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Dancing City made it a winning start to the Dublin Racing Festival for trainer Willie Mullins in the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The unexposed seven-year-old was the outsider of the six runners but he always travelled strongly under jockey Danny Mullins, conceding his early lead to the progressive mare Jetara, who ran very keenly under Rachael Blackmore. As the group turned for home, Dancing City came back to the fore alongside favoured Predators Gold, and appeared to appreciate the step up in trip, finishing well to claim the victory ahead of his stablemate with Jetara holding on for third. 

Paddy Power reacted to the surprise victory by shortening Dancing City from 25/1 to 10/1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.