The rematch between Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File is set to be one of the highlights of this weekend’s ticket-only Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, with both horses standing their ground today at the latest entry stage for Saturday’s Grade 1 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

It was Fact To File who came out on top when these two met in the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase in November, but Galopin Des Champs reversed places with his stable companion – both horses are trained by Willie Mullins – in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival. In so doing, Galopin Des Champs became the first horse since Beef Or Salmon (2004-05) to land back-to-back renewals of the Savills Chase, and on Saturday, Audrey Turley’s horse will bid to become the first horse since Florida Pearl (1999-2001) to complete a hat-trick of victories in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

The champion trainer has also entered Embassy Gardens, a Grade 3 winner last season as a novice who made just about all the running to win the O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore on his debut this season, as well as Grangeclare West, Minella Cocooner and last year’s Aintree Grand National hero I Am Maximus.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Monty’s Star, second behind Embassy Gardens at Tramore on New Year’s Day, also holds an entry in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, as does the Mouse Morris-trained Gentlemansgame. Gordon Elliott’s horse Conflated, winner of the race in 2022, is also entered, with the Gavin Cromwell-trained Inothewayurthinkin, winner of the Kim Muir at Cheltenham last year, and the Tara Lee Cogan-trained Hewick, the 2023 King George VI Chase winner, completing the list of entries.

Willie Mullins is responsible for four of the six remaining entries in Sunday’s Irish Champion Hurdle, with Lossiemouth and State Man dominating the market.

An impressive winner of the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in early December on her seasonal debut, Lossiemouth finished second behind Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton last time. Dual Irish Champion Hurdle winner State Man was also beaten on his most recent run, finishing third behind Brighterdaysahead and Winter Fog in the Neville Hotels Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Mullins quartet

Winter Fog also holds an entry in the Irish Champion Hurdle, with Daddy Long Legs completing the Willie Mullins quartet. Gordon Elliott is represented by Fils D’Oudairies, fourth behind Constitution Hill in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday, with the Vincent Halley-trained Senecia, who also holds an entry in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase on Sunday, completing the sextet.

There are eight Grade 1 races spread across the two days of the Dublin Racing Festival. The weekend gets under way with the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle, in which 14 horses have stood their ground. Gordon Elliott is responsible for four of the 14, including Sporting Glory, an impressive winner of his maiden hurdle at Galway in October, while Declan Queally has entered Mozzies Sister, who finished second in the Grade 2 Lyons of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Novice Hurdle at Limerick over Christmas, and Des Kenneally has entered Pray Tell, who stayed on strongly to win a Grade 3 contest at Cork in early December. Willie Mullins is responsible for five of the entries, including Final Demand, impressive when winning his maiden hurdle on his hurdling debut at Limerick over Christmas, and Supersundae, who finished second behind The Yellow Clay in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle three weeks ago.

Hello Neighbour, Lady Vega Allen and Sony Bill, first, second and third respectively in the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas, all stand their ground in the Grade 1 Gannon’s City Recycling and Recovery Services Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday. There was only a short head between the Gavin Cromwell-trained winner and the Willie Mullins-trained runner-up then, with the runner-up’s stable companion seven lengths back in third. Another stable companion, Sainte Lucie, was impressive in winning her maiden hurdle at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, and she holds an entry in the race, as does the Declan Queally-trained Bacchanalian, an easy winner at Fairyhouse three weeks ago.

Six horses have stood their ground in the other Grade 1 race on Saturday, the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase, including the Willie Mullins-trained Majborough, last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner who jumped well when he won on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse last month, and the Gordon Elliott-trained Touch Me Not, winner of the Grade 2 Craddockstown Novice Chase at Punchestown in November. The Gearoid O’Loughlin-trained Jeannot Lapin sprang a 150/1 shock when he won his beginners’ chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, and he stands his ground, as does the Gordon Elliott-trained Firefox and the Patrick Neville-trained Here Comes Georgie, winner of four of his five races over hurdles and fences in Britain this season so far.

Ballyburn heads the list of entries for the first Grade 1 contest on Sunday, the Ladbrokes Novice Chase. Winner of the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, and his beginners’ chase over two miles and three furlongs at Punchestown in November, Willie Mullins’ horse finished second behind Sir Gino in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Chase over two miles at Kempton last time, but he will be stepping back up in trip to two miles and five and a half furlongs here. He could face stiff competition from his stable companions Champ Kiely, Impaire Et Passe and Ile Atlantique, and from the Gordon Elliott-trained pair, Croke Park and Better Days Ahead, first and second in the Grade 1 Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas.

Gaelic Warrior and Marine Nationale finished second and third respectively behind Solness in the Grade 1 Paddys Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, and all three horses are on track to clash again in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Dublin Chase. The Joseph O’Brien-trained winner had race fitness on his side last time, but he stuck to his task admirably and saw off all challengers. Marine Nationale won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival two years ago, and Barry Connell’s horse could come forward for his run at Christmas, as could Gaelic Warrior, who was making his seasonal debut at Leopardstown.

Kopek Des Bordes and Kaid d’Authie both won maiden hurdles at the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown, and Willie Mullins’ horses both hold entries in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. The Gordon Elliott-trained Bleu De Vassy, winner of the Grade 3 For Auction Hurdle at Navan in November and second behind his stable companion Romeo Coolio in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, has also reamained – he also still holds an entry in the opening contest on Saturday – as has the Warren Greatrex-trained Good And Clever, who finished second behind Potters Charm in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on St Stephen’s Day.