All eyes are on Leopardstown this weekend for the Dublin Racing Festival, the meeting that has rapidly established itself as the main precursor to the Cheltenham Festival in March.
But the meeting has a quality standalone aspect, with no fewer than eight Grade 1 races across two action-packed days at the Foxrock venue.
On Saturday, they have seven races from 13.15-16.35, including four Grade 1s with the Irish Gold Cup (15.30) taking top billing. We've previewed that race and the supporting action from Leopardstown on day one of the DRF.
15.30 - Irish Gold Cup (Grade 1, 3m)
Willie Mullins harvested all the Grade 1 prizes at this meeting a year ago and the Closutton powerhouse could be eyeing something similar again.
Mullins accounts for six of the 10-strong Irish Gold Cup field, including GALOPIN DES CHAMPS as he goes in search of a hat-trick in the race. The nine-year-old was beaten into third by stablemate Fact To File in the John Durkan at Punchestown on his seasonal bow but that was over a trip shorter than optimal at a track where Galopin has proved vulnerable in his career.
At Leopardstown, he's unbeaten over fences, putting Fact To File in his place at Christmas when he won the Savills Chase by more than seven lengths to make it 6-6 in chases at the track.
Paul Townend made all that day but his two Cheltenham Gold Cup wins on board Galopin Des Champs illustrate his tactical versatility and they should prove superior as they tee up a crack at a third Gold Cup in the Cotswolds next month.
Fact To File was still best of the rest at Christmas, with plenty of these a long way behind including Inothewayurthinkin (fifth), Grangeclare West (sixth), Conflated (seventh), Minella Cocooner (eighth) and I Am Maximus (pulled up), while Hewick was beaten in a three-mile Grade 1 hurdles race here the same day.
Mark Walsh may try something different on Fact To File this time, in a bid to turn things back around, but there are so few kinks in Galopin Des Champs at this trip and track that he will require a herculean effort to achieve it.
Monty's Star for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore was behind Mullins' Embassy Gardens at Tramore on New Year's Day. This track could help him turn the form around and he's a stout stayer for whom the Gold Cup at Cheltenham remains a target. He's worth keeping very close tabs on with that contest in mind as the extra two furlongs in the Cotswolds could be ideal.
SELECTION: GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
NEXT BEST: MONTY'S STAR
13.15 - Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m6f)
No messing around at the DRF as the opening race is of the Grade 1 variety. This time, it's five of the dozen representing Team Mullins, with Final Demand heading the betting after declarations.
The son of Walk In The Park cruised to victory at Limerick on heavy ground at Christmas on his Rules bow in the hands of Danny Mullins, with the second and third scoring next time out for Gordon Elliott and Gavin Cromwell respectively.
That bare form will require improving on now if he's to remain unbeaten. We have seen in the past that the Mullins team can provide a shock winner in this contest, so the likes of Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux, Joystick, Sounds Victorious and Supersundae cannot be ignored.
Gordon Elliott has sidestepped this meeting with some of his bigger names and WINGMEN could be one to outrun a tasty price for the Cullentra team.
The Navan maiden winner hadn't the speed to go with Country Mile at Cheltenham over 2m1f in December and then finished third behind stablemate The Yellow Clay and the aforementioned Supersundae in the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas over 2m4f last time out, with Jasmin De Vaux disappointing behind in fourth.
He pressed on some way from home in that contest and got a bit tired but he may be more conservatively ridden by Danny Gilligan now amongst the Closutton posse. It could yet prove that a proper stamina test, run accordingly, is what Wingmen wants.
SELECTION: WINGMEN
NEXT BEST: FINAL DEMAND
13.50 - Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m)
In the first Grade 1 in which Mullins isn't set to saddle the favourite, that honour is likely bestowed on Hello Neighbour for the Gavin Cromwell team. The Harzand gelding was 2-2 on the Flat and transitioned smoothly to hurdling when bagging a Grade 2 over course and distance on St Stephen's Day, with a short-head splitting him and the re-opposing Lady Vega Allen.
The runner-up didn't get the best passage in that contest and is back for another crack on 1lb worse terms, while the Christmas winner sports a first-time hood now.
The Mullins team also saddle Sony Bill, Willy De Houelle and SAINTE LUCIE, with Townend on the last-named.
She left some fair rivals strung out like the washing when easily winning at Punchestown on New Year's Eve on her first start after arriving from France and with the stable jockey on her side, she looks best of the Closutton quartet. If so, that could be good enough to win here.
SELECTION: SAINTE LUCIE
NEXT BEST: LADY VEGA ALLEN
2.55 - Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase (Grade 1, 2m)
Last season's Triumph Hurdle hero MAJBOROUGH left a lasting impression when making a winning chase bow at Fairyhouse in December.
Mark Walsh's partner led home stablemates Tullyhill and Asian Master, making every yard and jumping superbly well. On that evidence he looks the best of the Irish novices at this minimum trip.
His stablemate Ile Atlantique beat Firefox by five lengths in the Grade 2 Racing Post Novice Chase just after the New Year and could make this a bit of Mullins benefit.
Touch Me Not, the second Elliott contender alongside Firefox, was second-best behind top UK novice L'Eau Du Sud at Sandown in a Grade 1 at the start of December and has a squeak of causing an upset.
SELECTION: MAJBOROUGH
NEXT BEST: TOUCH ME NOT
