Dublin Racing Festival tips and preview: Irish Arkle, Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and more with Mullins dominating Grade 1 fields

Leopardstown holds one of the best racing festivals this weekend with four Grade 1 contests to kick things off on Saturday and another four on Sunday.

If you can’t wait for Cheltenham Festival or are struggling to get excited for the big event then the Dublin Racing Festival will certainly help with many trainers using this as their final preparation run.

First is a 2m6f hurdle consisting of novices that have only really been seen a handful of times over the jumps.

There’s nine currently entered into this but there’s no certainties with those living up to high expectations, while outsiders of of the field may well prove to have better potentials with this deciding run.

Quais De Paris is an interesting one at 9/1, trained by Willie Mullins in the famous colours of Rich Ricci, who has only been seen twice winning on New Years Day at Tramore.

But this sort of race can be best watched before cementing decisions with too many factors and unknowns at play.

Dublin Racing Festival tips

Spring Juvenile Hurdle preview and tip

This four-year-old also trained by Mullins and owned by Mrs S Ricci however, is already living up to high expectations and is a short priced favourite this weekend in Dublin.

Just three hurdle races since April 2022 but has won all three comfortably and with a fair bit in hand.

This will be much of the same but will have a battle on his hands in the form of stablemate Blood Destiny (9/4), who is rated 3lb higher but will be carrying 7lb in total higher for the filly’s allowance.

Irish Arkle Novice Chase preview and tip

Banbridge 9/2

This Arkle Novice could be regarded in years to come as a real treat to behold with all eight runners boasting wins and an abundance of promise.

But this race should help separate and give further scope to those who have Grade 1s in their future.

Appreciate It is the clear favourite now – placing seventh behind Honeysuckle in last year’s Cheltenham Festival Champion Hurdle.

Now switched to chasing, the Mullins gelding has proven to be just as good over fences.

He has two Festival entries this year: the Arkle on Tuesday (5/1) and the Turners Novices’ Chase on Thursday.

Though all eight runners have shown an aptitude for chasing with Mullins training five of them.

But Banbridge can be the value bet for trainer Joseph Patrick O’Brien.

He’s shown real capability now chasing, winning well to Tommy’s Oscar at Cheltenham in November and a respectable third at Fairyhouse in December.

Excels over this shorter trip and has a record of 811711 in all rules races when facing a distance of 2m-2m1f.

Irish Gold Cup preview and tip

Now rated 175 this top-class chaser hasn’t put a foot wrong since falling at Cheltenham Festival in the Turners Novices’ Chase last year.

Would have won that by a distance too, just like his subsequent victories at Fairyhouse and Punchestown since.

Ladbrokes Novice Chase preview and tip

Mighty Potter 9/4

Now we move onto Sunday’s Grade 1 contests, with the Ladbrokes Novice Chase over 2m5f.

Mighty Potter is the favourite after beating Gaillard Du Mesnil, which has boosted the winners chances as the seven-year-old went on to win later that month.

But that was over 3m and Mighty Potter should benefit the most from this trip.

He also finished ahead of Banbridge who’s been tipped for the Irish Arkle.

Depending on the final field though, Journey With Me provides a great option as an each-way bet considering his close second to the impressive Impervious at Punchestown in January.

Irish Champion Hurdle preview and tip

Honeysuckle 7/4

The Champion Hurdle is dominated by Vauban, Honeysuckle and the frontrunner State Man.

Honeysuckle is used to being the odds-on favourite but her race at Fairyhouse last time out was her first defeat, ever, after 17 races and 16 victories.

She was beaten by Teahupoo and Klassical Dream which suggests there was something awry that day.

Teahupoo had previously been beaten by Honeysuckle earlier in the year by a combined 58 lengths from two contests at Cheltenham Festival and Punchestown.

The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding has improved though, following that win up with a 3m victory to Summerville Boy, so it’s difficult to discount Honeysuckle at this price.

State Man is the favourite though with a dominant record in 2022 winning all five races by a combined 28 and a half lengths including three Grade 1s.

All odds correct at time of writing

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