Stable star Galopin Des Champs leads Willie Mullins’ battalion into the 2025 Dublin Racing Festival, as he looks to take Leopardstown by storm once again.
The master handler enjoyed total domination on this weekend last year, scooping each of the eight grade ones in an unprecedented achievement, and the question on everyone’s lips is whether he can manage the same feat again.
He saddles the favourite for the majority of the weekend’s big races, as well as the next best in big events such as the Irish Gold Cup and Irish Champion Hurdle, giving him every chance of another early spring clean sweep.
The likes of Gordon Elliott, Henry De Bromhead and Gavin Cromwell will at least hope to partly stop the Mullins dominance, bringing a decent squad of their own to the party.
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Hat-trick hero? Galopin Des Champs. Sportsfile.
It’s set to be another blockbuster weekend at the Foxrock track, with racing across Saturday and Sunday as well as live music, hospitality, potentially good weather and other festivities to boot, adding to the atmosphere.
Can Galopin Des Champs complete Irish Gold Cup hat-trick?
The two-time Irish Gold Cup winner loves it around the south-Dublin track, and is on course for a third victory in a row in the race.
The main danger will be his stable-mate, the JP McManus owned Fact To File who knows what it takes to beat the kingpin, having come out on top in their John Durkan duel in Punchestown back in November.
But Galopin Des Champs turned the tables over Christmas on the same track and will look to keep his nose in front once again, under the guidance of the champion jockey Paul Townend.
Other high quality horses such as Monty's Star and Hewick will hope to spoil the Closutton party but face a stiff task, against one of the best chasers the game has seen, and the highly rated Fact to File.
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Monty's Star is ridden by Rachael Blackmore and trained by Henry De Bromhead while Hewick is a fan-favourite, having delivered many big prizes for trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon in the past.
Mullins duo set for Irish Champion Hurdle showdown
Like Galopin Des Champs, State Man is also on track for a Leopardstown hat-trick, having won the last two renewals of the Irish Champion Hurdle.
But his dominance of the division on Irish soil was stopped by the Gordon Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead at Christmas. Elliott's horse is heading straight to Cheltenham, but it sets up another dust-up for a Willie Mullins duo.
As a two-time Cheltenham festival winner, Lossiemouth is a classy hurdler in her own right and the beautiful grey mare will have plenty of admirers in the market, though State man has been irresistible in this race in years gone by.
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Lossiemouth. Sportsfile.
So who will come out on top. The young pretender or the old master? Or could a bolter dart up in between them to shock us all, perhaps, Winter Fog, another from the Willie Mullins stable.
A fairytale in the Arkle?
It was a Christmas miracle in Leopardstown when Jeannot Lapin - one of the tallest horses in training at 18 hands high - shocked everyone to win the beginners chase at odds of 150/1.
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Jeannot Lapin. Sportsfile.
It's a step-up in class here taking on the Willie Mullins' trained Majborough and potentially Ile Atlantique as well, but Gearoid O'Loughlin and Ricky Doyle will be hoping for a February fairytale.
Can Joseph O'Brien and Solness strike again in Ladbrokes Dublin Chase?
Everything Joseph O'Brien touched turned to gold over Christmas, winning the King George with Banbridge and a Grade One chase in Leopardstown with Solness, at odds of 33/1.
There's no way he'll be as friendless in the market this time around with the surprise factor gone, but maybe he can strike again to beat Gaelic Warrior once more in Sunday's Ladbrokes Dublin Chase.
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Gaelic Warrior will be fancied to turn it around for Willie Mullins and Townend but for all his brilliance, he doesn't have the best record in Leopardstown and Solness had his measure last time around.
Can Gordon Elliott take the Ladbrokes Novice Chase?
Willie Mullins is mob-handed in Sunday's Ladbrokes Novice Chase, with Ballyburn, Champ Kiely and Impaire Et Passe all entered in the race.
The previously untouchable Ballyburn came unstuck over Christmas losing out to Sir Gino at Kempton. Gordon Elliott will be hoping that Croke Park can land a blow for his yard.
Eight Grade Ones, loads of other high class races. The Dublin Racing Festival is the place to be this weekend.