Galopin Des Champs, State Man, Marine Nationale and El Fabiolo are among the big names set for Grade 1 action at this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.
A stunning winner of the Savills Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, Galopin Des Champs heads the remaining five horses in Saturday’s Grade 1 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, a race he won a year ago.
Willie Mullins’ star is on course to clash once again with old rival Fastorslow, trained by Martin Brassil. Gordon Elliott has possible contenders in Conflated, the winner of this race in 2022, and Coko Beach, while I Am Maximus, stable companion of Galopin Des Champs, completes the latest line up.
The Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale leads the way in the Grade 1 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase for which eight horses go forward. Gaelic Warrior looks to be the main Mullins hope but the champion trainer has also left in Il Etait Temps, Facile Vega and Sharjah. Like Marine Nationale, Found A Fifty was a winner at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival and he could represent Gordon Elliott who also has American Mike, while Senecia could represent trainer Vincent Halley.
The first of the Grade 1 races on Saturday is the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle and Willie Mullins will dominate here as he is responsible for six of the nine remaining contenders.
Predators Gold leads a Mullins team that also includes Loughglynn and I Will Be Baie. Jessica Harrington’s big hope is Jetara, the only mare in the race, while both Stellar Story and Search For Glory are Gordon Elliott’s remaining entries.
Storm Heart, Salvator Mundi and Bunting are among a Willie Mullins entry of eight horses for the Grade 1 McCann Fitzgerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle. There are 13 horses still engaged and among those facing up to the Closutton squad are Gordon Elliott’s Kala Conti, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Intellotto and Noel Meade’s Open To Question.
Topping the bill on Sunday’s card is the Grade 1 Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle and Willie Mullins’ State Man will defend his crown against a maximum of four rivals. He beat his own stable companion Impaire Et Passe when winning the Matheson Hurdle for a second time at Christmas and the pair will clash again with Henry de Bromhead’s Bob Olinger lining out in search of a first win over two miles. Mullins could also be represented by the classy mare Echoes In Rain while Fils D’Oudairies could run for trainer Gordon Elliott.
The Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase, won by Galopin Des Champs two years ago, has a remaining entry of 13 horses. Willie Mullins has the strongest hand with the likes of Fact To File, Grangeclare West and Gaelic Warrior among his entries while Corbetts Cross, trained by Emmet Mullins, remains a possible runner along with Gordon Elliott’s trio American Mike, Favori De Champdou and Found A Fifty.
Willie Mullins’ Ballyburn, the Elliott-trained Farren Glory and Slade Steel, trained by Henry de Bromhead, are among the remaining 14 entries for the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle. Elliott has left in King Of Kingsfield and Brighterdaysahead while Mullins could also call upon Jit Langy and Quai De Bourbon with Boher Road and Fascile Mode possible runners for Jarleth Fahey and Tom Mullins respectively.
Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow is one of six horses remaining in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Dublin Chase. But it is the Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo that heads the field that also includes his Gentleman De Mee, Saint Roi and the mare Dinoblue. Also in the mix is Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guinness.
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