Confirmed runners and riders for day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown

Cheltenham Gold Cup favorite Galopin Des Champs will take on six rivals when he tackles three miles over fences for the first time in Saturday’s Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.05), with his trainer Willie Mullins responsible for over half the explanations in Class 1s on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.

Galopin Des Champs is yet to be defeated on the fence finisher and recorded his fourth pursuit win at the John Durkan at Punchestown in December. The 5-4 Gold Cup favorite will be joined by 2021 race-winning stablemates Kemboy, Stattler and Franco De Port. Gordon Elliott’s Fury Road, a Grade 1 winner in distance and novice distance, last year’s Grand National runner-up Any Second Now and Troytown winner The Big Dog complete the line-up.

Seventeen of the 32 horses competing in Saturday’s four top-level competitions are coached by Mullins, with just one of Appreciate It, Dysart Dynamo and El Fabiolo breaking their unbeaten records over fences at the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase (2.30), in which the trainer also saddles Flame Bearer and Saint Roi. Fil Dor will look to reverse form with the latter while Cheltenham Grade 2 winner Banbridge falls back after his third-placed attempt at the Drinmore last time out.

Ascending and Darraby are the only four-year-olds not trained by Mullins to compete in the Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle (1.55), with Lossiemouth, favorite of Triumph Hurdle, having chances to win four from four via hurdles against Blood Destiny, Gala Marceau, Gust Of Wind, Tekao, Cinsa and Jourdefete.

The Mullins Grade 1 squad will be contested by Grangeclare West and Quais De Paris in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (1.20), in which Good Land leads the market for Barry Connell. Weveallbeencaught, who last time beat eventual Grade 2 winners Rock My Way at Cheltenham, is a rare British challenger for Nigel Twiston-Davies.

There is also Irish Class 1 interest in the UK on Saturday as Elliott sends his undefeated pursuer Gerri Colombe to compete in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase (2.20) at Sandown. Owned by Robcour, the seven-year-old will be ridden by Jordan Gainford as he attempts to repeat his success at the Faugheen Novice Chase in Limerick on Boxing Day.

Gerri Colombe’s back-to-back bid for Grade 1 stands in the way of Monmiral and Thunder Rock, who chased The Real Whacker home in the Dipper on New Year’s Day, while Nicky Henderson’s Balco Coastal and Bowtogreatness are both rising from handicap society.

Runners and Riders of the Irish Gold Cup

Any second now Markus Walsch
Franco dePort Danny Mullins
rage street David Russell
Gallopin des Champs Paul Townend
Kemboy Rachel Blackmore
steward Patrick Mulins
The big dog Keith Donoghue

Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.05 Leopardstown, Saturday)

Paddy Power: 1-3 Galopin Des Champs, 9-2 Stadler, 12 Kemboy, 20 Fury Road, The Big Dog, 33 Any Second Now, 50 Franco De Port

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