bartlett over three miles – but the other 10 carry the look of good things.

The more Racing Confidential has been on course in recent weeks, the stronger the word has been for Nicky Henderson’s Lulumba in the Triumph Hurdle while defeat for Sir Gino in the Arkle isn’t being considered. Jonbon and Constitution Hill, meanwhile, appear bombproof.

Another Willie Mullins horse in Final Demand was breathtaking on Saturday in Dublin

The word for Nicky Henderson’s Lulumba in the Triumph Hurdle has been strong in recent weeks

Easy money? You’d be inclined to think that way, given what we have seen from those 10 so far but, before you start making grand plans, a word of warning. We have been here before and one of those that seems unbeatable always loses.

El Fabiolo (1/5 in last year’s Champion Chase), Douvan (2/9 in the 2017 Champion Chase), Dunguib (4/5 in the 2010 Supreme Novices Hurdle) and, most famously of all, Annie Power (2015 in the Mares Hurdle) are proof that there is no such thing as a certainty – particularly at Cheltenham.

Incredulity at the PRA’s ham-fisted plan 

The fallout from the debacle started by Professional Racing Association’s threat for trainers to boycott television interviews unless they received payment from TV companies continues to be messy.

When the subject was raised in circles at the Dublin Racing Festival, there was incredulity that such a ham fisted plan had been devised – and then announced – without proper thought. There was equal bafflement about how a blackout would make the training profession look.

Nigel Payne – who was once part of the ownership group of 1998 Grand National winner Earth Summit – had been advising Peter Savill, the driving force behind the PRA, but the damage that has been done from the threat they issued 10 days ago is untold.

Racing Confidential understands a significant number of trainers are incredulous, bordering on furious, that they have been tarred with this brush. 

It is obvious that the sport has areas that could be improved but the PRA have set the situation back.

Peter Savill is the driving force behind the Professional Racing Association, who threatened to boycott TV interviews

Racing Confidential understands a significant number of trainers are incredulous, to have been tarred with the boycott brush 

The passing of a racing great

The passing of the Aga Khan, announced on Tuesday, was greeted with widespread sadness across racing and with good reason.

It is almost impossible to emphasise how profound his impact has been not just in major races for several decades but in terms of how he has helped shape the breed.

His distinguished silks – green with red epaulets on the shoulders – were easily recognisable and in 2024, they were a huge part of the summer’s narrative on these shores, with Calandagan being a spectacular winner of the Royal Ascot’s King Edward VII Stakes and Ezeliya taking the Betfred Oaks.

His daughter, Princess Zara, was prevented from being on course at Epsom that afternoon last May as her flight from France was grounded by bad weather. There was no such problems a few weeks later, though, when she saw Calandagan deliver on his rich potential.

Readers will have their favourites who raced for the Aga Khan and plenty will say Shergar, the runaway train who careered off with the 1981 Derby. But this corresponent’s choice would be Kalanisi, whom Sir Michael Stoute nurtured to win the Champions Stakes and Breeders Cup Turf.

Kalanisi, like all Aga Khan horses, was handsome and powerful and was given every opportunity to fulfil his talent. It would be a fitting tribute if Calandagan could return to Royal Ascot this summer and land a race in his late owner’s honour.

Aga Khan passed away earlier this week in Lisbon at the age of 88, it was announced on Tuesday

Still time for Acheson to turn things round

Brian Acheson is a true sport, a man who loves his horses almost as much as he loves his family. His string run under the banner ‘Robcour’ and he has enjoyed terrific success in the last few years, with Slade Steel running away with the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham 12 months ago.

This campaign has been, however, would have tested the patience of Jobe and the latest setback for the Robcour horses arrived on Monday when Gerri Colombe, who finished second in the Gold Cup in 2024, was ruled out of action for the foreseeable future.

Acheson took the news in his stride and appreciates this development has simply followed the narrative of the winter. Slade Steel, for whom there had been such high hopes, hasn’t progressed while many others have been finding one too good for them in big races.

There is, though, still time for things to turn around and the apple of his eye – Bob Olinger – is being primed for a crack at the Aintree Hurdle on the opening day of the Grand National Festival in April. He finished second at Leopardstown over Christmas and Liverpool is his big target.

Parkin-Foley verdict due this week 

Rows are part and parcel of racing and the outcome of spectacular fallout between two big figures will be revealed in an Irish court this Friday.

Steve Parkin is a powerful owner and the founder of Clipper Logistics, his horses running in gunmetal grey silks and being predominantly trained in Yorkshire. 

Brian Acheson (left, pictured in 2022) loves his horses almost as much as he loves his family

Last year, his Fallen Angel landed the Irish 1000 Guineas for Karl Burke before selling the filly to Wathnan Racing for more than £5million.

Joe Foley, meanwhile, is a respected figure in the bloodstock world and the owner of Ballyhane Stud in Ireland. He had been a friend of Parkin’s for more than 20 years, providing advice and counsel. So close was their bond, Parkin described him as ‘being like a brother’.

But their relationship disintegrated over the ownership of a young stallion called Sands Of Mali.

Parkin is alleged to have made serious threats to Foley and wants Sands of Mali – who was sold for £225,000 but is now worth more than £3million removed from Ballyhane Stud. A judge will deliver the outcome before the end of the week.