2025 Dublin Racing Festival: Willie Mullins Main Contenders

Willie Mullins is rarely far from the record books. The most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival became the first trainer in 70 years to win the Champion Trainers Title on both sides of the Irish Sea in 2023/24. 

British highlights were easy to find as Mullins held off the pursuing back, with the second Cheltenham Gold Cup success of Galopin Des Champs and the sensational Aintree Grand National victory of I Am Maximus likely to live long in the memory.

However, in a triumphant 2023/24 campaign, one of his finest achievements came at the 2024 Dublin Racing Festival (DRF). The two-day showpiece fixture at Leopardstown features eight top-tier Grade 1 contests, and in 2024, Mullins won them all.

With the 2025 DRF kicking off on Saturday, the 1st of February, the list of Mullins entries is attracting more than its fair share of attention from punters. Here, we outline the Mullins-trained contenders in each of the eight Grade 1 events.

Saturday, 1:15 - Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle

Mullins Shortest Price Runner

• Final Demand, 13/8 with bet365: By Walk In The Park and out of the Grade 3 winning mare Zuska, this strapping gelding certainly looks the part on paper. Thus far, he has delivered on that promise at the track. Having beaten a pair of subsequent winners in his point-to-point, he made a spectacular start to racing under rules when bolting up by 15l in a Limerick Maiden Hurdle. This demands more, but he looks to have solid claims of following in the hoofprints of 2024 winner Dancing City.

Other Closutton Entries:

• Supersundae, 9/2 with bet365: This Ex-French runner broke his maiden in good style at Ballinrobe and finished an 8l second to the highly regarded The Yellow Clay in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle last time.
• Sounds Victorious, 5/1 with bet365: Solid Bumper performer who finished fourth in the big Grade 1 events at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals. Disappointed on hurdles bow at Punchestown but bounced back to claim a maiden at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day.
• Jasmin De Vaux, 15/2 with bet365: The 2024 Champion Bumper hero scored in good style on his first hurdles start at Navan but was beaten by 22l when stepped up to 2m4f in the Lawlor’s Of Naas.
• Joystick, 33/1 with bet365: Rich Ricci runner who showed good stamina to claim a heavy ground 2m4f Bumper in 2023. Looks like a chaser in the making but arrives on a high, having scored at Naas last time out.

Saturday 1:50 – Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle

Mullins Shortest Price Runner:

• Saint Lucie, 15/8 with bet365: “Saint Lucie looks one out of the top drawer”. So said Mullins following her eleven-length thrashing of the field on yard debut at Punchestown. This is a sharp rise in class, but trainer comments such as the above are often worth following.

Other Closutton Entries:

• Lady Vega Allen, 7/2 with bet365: Successful on her sole start in France, this Saint Des Saints filly caught the eye when beaten by a rapidly diminishing short head in a Leopardstown Grade 2 on her first outing for Mullins.
  
• Willy De Houelle, 25/1 with bet365: Boasts strong French form, including a second to the talented Nietzsche Has. Yet to hit the heights for Mullins, most recently when an 11½l sixth in the Grade 2 O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle. 
  
• Murcia, 33/1 with bet365: Similar profile to Willy De Houelle, having scored at Listed level in France but disappointed in the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Saturday 2:55 – Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase

Mullins Shortest Price Runner:

• Majborough, 4/9 with bet365: The 2024 Triumph Hurdle hero has been touted as a potential Gold Cup contender for the future but appears to be allowed to make his presence felt over 2m first. Going in the green and gold of JP McManus, he made an impressive start to his chase career when seeing off his talented stablemates Tullyhill and Asian Master at Fairyhouse.
  

Other Closutton Entries:

• Ile Atlantique, 10/3 with bet365: Tony Bloom-owned runner who just missed out on a Grade 1 victory over hurdles in the 2024 Lawlor Of Naas Novice Hurdle. Not so good thereafter, but looks like a significantly improved performer over fences. Now two from two in his chase career, he arrives on the back of a 5l success in the Grade 2 Racing Post Novice Chase.

Saturday 3:30 – Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase

Mullins Shortest Price Runner:

• Galopin Des Champs, 8/15 with bet365: The two-time Irish Gold Cup and Cheltenham Gold Cup hero remains the king of the division. Predictably finding the 2m3½f of the John Durkan Memorial Chase too short, he showed just how tough he is to beat at 3m when sauntering clear in the Savills Chase last time. 

Other Closutton Entries:

• Fact To File, 7/2 with bet365: Too quick for Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan but no match for his stablemate when a 7½l second in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. 
• Embassy Gardens, 10/1 with bet365: Best of the rest behind Corbetts Cross in the National Hunt Chase and mastered the highly regarded Monty’s Star at Tramore last time. However, he’s zero from three in Grade 1 company.
• Grangeclare West, 50/1 with bet365: Looked like a horse on the up in 2023, following a 6l verdict over Corbetts Cross in a Grade 1 over this track. However, he missed much of 2024 through injury and has performed way below that level since his return.
• I Am Maximus, 50/1 with bet365: The reigning Grand National champ will have the Aintree showpiece as his main target but finished a respectable, albeit distant, third in the 2024 edition of this.
• Minella Cocooner, 66/1 with bet365: Helped Mullins to the British Trainers title when claiming the bet365 Gold Cup last season and is a Grade 1 winner over hurdles. On the downside, he has been beaten by a combined 66l in his two Grade 1 Chase outings.

Sunday 1:10 – Ladbrokes Novice Chase

Mullins Shortest Price Runner:

• Ballyburn, 4/7 with bet365: One of the talking horses of the past couple of seasons, Ballyburn lived up to the hype with a trio of Grade 1 hurdle triumphs, including the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle. Impressive on Chase debut at Punchestown but no match for Sir Gino over 2m in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase last time. The one to beat as he moves back up in trip.

Other Closutton Entries:

• Champ Kiely, 7/2 with bet365: Peak effort came when mastering Irish Point in the 2023 Lawlor Of Naas Novices Hurdle. Well beaten by Impair Et Passe in two Grade 2 Hurdle events but excelled on his first chase outing in January.
• Impaire Et Passe, 6/1 with bet365: Four-time Grade 1 winner, including the 2023 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Two from two over fences but zero from two at Leopardstown, and also holds an entry in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
• Ile Atlantique, 14/1 with bet365: Discussed above, Ile Atlantique may tackle this assignment instead if Mullins opts to move the seven-year-old back up in trip.

Sunday 1:40 – Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle

Mullins Shortest Price Runner:

• Kopek Des Bordes, 13/8 with bet365: A little later to the track than some of his stablemates last term, Kopek Des Bordes landed a Fairyhouse Bumper by 13l on his belated debut. Whilst not always jumping fluently at Leopardstown on hurdles debut, he was still too good at the line and labelled a “tip-top animal” by his trainer in the aftermath.

Other Closutton Entries:    

• Kaid d’Authie, 7/4 with bet365: Fell on hurdles debut at Navan but bounced back with a tenacious success at this track in December. More of a chaser on looks but may have the talent to take a hand.
• Redemption Day, 5/1 with bet365: Very lightly raced for an eight-year-old, Redemption Day impressed when claiming the Grade 1 bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last season. Has questions to answer following a disappointing hurdles debut, but is hard to rule out given that bumper form.
• Joystick, 20/1 with bet365: Having scored over 2m last time, Joystick may stick to this trip if conditions are heavy.
• Karafan, 20/1 with bet365: Broke his maiden first time out at Clonmel but well beaten in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle last time.
• Karniquet, 25/1 with bet365: 11 length winner on yard debut in November but even further adrift than Karafan in the Future Champions.
• Sea Of Sands, 33/1 with bet365: Group 3 winner on the flat and broke his hurdles duck at the first time of asking but put in his place in Grade 2 company and pulled up last time.

Sunday 2:10 Ladbrokes Dublin Chase

Mullins Shortest Price Runner:

• Gaelic Warrior, 4/6 with bet365: The 2024 Arkle winner is currently second favourite for both the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase at the 2025 Festival. Undoubtedly talented, he isn’t the most reliable of sorts and needs to bounce back from defeat in a Grade 1 at this track in December.

Other Closutton Entries:

• El Fabiolo, 8/1 with bet365: The brilliant 2023 Arkle winner added this race to his haul in 2024. Strong claims on that effort, but he is yet to appear in 2024/25.
• Gentleman De Mee, 12/1 with bet365: Another proven top-level performer, Gentleman De Mee claimed the 2023 edition of this by 7l. Rarely at that level since and beaten 36l when behind Gaelic Warrior last time.
• Blue Lord, 50/1 with bet365: Three-time Grade 1 winner, with two of those victories coming at this track. Raced only once in 2023/24 and has looked a shadow of his former self since returning in December.

Sunday 3:20 Irish Champion Hurdle

Mullins Shortest Price Runner:

• Lossiemouth, 8/15 with bet365: This mighty mare lost her status as Champion Hurdle favourite and saw her six-race winning streak end behind Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle but is a hot favourite to get back on track. Has solid form over course and distance, having won a Grade 2 in 2022 and finished an unlucky second in the 2023 Spring Juvenile Hurdle. Slight question as to whether she is better over further these days, but otherwise hard to fault.

Other Closutton Entries:

• State Man, 7/4 with bet365: Unbeaten in 2023/24, State Man arrives as the reigning Champion Hurdler and the winner of the past two editions of this. Has won four times at Leopardstown but arrives following a lacklustre 31l third in the Neville Hotels Hurdle.
• Winter Fog, 14/1 with bet365: One length ahead of State Man last time, Winter Fog is a notch below this level on all known form.
• Daddy Long Legs, 25/1 with bet365: Similar comments apply to Grade 3 winner Daddy Long Legs, whose two Grade 1 outings have produced defeats by a combined 61l.

Mullins Bankers Lucky 15      

Saturday 1:50 – Saint Lucie @ 15/8 with bet365

Saturday 2:55 – Majborough @ 4/9 with bet365

Saturday 3:30 – Galopin Des Champs @ 8/15 with bet365

Sunday 1:40 – Kopek Des Bordes @ 13/8 with bet365

A £1 win Lucky 15 at the listed prices returns £85.99 with bet365.

Paul Harrison

Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.