Bright outlook for huge weekend at Leopardstown

Molly Hunter
January 31, 2024 3:57 pm

Weather promising to play its part at Dublin Racing Festival.

Leopardstown is “set fair” for its biggest National Hunt fixture of the year in the two-day Dublin Racing Festival.

The meeting takes place on Saturday and Sunday and features no less than eight Grade One contests.

The highlight of day one is the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, where Galopin Des Champs will bid to retain his title against the horse that has beaten him twice since last year’s Anglo-Irish Gold Cup double, Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow.

The Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase is another eagerly-anticipated event on the opening day, as Barry Connell’s unbeaten Marine Nationale will look to maintain that record, possibly against Willie Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior.

On Sunday the headline race is the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle and although Constitution Hill is predictably absent, there is the next best around in State Man to lead the field.

Galopin Des Champs winning the Irish Gold Cup last year (Donall Farmer/PA)

The weather has been damp in Dublin, but bright and breezy days are expected to dry the turf out ahead of a mild weekend for racegoers to enjoy.

“We had a wet weekend, we’ve had 30 millimetres of rain altogether in the last week,” said Jane Hedley, racing operations manager at Leopardstown, on Wednesday.

“We started the week in the region of soft to heavy but we had a lovely dry, sunny day yesterday.

“This morning the going description was yielding to soft, soft in places on the chase track and soft, soft to heavy in places on the hurdle course.

“Today is a very windy day and we are expecting a few blustery showers this afternoon, maybe in the region of two to three millimetres, but beyond that we look set fair.

All roads lead to @LeopardstownRC for the #DublinRacingFestival this weekend – follow the action live on @RTE2 and the @RTEplayer from 1pm on Saturday & Sunday #RTEracing pic.twitter.com/rDUZ0v3HGf
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) February 3, 2023

“It’s a bit breezy but with bright spells and quite mild (temperatures) at the weekend, so lovely weather for racing.”

The Dublin Racing Festival has been well attended since its inception in 2018 and this year is no exception as hospitality and premium level access tickets are sold out, although there are general admission tickets still available in advance and on the gate.

“We’re expecting a really good crowd, we’re completely sold out in hospitality and our Premier Level access is sold out and has been for some time,” said Hedley.

“General admission tickets are still available, we’re encouraging people to book online but there will be a few tickets that are still available on the gate.”

Of the calibre of racing expected over the weekend, Hedley added: “We’ve got the presence of Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup and State Man in the Champion Hurdle, we’ve always known those horses were going to run and they are incredibly strong.

“In the supporting races there is a lot of strength in depth, the novice races are going to be really exciting and informative and there are some very strong handicaps, too.

“It’s going to be a great weekend, we’re really looking forward to it.”