Galopin Des Champs is set to face nine rivals in his bid for a third victory in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Also a dual winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Willie Mullins' superstar chaser will be a red-hot favourite to make it a hat-trick in the feature event on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival following another imperious display in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last month.
The nine-year-old will renew rivalry with several horses who finished behind him that day, most notably his stablemate Fact To File, who beat Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan at Punchestown earlier this season but was firmly put in his place over the festive period.
The champion trainer also saddles Embassy Gardens, who impressed at Tramore on New Year’s Day, as well as Grand National hero I Am Maximus, Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner in his bid for a 14th Irish Gold Cup success.
The biggest threat to the Mullins battalion appears to be Henry de Bromhead’s Monty’s Star, who filled the runner-up spot behind Embassy Gardens at Tramore.
Conflated (Gordon Elliott), Hewick (Tara Lee Cogan) and Inothewayurthinkin (Gavin Cromwell) complete the field.
The first of four Grade Ones on the card is the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle and Mullins is responsible for five of the 12 runners declared, including Final Demand and Supersundae.
Cromwell’s course and distance winner Hello Neighbour is a narrow favourite for the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle, while the Mullins-trained Majborough takes on stable companion Ile Atlantique as well as five other opponents in the Goffs Irish Arkle.
1.15 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m6f
Final Demand Paul Townend
I Am Lorenzo Keith Donoghue
Jasmin De Vaux JJ Slevin
Joystick D Mullins
Pray Tell John Shinnick
Sommesky Rachael Blackmore
Sounds Victorius Sean O'Keeffe
Sporting Glory Sam Ewing
Supersundae Mr P W Mullins
Wingmen Danny Gilligan
Mozzies Sister Shane Fitzgerald
World Of Fortunes Jordan Gainford
1.50 Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m
Bacchanalian Shane Fitzgerald
Hello Neighbour Keith Donoghue
Sony Bill Danny Mullins
Wendrock Sam Ewing
Willy De Houelle Brian Hayes
Galileo Dame JJ Slevin
Lady Vega Allen Sean O'Keeffe
Sainte Lucie Paul Townend
2.55 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase (Grade 1) 2m1f
Firefox Sam Ewing
Here Comes Georgie Lee Edwards
Ile Atlantique Paul Townend
Jeannot Lapin Ricky Doyle
Touch Me Not Danny Gilligan
Majborough Mark Walsh
3.30 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) 3m1/2f
Conflated Sam Ewing
Embassy Gardens Michael O'Sullivan
Fact To File Mark Walsh
Galopin Des Champs Paul Townend
Grangeclare West Brian Hayes
Hewick Jordan Gainford
I Am Maximus Jody McGarvey
Inothewayurthinkin Keith Donoghue
Minella Cocooner Danny Mullins
Monty’s Star Rachael Blackmore
Watch the Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday from 1pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and on Sunday from 1pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
