Since its introduction in 2018, the Dublin Racing Festival has become one of the most eagerly anticipated pre-Cheltenham Festival events. Shoehorning eight Grade 1 contests in two days of action, the pace of top-class entertainment is relentless at this magnificent two-day meeting.
The stars were certainly out in force at the 2025 edition, with each of the two days peppered with Cheltenham Festival champions from 2024 and leading fancies ahead of the looming 2025 showstopper.
Many of the races are well worth watching back with a view to the marquee March event from Prestbury Park. Some horses advertised their claims in emphatic style, whilst others provided more questions than answers.
With the meeting in the books for another year, we highlight the trainers, jockeys, sires, and owners, who enjoyed more Dublin delight than most.
Top Trainer: Willie Mullins – 7 Wins
Considering he swept the board with a remarkable eight Grade 1 wins at the 2024 edition, it will be a surprise to no one that Willie Mullins was the leading trainer at the Dublin Racing Festival once again.
Winning the opening Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle on Day 1 and the concluding Coolmore N.H. Sires Luxembourg Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race on Day 2, the Closutton colossus registered seven wins in total, including six Grade 1s.
With all seven winners scoring by 4¾l or more, stellar displays were in plentiful supply.
Final Demand and Kopek Des Bordes lay down serious markers in the Novice Hurdle division. The duo will take some stopping in their respective Cheltenham Festival assignments of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Over fences, Ballyburn resumed winning ways with an authoritative success in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase, whilst Majborough enhanced his burgeoning reputation when running away with the Irish Arkle. The former is now the clear favourite for the Brown Advisory Novices Chase at 9/4 with bet365, whilst the latter is the horse most likely to give Sir Gino something to think about in the Arkle Challenge Trophy.
Top honours go to State Man and Galopin Des Champs, who landed their respective assignments in the Irish Champion Hurdle and Irish Gold Cup for the third year in a row.
With Lossiemouth falling so early, State Man merely needed to canter around to prevail and still looks up against it in his dual with Constitution Hill at Cheltenham.
Galopin Des Champs, in contrast, was simply awesome once again. Grabbing the race by the horns from an early stage, this classiest of chasers put several supposed Gold Cup rivals to the sword in sensational style. He’s odds on across the board for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup and a certainty to be included in many banker accumulators.
Away from the Mullins masterclass, Gavin Cromwell also enjoyed an excellent meeting, with Hello Neighbour providing the pick of his three wins in the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle on the opening day.
Top Jockey: Paul Townend – 5 Wins
As the man up top for five of Willie Mullins' seven winners, yard number 1 Paul Townend predictably led the way amongst the riders.
In truth, he will rarely ride an easier quintet of victors. Kopek Des Bordes and Final Demand were little more than steering jobs, whilst State Man’s tough task became rather more straightforward following the departure of Lossiemouth. His skills were more in evidence aboard Ballyburn and Galopin Des Champs, where his ice-cool temperament and perfect judge of pace shone through.
Danny Mullins (2) and Mark Walsh (3) were the only other riders with more than one win to their name. Walsh produced two of the most impressive rides of the week to claim big field handicaps on McLaurey and Perceval Legallois, in addition to his Grade 1 victory aboard the mighty Majborough.
Leading Sire: Jukebox Jury – 2 Wins
Big-name sires Doctor Dino, Flemensfirth, Milan, No Risk At All, and Walk In The Park hit the mark, but only Jukebox Jury sired more than one winner at the meeting.
The Irish St. Leger winner certainly left it late to surge to the top of the pile. Sitting on zero wins ahead of the final two races, he claimed the top spot by bagging the penultimate contest with McLaurey and the finale with Bambino Fever. Impressively, Jukebox Jury grabbed those two wins from only three runners at the meeting.
Leading Owner: JP McManus – 3 Wins
The most successful owner in Cheltenham Festival history limbered up nicely for his assault on the 2025 edition. JP’s wins were provided by three different trainers - McLaurey (Emmet Mullins) claimed the Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle, Perceval Legallois (Gavin Cromwell) landed the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle for a second time, and Majborough (Willie Mullins) showed his rivals a clean paid or heels in the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase.
Favourite Backers Get Noses In Front
A good meeting for Willie Mullins generally means a solid punting return for supporters of the market leader. Seven of the 15 events (46.67%) were landed by the jolly, handing favourite backers a profit of £1.77 to £1 level stakes, representing an 11.8% profit.
No winners returned a double-figure SP, with the biggest “shock” provided by impressive 9/1 Bumper winner Bambino Fever in the finale.
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.
Paul Harrison
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