It’s the Dublin Racing Festival 2024 this weekend in Ireland, with a stack more Cheltenham Festival clues on offer. With that in mind, we’ve got our best Leopardstown tips on the opening day – Saturday 3rd February – which include the Irish Gold Cup and the big Galopin Des Champs vs Fastorslow clash.
You can also sign-up with BetMGM ahead of the Dublin Racing Festival 2024 with a £40 free bet (see below).
1.
|
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets
New cust only. 3 days to claim & 7 days to place a qualifying bet to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply.
New cust only. 3 days to claim & 7 days to place a qualifying bet to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. |
Claim Offer |
Dublin Racing Festival 2024: Galopin Des Champs Going For Gold Again
The ITV Racing team off to Ireland this weekend to cover the ever-popular Dublin Racing Festival 2024 – a meeting that continues to grow each season and will give horse racing fans many more Cheltenham Festival pointers ahead of March.
On Saturday the seven-race card sees top races that include the Spring Juvenile Hurdle and Irish Arkle Novice Chase, but on the opening day all eyes will be on Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup.
The Willie Mullins-trained Cheltenham Gold Cup winner also took this race 12 months ago and after bounding back to form in the Savills Chase over Christmas is all the rage with the best UK horse racing betting sites.
However, he’ll face a stern test from his old rival Fastorslow, who has beaten Galopin Des Champs the last twice the pair have faced-off.
ITV racing will be showing the Irish Gold Cup and the Listed Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle, with the cameras also at Sandown and Musselburgh on Saturday.
Leopardstown Tips On Saturday 3rd February 2024
1:20 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) 2m6½f RTE2: PREDATORS GOLD
Trainer Willie Mullins is sure to have another big meeting and with four of the six runners in the opener he’ll be odds-on to get off to a flyer. Of his entries, I Will Be Baie and Loughglynn were both good winners last time out, but top jockey Paul Townend has picked to ride PREDATORS GOLD and the hint should be taken.
This Gigginstown runner ran the useful Caldwell Potter to second last time here and was a good winner the time before at Punchestown. With just two career runs over hurdles there will be more to come.
1:50 McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo) 2m RTE2: STORM HEART
Another Willie Mullins show, with over half the field (6 runners). In a similar look to the last race, main pilot Paul Townend would have got the pick, so the fact he’s gone for STORM HEART stands out.
This 4 year-old was a fair flat performer in France but has made the leap over to hurdles well, when bolting up on debut at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve. More of the same should make him the one to beat and is already a single-figure price for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
2:25 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) 2m1f RTE2: MARINE NATIONALE
Gaelic Warrior had been rumoured to be running here to take on MARINE NATIONALE, but he’s bypassing the race and that has made life even easier for the unbeaten Barry Connell. He can take this at the expense of Facile Vega and Found A Fifty to get the Dublin Festival bankers off to a flyer.
Next stop will be the Arkle Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, where he’s already odds-on.
3:00 Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle (Listed) (4yo+ 0-150) 3m½f ITV3: PANADA BOY
Many chances here in race Willie Mullins has won twice since 2018, while Gordon Elliott took the spoils in 2019. However, PANDA BOY is one of just two proven course and distance winners in the field (Maxxum the other) and a recent second at the track (chase) was another solid effort at the Dublin venue.
He’s also been running over fences of late, so his hurdles rating has been protected, most likely with this race in mind. Regular rider JJ Slevin keeps the mount.
3:35 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (Grade 1) (5yo+) 3m½f ITV3: GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
If this race was a Punchestown, then Fastorslow, who has beaten GALOPIN DES CHAMPS twice, would have stronger claims, in my book. The Brassil horse is 0-from-3 here at Leopardstown and contrast that with Galopin Des Champs being 4-from-4 at the Dublin track, then it’s hard to see beyond last year’s winner and the current Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.
He’ll then be back to Cheltenham to defend another of his Gold Cups.
4:10 Ryanair Handicap Chase (Listed) (5yo+ 0-150) 2m1f RTV: SOLNESS
The Gavin Cromwell yard have won this twice since 2017 and also last year with Final Orders, who runs again. But it’s also been a kind race to the Joseph O’Brien camp with wins in 2021 and 2022.
With that in mind, their runner SOLNESS is given the nod and heads here off the back of a solid 6-length win at Fairyhouse last time out in a similar Listed Handicap Chase. Yes, he’s also up 9lbs for that win but looked to have a bit left in the locker and is also a proven CD winner here at Leopardstown.
4:40 Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race (Grade 2) (4-7yo) 2m RTV: A DREAM TO SHARE
In a bizarre twist, last year’s winner of this race – A DREAM TO SHARE – is staying in NH Flat races this season, instead of going off over hurdles and despite this looking a decent renewal is taken to go in again.
This JP McManus-owned 6 year-old is 5-from-5 from his races and after winning this 12 months ago added the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival and then the Punchestown Champion Flat Race.
He’s gone well fresh in the past too and with the experience edge over his rivals too will be hard to beat to send Dublin Festival favourite backers home on day one happy.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
