Few weekends on the National Hunt calendar generate the same level of excitement as the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown – and the 2026 renewal looks set to be another incredible weekend of racing.
Scheduled to take place at the end of January, this two-day meeting has firmly established itself as one of the most important fixtures of the Irish racing season. The reason? Not only do the most elite horses compete against each other, but punters also get clues ahead of the Cheltenham Festival while soaking up a vibrant atmosphere that draws racing fans from both Ireland and overseas.
With multiple Grade 1 races on the card and many of the sport’s biggest names on show, Leopardstown becomes the ultimate hub of jump racing for one action-packed weekend.
So, whether you’re a serious bettor hoping to not only line your pockets but also grab some antepost value ahead of the rest of the season, or a casual racing fan wanting to witness stars in action, the Dublin Racing Festival should be firmly on your radar.
Below, we take a closer look at what’s in store from Saturday 31st January to Sunday 1st February, before diving into a few Irish profiles worth keeping tabs on at the Festival and beyond.
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Saturday 31st January
The opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival traditionally sets the tone for the weekend. Saturday’s action at Leopardstown is once again stacked with high-class contests throughout the card.
The gates typically open around 11am, which allows fans plenty of time to explore the track and head to the paddock ahead of the first race.
Once the action starts, it rarely lets up, with a mix of competitive handicaps and Grade 1 showpieces that will showcase both emerging talent and established racing legends competing for pride and big payouts.
One of the centrepieces of Saturday is the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle. This is a race that often provides a crucial indicator for the Triumph Hurdle picture at Cheltenham – for those who already have one eye on March’s races.
Year after year, Leopardstown has proven to be a testing ground for young hurdlers, and we’re expecting 2026 to be no different.
The standout contest is without doubt the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup. Described as Ireland’s most important staying chase, it provides a definitive guide to those wanting to compete in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Winners and strong performers in the Irish Gold Cup are almost guaranteed to be near the top of the betting market for March – and the race rarely fails to deliver drama.
Stamina and jumping under pressure are qualities required to come out on top in this race, particularly up Leopardstown’s punishing home straight. Horses that stay on strongly and can quicken after the last fence tend to catch the eye among bettors, and fans will be watching closely for any performance that stamps a horse as a genuine championship contender.
Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs is the headline act once again this year, and will be looking to add to his stellar record at Leopardstown and possibly extend his unbeaten form over fences at the track.
After winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third time last year, his trainer said: “There’s no end to him. He’s just a real champion.”
Elsewhere on the card, the supporting races are far from fillers. Competitive handicaps offer opportunities for well-handicapped horses to make a name for themselves, while maiden hurdles often introduce future stars to the wider racing public.
Trainers frequently use these races to test Cheltenham-bound horses under near-festival conditions, adding an extra layer of intrigue to keen bettors hoping to get a first glimpse of a potential big-priced future winner.
As for horses to keep an eye on across the day, Saturday often belongs to those with proven Leopardstown form. Horses that travel strongly, jump fluently and handle a strong gallop tend to thrive here, especially when the ground is on the testing side.
As always, we expect the Irish-trained runners to dominate the betting, with yards known for peaking their horses in mid-winter particularly well represented.
By the time the final race is run, racing fans will be hoping to have a clearer picture of who could be a major player come March.
Sunday 1st February
If Saturday sets the standard, Sunday at the Dublin Racing Festival often raises the bar even higher.
Traditionally viewed as the marquee day, Sunday’s card features some of the most prestigious races of the entire National Hunt season, drawing elite horses and the best jockeys in the game to Leopardstown from across Ireland and the UK.
Once again, the racing runs from the afternoon into the early evening, with crowds building steadily throughout the day. The atmosphere on Sunday is often electric, with every big race greeted by a buzz that underlines just how important this meeting has become to everyone involved in the sport.
The Dublin Chase, another Grade 1 race, is the main focal point of the day. Run over two miles, it regularly attracts elite chasers with Champion Chase aspirations in two months’ time. The tight turns and demanding finish at Leopardstown reward accuracy and tactical speed, making it a fascinating race to watch and analyse.
Joseph O’Brien is set to run both Banbridge and Solness. Racing fans will know all about Banbridge, who has previously won the King George VI Chase at Kempton, while Solness has previously impressed with an authoritative Grade 1 success at Leopardstown, giving O’Brien a powerful one‑two punch in Ireland’s premier two‑mile event.
Opposing them are well-established names from Willie Mullins. The champion trainer has entered Energumene, a proven Grade 1 performer over fences, as well as last year’s Dublin Chase winner El Fabiolo, who returns to Leopardstown with experience and class on his side.
Another Sunday highlight is the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle, which regularly produces future stars of the hurdling division. These races are often run at a frantic pace, and it’s not uncommon for the form to stand up exceptionally well later in the season. Keep an eye on those running on strongly, even if they don’t come out on top or make the places.
Fans will be keeping close tabs on entries from Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott in the Irish Champion Hurdle, another Grade 1 race.
One of the main talking points coming into the weekend has been the form of Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead, who could take on the middle-distance hurdles after two Grade 1 wins this season.
Elliott said: “She’s in great form. Shane McCann rides her every day and he’s very happy with her. The big, good looking ones don’t always translate to being good horses but if you look at her she has everything – she has the pedigree and the looks and hopefully she’ll run well.”
The supporting card continues the theme of quality throughout, with graded races complemented by fiercely competitive handicaps. For many horses, Sunday represents a final prep run before Cheltenham, meaning that trainers are keen to see peak performances without leaving everything behind on the track.
Irish interest
Irish racing strength is on full display at the Dublin Racing Festival, with the country’s leading trainers sending some of their most exciting horses to Leopardstown.
Gordon Elliott arrives with a particularly strong hand, led, as mentioned, by Brighterdaysahead, who is set to captain his team and is likely to line up in the Irish Champion Hurdle.
The mare has enjoyed an excellent campaign so far and Elliott has spoken positively about her condition coming into the Festival, noting that she has improved with every run this season.
While acknowledging the strength of the opposition she may face, Elliott has made it clear that she deserves her place among the top hurdlers in training, making her a major point of interest for those looking to back a stable in form.
Elliott’s entries don’t stop there. Romeo Coolio, a dual Grade 1 winner earlier in the season, remains one of the most exciting novice chasers in Ireland and could feature in the Goffs Irish Arkle.
His pace and jumping have marked him out as a serious contender, while stablemates such as Western Fold and Ballyfad add further depth to Elliott’s challenge across the novice divisions.
Western Fold, in particular, has been quietly talked up as a horse with significant potential over fences.
As ever, Willie Mullins looks set to dominate the conversation, especially in the staying chase division. The Irish Gold Cup is likely to revolve around Galopin Des Champs, who returns to a track where he has repeatedly produced top-class performances – and results.
Already regarded as one of the finest chasers of his generation, Galopin Des Champs is expected to face stiff competition looking to dethrone a true champion – but not many punters will be against Mullins’ legendary horse.
Beyond the Grade 1s, Irish horses dominate the supporting card. Competitive handicaps are packed with Irish-trained horses who have been targeted specifically at this meeting.
Staffordshire Knot, a leading fancy in the big handicap hurdle, arrives in excellent form, while the handicap chase entries include proven Irish performers such as Spanish Harlem, Captain Cody and the highly rated Firefox.
Keep up to date with Tonybet
With so much top-class action packed into one weekend, it’s best to head to Tonybet’s sportsbook to bank the best prices for both racecards across Saturday and Sunday.
The Dublin Racing Festival is one of the best weekends all year for racing fans and punters, and so Tonybet has you covered with competitive odds and boosts across every single race. Make sure that you don’t miss out.
Check out the odds on the Dublin Racing Festival right here.
