The 2024 Dublin Racing Festival comes to a close on Sunday and viewers have got another excellent card to take in.
Four more Grade Ones feature on the card, which is headlined by the Irish Champion Hurdle. Here are our best betting tips for all eight races at Leopardstown on Sunday.
I haven't got a strong opinion on any of the runners in this wide-open handicap. One that I do like at a lengthy price is BELLE THE LIONESS (25/1), who won't have been suited by heavy ground on either of her starts this term.
Henry De Bromhead's seven-year-old ran up to a decent level as a novice last season, placing second in a Listed contest before recording a maiden win at Thurles. Belle The Lioness should relish the track here at Leopardstown and she enters this contest carrying a workable weight.
1:10pm Leopardstown - Ladbrokes Novice Chase Tips
If this race was being run at Fairyhouse or Punchestown, then GAELIC WARRIOR (5/6) would be the long odds-on favourite. Willie Mullins' star has jumped markedly out to his right on all of his racecourse appearances and his record around left-handed tracks is average.
That being said, Gaelic Warrior is far more experienced than his stablemate. Mullins' star comfortably saw off Il Etait Temps when winning the Grade One at Limerick over Christmas, and that form was boosted yesterday. I wouldn't fancy Gaelic Warrior's chances around Cheltenham, but it'll be far easier to get away with jumping right here at Leopardstown, where it often pays to take a wider route. 5/6 might turn out to be a very decent price if the favourite's class carries him home.
1:40pm Leopardstown - Novice Hurdle Tips
Ballyburn is the overwhelming favourite to win this Grade One. Willie Mullins' star bolted up over two-and-a-half miles on his second hurdles start at Christmas, and I can't see this drop back to the minimum distance being a problem for the market leader.
While I'm fairly sure Ballyburn will win, I'm going to have a punt on DADDY LONG LEGS (10/1) at a double-figure price.
Following an excellent maiden hurdle triumph at Thurles, Willie Mullins' five-year-old was sent off as the favourite for the Grade One at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival. Sadly, it was clear from an early stage that the market leader was hating the heavy ground and Paul Townend pulled his mount up well before the finish. Nicer ground this weekend is sure to suit Daddy Long Legs, who looks more of a natural over two miles than Farren Glory or Slade Steel, who'll be seen to best effect over longer distances.
Danny Mullins riding Gentleman De Mee clear the last to win The Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown. (Getty)
2:10pm Leopardstown - Dublin Chase Tips
We saw last weekend at Cheltenham, where Jonbon was beaten in the Clarence House, that no horse is a certainty in National Hunt racing. El Fabiolo is fully entitled to win this race with ease, but I'm inclined to take the market leader on with his stablemate and defending champion, GENTLEMAN DE MEE (7/1).
Willie Mullins' eight-year-old extended his excellent record during the second half of the season by thrashing Blue Lord by seven lengths in this race last season. Gentleman De Mee ran well in defeat to Dinoblue in the Grade One here at Leopardstown over Christmas and a glance through his resume will tell you that Mullins' eight-year-old improves plenty for his seasonal reappearance.
Paul Townend's mount wouldn't have enjoyed the extra juice in the ground over Christmas either, so quicker going on Sunday will certainly suit.
Only one of the last nine winners of this race has returned a price longer than 12/1. With that stat in mind, and given how well his horses are punted during this meeting, it's strange to see that Willie Mullins has such a poor record in this handicap, with just five of his last 35 runners managing to hit the frame.
I'm going to back two who sit fairly prominently in the market, starting with PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS (12/1), who'll carry just 9-9 thanks to Conor Stone-Walsh's claimer. Things haven't gone to plan for Gavin Cromwell's seven-year-old on his last two starts at Fairyhouse, but Perceval Legallois did jump well when winning on his chasing debut at Galway and ran out a convincing winner of the three-mile handicap hurdle staged during this meeting 12 months ago.
HOLLOW GAMES (16/1) also enters this handicap on the back of two under-par performances in high-profile races. Both of those contests were run over three miles on heavy ground - far from ideal conditions for a horse who impressed over the minimum distance as a novice. This intermediate trip should be ideal for Jack Kennedy's mount and Gordon Elliott will fancy his eight-year-old's chances.
3:50pm Leopardstown - Handicap Hurdle Tips
The form of the Royal Bond Novices' Hurdle will be advertised in this handicap, with third-placed An Tobar sitting prominently in the market. BIALYSTOCK (12/1) did well to finish a very close fourth in that Grade One, having been forced widest of all to challenge from the rear.
Willie Mullins seems to have had his six-year-old laid out for this handicap, which Ireland's Champion Trainer won with Gaelic Warrior 12 months ago. I wouldn't be surprised to see Rich and Susannah Ricci's colours in the winners' enclosure once again.
4:25pm Leopardstown - Mares I.N.H. Flat Race Tips
Who knows which of Willie Mullins' quartet has the best chance in this card-closing bumper, so I'm going to round off my Dublin Racing Festival with a small each-way punt on one of the outsiders of the field, SWITCH FROM DIESEL (33/1).
An impressive winner at Tipperary in October, Seamus Fahey's mare ran a blinder against the geldings here in December, finishing a close third behind Jalon D'oudairies and Redemption Day. Switch From Diesel, placed second to Baby Kate and Sharp Object on her first couple of starts, will be partnered by Champion Bumper winning rider, John Gleeson on Sunday. This consistent five-year-old has been massively underestimated.
Verdict
Dublin Racing Festival Day 2 Top Tips:
Best Bet1: Gaelic Warrior 1:10pm Leopardstown @5/6 at BoyleSports - 15 Units
Best Bet2: Daddy Long Legs E/W 1:40pm Leopardstown @10/1 at bet365 - 10 Units
Best Bet3: Bialystok E/W 3:50pm Leopardstown @12/1 at QuinnBet - 10 Units
Best Bet4: Switch From Diesel E/W 4:25pm Leopardstown @33/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
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