Galopin at the heart of a sold out Day 1 of Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday
Thursday, January 29, 2026
.png?ext=.png "Galopin at the heart of a sold out Day 1 of Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday")
Galopin Des Champs bids for a fourth victory in Saturday's Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for Willie Mullins.
One of the most anticipated fixtures on the entire racing calendar, the Dublin Racing Festival (DRF) is finally upon us and the declarations for Leopardstown on Saturday, January 31 back up the sense of excitement. Tickets for the weekend’s opening fixture are now sold out.
The first day will stage seven races, four of those at Grade 1 level and all eyes will be on Galopin Des Champs and his bid for a historic fourth consecutive win in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at 3.30pm.
“We are delighted that so many of the biggest names in jumps racing have committed so strongly to DRF. There is so much to look forward to over an exceptional weekend of racing,” said Mark Clayton, Leopardstown’s CEO.
“I must acknowledge our excellent ground staff who have been challenged by almost constant rain over the past fortnight. However, the chase track is yielding to soft and the hurdles track soft to heavy.
“More rain is expected before we expect largely drier conditions to prevail over the weekend. The main message is that DRF is raring to go and Saturday’s meeting is sold out, although there are still some tickets available for Sunday.”
DRF will carry over €2 million in prize money across the weekend. It also serves as a crucial staging post before the Cheltenham Festival in March.
In 2023, nine winners at Prestbury Park had their last run at the DRF. That figure rose to 11 in 2024 and last year seven of the Grade 1 winners in England had been forged in the heat of battle at Leopardstown.
Galopin to Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup greatness?
The mighty Florida Pearl won four Irish Gold Cups either side of the millennium, but in non-consecutive years. Galopin Des Champs seeks to match that haul in shorter order and make it four in a row.
It’s fair to say this year’s renewal is the deepest he has contested with a field of 13 runners, 10 of them Grade 1 winners. Ten horses lined up in this race a year ago, four in 2024 and seven in 2023.
Willie Mullins’ star chaser will start a warm favourite in the Grade 1 €250,000 showpiece with the benefit of a solid seasonal comeback when third in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at this course and distance at Christmas.
Winner on that occasion Affordale Fury, trained by Noel Meade, is back for more, as is the runner-up that day, I Am Maximus.
The reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Inothewayurthinkin seeks to ignite his campaign at the third attempt with his trainer Gavin Cromwell very much among the winners again.
Mullins also runs the four-time Grade 1 winner Fact To File and the classy mare Spindleberry, unbeaten in five starts over fences, including at Grade 1 level.
Doctor’s orders
The weekend kicks off with the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle over 2m6f. Willie Mullins has won four of the last five editions and will field the strong favourite Doctor Steinberg among nine declared.
Doctor Steinberg has not been seen since defeating Thedeviluno on his last start in a Grade 2 at Navan in December and that form was endorsed when the latter won a Grade 2 at Doncaster last weekend.
Gordon Elliott will saddle the next two in the market: Kazansky (Jack Kennedy) and Santo Sospir (Sean Bowen).
Narciso Has vs Mange Tout rematch
The Grade 1 Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Juvenile Hurdle over 2m features the best juvenile hurdlers seen this season. Mange Tout defeated Narciso Has by nearly three lengths at Fairyhouse late in November when the latter was making his Irish debut. However, Narciso Has was one of the most striking winners at Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture. Bookies rate him odds-on to win this race and he’s already a 7-2 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Another Grade 1 for Romeo?
The Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase features Romeo Coolio who won the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at this course and distance a month ago. He is the likely favourite among three runners declared.
Willie Mullins has won this Grade 1 for the last five years and his sole representative will be the Grade 1 winner Kargese.
There are two Listed handicaps worth €100k on the supporting card starting with the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle. Champagne Kid won at this venue last month for Co Down trainer Pat Collins and is among the principal fancies. Others with light weights that catch the eye are County Final, Dippedinmoonlight and Duke Silver, another winner here last month for trainer Joseph O’Brien.
Western Diego is the early favourite for the Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase in which 14 are declared. Addragoole won at this course and distance for Gavin Cromwell and is prominent in the early markets. An Peann Dearg took out this race last year and seeks to repeat the feat for trainer Paul Nolan.
Finally, the Grade 2 Paddy Power (C&G) INH Flat Race is notable for the absence of a Willie Mullins runner. Seven will face the starter here with the layers finding it hard to separate Charismatic Kid (Gordon Elliott) and It’s Only A Game (Martin Brassil).
Click here for link to declarations for Day One of Dublin Racing Festival.
For all weekend ticketing information please visit www.leopardstown.com
The first day will stage seven races, four of those at Grade 1 level and all eyes will be on Galopin Des Champs and his bid for a historic fourth consecutive win in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at 3.30pm.
“We are delighted that so many of the biggest names in jumps racing have committed so strongly to DRF. There is so much to look forward to over an exceptional weekend of racing,” said Mark Clayton, Leopardstown’s CEO.
“I must acknowledge our excellent ground staff who have been challenged by almost constant rain over the past fortnight. However, the chase track is yielding to soft and the hurdles track soft to heavy.
“More rain is expected before we expect largely drier conditions to prevail over the weekend. The main message is that DRF is raring to go and Saturday’s meeting is sold out, although there are still some tickets available for Sunday.”
DRF will carry over €2 million in prize money across the weekend. It also serves as a crucial staging post before the Cheltenham Festival in March.
In 2023, nine winners at Prestbury Park had their last run at the DRF. That figure rose to 11 in 2024 and last year seven of the Grade 1 winners in England had been forged in the heat of battle at Leopardstown.
Galopin to Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup greatness?
The mighty Florida Pearl won four Irish Gold Cups either side of the millennium, but in non-consecutive years. Galopin Des Champs seeks to match that haul in shorter order and make it four in a row.
It’s fair to say this year’s renewal is the deepest he has contested with a field of 13 runners, 10 of them Grade 1 winners. Ten horses lined up in this race a year ago, four in 2024 and seven in 2023.
Willie Mullins’ star chaser will start a warm favourite in the Grade 1 €250,000 showpiece with the benefit of a solid seasonal comeback when third in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at this course and distance at Christmas.
Winner on that occasion Affordale Fury, trained by Noel Meade, is back for more, as is the runner-up that day, I Am Maximus.
The reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Inothewayurthinkin seeks to ignite his campaign at the third attempt with his trainer Gavin Cromwell very much among the winners again.
Mullins also runs the four-time Grade 1 winner Fact To File and the classy mare Spindleberry, unbeaten in five starts over fences, including at Grade 1 level.
Doctor’s orders
The weekend kicks off with the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle over 2m6f. Willie Mullins has won four of the last five editions and will field the strong favourite Doctor Steinberg among nine declared.
Doctor Steinberg has not been seen since defeating Thedeviluno on his last start in a Grade 2 at Navan in December and that form was endorsed when the latter won a Grade 2 at Doncaster last weekend.
Gordon Elliott will saddle the next two in the market: Kazansky (Jack Kennedy) and Santo Sospir (Sean Bowen).
Narciso Has vs Mange Tout rematch
The Grade 1 Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Juvenile Hurdle over 2m features the best juvenile hurdlers seen this season. Mange Tout defeated Narciso Has by nearly three lengths at Fairyhouse late in November when the latter was making his Irish debut. However, Narciso Has was one of the most striking winners at Leopardstown’s Christmas fixture. Bookies rate him odds-on to win this race and he’s already a 7-2 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Another Grade 1 for Romeo?
The Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase features Romeo Coolio who won the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at this course and distance a month ago. He is the likely favourite among three runners declared.
Willie Mullins has won this Grade 1 for the last five years and his sole representative will be the Grade 1 winner Kargese.
There are two Listed handicaps worth €100k on the supporting card starting with the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle. Champagne Kid won at this venue last month for Co Down trainer Pat Collins and is among the principal fancies. Others with light weights that catch the eye are County Final, Dippedinmoonlight and Duke Silver, another winner here last month for trainer Joseph O’Brien.
Western Diego is the early favourite for the Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase in which 14 are declared. Addragoole won at this course and distance for Gavin Cromwell and is prominent in the early markets. An Peann Dearg took out this race last year and seeks to repeat the feat for trainer Paul Nolan.
Finally, the Grade 2 Paddy Power (C&G) INH Flat Race is notable for the absence of a Willie Mullins runner. Seven will face the starter here with the layers finding it hard to separate Charismatic Kid (Gordon Elliott) and It’s Only A Game (Martin Brassil).
Click here for link to declarations for Day One of Dublin Racing Festival.
For all weekend ticketing information please visit www.leopardstown.com
We are delighted that so many of the biggest names in jumps racing have committed so strongly to DRF. There is so much to look forward to over an exceptional weekend of racing
.png?ext=.png)
.png?lang=en-IE&ext=.png)
