Which 10 horses could steal the show at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival?

At the end of January, National Hunt fanatics will descend on Leopardstown Racecourse, for the Dublin Racing Festival. 

One of the highlights of the National Hunt calendar, the DRF always attracts some of the best horses, trainers and jockeys in the business.

The Dublin Racing Festival is held annually at Leopardstown, with the showpiece races namely the Irish Gold Cup and the Irish Champion Hurdle.

It is the last major meeting before the Cheltenham Festival and offers vital clues towards what could occur in March. 

Sports News Blitz’s racing expert, Kieran McHugh, has picked out 10 horses which he believes you should be keeping an eye on before the Leopardstown extravaganza begins on January 31.

Everyone will be all over the likes of Galopin Des Champs, Lossiemouth and Final Demand, so he’s selected ten horses that might have slipped under your radar.

Talk The Talk (trainer: Joseph O’Brien)

This five-year-old novice hurdler was desperately unlucky when falling at the last in the Grade One novice hurdle, over two miles.

He had just arrived on the scene before tumbling and looked set to go on and put the race to bed. 

That is about the only thing he has done wrong so far in his career and with his owners fighting off some interested parties, he could be one to keep an eye on in the two mile novice hurdle, on February 1.

If all goes well there, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival surely beckons.

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Davy Crockett (Willie Mullins)

There is a high chance that Davy Crockett could find himself in the same race as Talk The Talk at the DRF.

Owned by leading owner JP McManus, Wilie Mullins’ charge is regally bred. His parents are near triple crown hero Camelot and multiple Grade One winning champion hurdler Annie Power. 

Now, I will take a moment to apologise for anybody still triggered by her fall in the Mares’ Hurdle…

Davy Crockett has not been seen since September 2025 due to a setback he suffered, which is a concern. 

However, he has not done anything wrong in his career thus far and he still holds an entry at Leopardstown. 

I certainly would not write him off just yet.

Doctor Du Mesnil (Willie Mullins)

This son of Doctor Dino suffered mixed fortunes when we last saw him at Leopardstown on Boxing Day. 

The six-year-old had a tall order to climb when making his first start in eight months, with Supreme Novices’ favourite, El Cairos, among his rivals.

He was two lengths down on El Cairos before Jack Kennedy’s mount suffered the most slow motion, dramatic fall you are likely to see this year. 

Doctor Du Mesnil may have profited from that fall but ultimately fell just short of victory on the day after being denied a nose by the much fitter Murat. 

All things considered, that was not such a bad comeback run. 

Doctor Du Mesnil is expected to step up in trip at the DRF and that division looks wide open. 

If he runs well, then his price for the Turners’ or the Albert Bartlett will surely tumble.

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I’ll Sort That (Declan Queally)

The final novice hurdler in our list. I’ll Sort That is the only one of these to have already won a Grade One - the rescheduled Ballymore Novice Hurdle. 

This did not come as much of a surprise to me, perhaps not wishing to side with the Mullins’ battalion.

But the Declan Queally-trained and ridden gelding had a better chance on the form that day.

Yes, he had 12 lengths to make up on Sortudo but he is a much improved article now. 

It is not a surprise to see him step up further, but he ticks a lot of boxes and we know he can duel in a finish. 

He dictated things at the front of the field and never looked back, even when facing pressure from his opponents. 

It is good to see someone else achieve top level success and Declan Queally might have a good one on his hands. 

Irish Panther (Eddie and Patrick Harty)

I must confess, it was somewhat of a shock when Romeo Coolio did not dispatch the Irish Panther on Boxing Day, only just prevailing.

Maybe Romeo Coolio needs the step up in distance but that was a very good Grade One, run at a very fast pace.

Before Boxing Day at Leopardstown, Irish Panther had won his two chase starts by a combined 39 lengths. Perhaps the evidence was there all along. 

He is entered in the Irish Arkle and that is currently headed by last year’s Supreme Novices’ victor, Kopek Des Bordes. 

He is certainly a talent, as is Kargese, who receives the Mares’ allowance. 

But this is jump racing and the spectacle that Irish Panther put on against Romeo Coolio puts him in with a shout of potentially upsetting the Mullins’ brigade. 

Poniros (Willie Mullins)

Poniros will be making his first foray in open company, after a fruitful novice campaign.

In two starts last year, Poniros won the Triumph Hurdle at 100/1 and finished runner-up in the Irish equivalent to Lulamba, who is the Arkle favourite. 

That’s an impressive record so far and he remains the only horse to defeat Lulamba.

He is yet to run in open company over hurdles, last being seen at Royal Ascot on the Flat. 

So, it could be fair to say that we have not seen the best of Poniros. 

The gelding holds an entry into the Irish Champion Hurdle, at the DRF, and would make his first start at Leopardstown. 

Considering there is no State Man and seemingly no real danger to Lossiemouth, could the five-year-old be a dark horse in the two-mile hurdling scene?

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El Fabiolo (Willie Mullins)

Now, I know the way you are thinking… How can a Grade One winning chaser and former Arkle winner have gone under the radar? 

Truth be told, he probably has more attention on him than most in this list. But it is warranted.

His jumping had gone to pot over fences, crashing out of three of his last four chases. So, his return to hurdling on New Year’s Eve was of considerable interest.

That run seemed to spark something in him, almost looking like the El Fabiolo of old.

His jumping was slick and he was clocking some fast times throughout, enough to beg the question - could he run in the Champion Hurdle?

He is entered into the Irish equivalent and if both stand their ground, we will see just how he stacks up to Lossiemouth. 

Make no mistake, this horse is no slouch. Not many horses have beaten Jonbon, especially in his prime, this guy has.

Lecky Watson (Willie Mullins)

Last year’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winner has struggled since moving into open company. 

He finished seventh in the John Durkan and the Savills Chase also. So, you would imagine the Irish Gold Cup could also be a struggle and possibly so.

However, Lecky Watson is a front runner and likes to make his own pace, with virtually all of his victories coming when he has dictated proceedings. 

This is something that he has not had the opportunity to do recently. 

He could have a job of doing that against the likes of Galopin Des Champs, but I would not write him off just yet.

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McLaurey (Emmet Mullins)

The DRF has no shortage of handicaps and in true fashion, you could have better luck sticking a pin and praying to the racing Gods. 

It is no secret that JP McManus loves a big handicap victory, or any big victory.

McLaurey might just be the one to provide him with that at Leopardstown. Emmet Mullins’ charge has been a bit of an enigma.

It seems that he prefers the longer distances, so you can write off his previous run at Naas over two miles. 

He does have some good form dotted through his record, and if the money comes for him at the DRF it would not be a surprise. 

Search For Glory (Gordon Elliott)

Having sided with him at Leopardstown, only for him to be downed by an old favourite in Favori De Champdou, I could not omit him from this list. 

And yes, for those wondering, it still hurts now.

For that reason, I shall not be deserting him, if he runs at Leopardstown. 

He could end up facing the aforementioned McLaurey and if I am honest, I think he would prefer the out-and-out three miles.

It might be worth catching him if he returns for another stab at the Ultima, at the Cheltenham Festival in March. 

He was only raised slightly by the handicapper and if Sam Ewing was to side with him, he would be a major player.

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