Everything You Need To Know About The Dublin Racing Festival

With the Dublin Racing Festival almost here we have put together a guide on everything you need to know about the big meeting.

What is the Dublin Racing Festival?

The Dublin Racing Festival is nearly here! The festival since its inception in 2018 has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in the jumps calendar.

The festival is a two-day treat for racing fanatics featuring eight Grade 1 contests. There are seven races on the Saturday card including the Irish Gold Cup while Sunday features eight races with the headline race being the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle.

What date is the Dublin Racing Festival?

The 2024 Dublin Racing Festival is set to take place over two days on the first weekend of February.

Dublin Racing Festival Day 1 – Saturday February 3rd 2024

Dublin Racing Festival Day 2 – Sunday February 4th 2024

You can bet on all the action at the Dublin Racing Festival courtesy of the latest horse racing odds at BoyleSports.

Where is the Dublin Racing Festival?

The Dublin Racing Festival takes place at Leopardstown racecourse located six miles south of Dublin city centre, at the foot of the Dublin mountains.

The course was completed in 1888 by Captain George Quin and modelled on Sandown Park Racecourse in England.

The Horse Racing Board of Ireland (now Horse Racing Ireland) acquired Leopardstown in 1967. The track is situated in a 220-acre estate and is a left-handed oval track of one mile and six furlongs with an uphill finishing straight.

Dublin Racing Festival Daily Race Times

Day One features seven races starting at 13:20 and runs roughly every 35 minutes until 16:40.

Day Two features an extra race and so starts ten minutes earlier at 13:10 running roughly every 30 minutes until 16:40. The full schedule for both days is outlined below.

Day One

Race One 13:20 – The Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors ‘€50,000 Cheltenham Bonus for Stable Staff’ Novice Hurdle of €150,000 (Grade 1)

Race Two 13:55 – The Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle of €150,000 (Grade 1)

Race Three 14:30 – The Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase of €150,000 (Grade 1)

Race Four 15:05 – The Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup of €250,000 (Grade 1)

Race Five 15:40 – The Race and Stay at Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle of €100,000 (Grade B)

Race Six: 16:10 – The Sandyford of Handicap Steeplechase of €100,000 (Grade B)

Race Seven 16:40 – The I.N.H. Flat Race of €100,000 (Grade 2)

Day Two

Race One 13:10 – The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle of €100,000 (Grade B)

Race Two 13:40 – The Ladbrokes Novice Steeplechase of €150,000 (Grade 1)

Race Three 14:10 – The Ladbrokes Dublin Steeplechase of €150,000 (Grade 1)

Race Four 14:40 – The Bulmers Handicap Steeplechase of €125,000 (Grade A)

Race Five 15:10 – The Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle of €200,000 (Grade 1)

Race Six 15:40 – The Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle of €150,000 (Grade 1)

Race Seven 16:10- The Festina Lente Charity Liffey Handicap Hurdle of €150,000 (Grade B)

Race Eight 16:40 – The Coolmore N.H. Sires ‘Santiago’ Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race of €100,000(Grade 2)

How to watch the Dublin Racing Festival

There are several options available to you if you’re planning on tuning into the festival from the comfort of your own home.

You can watch the Dublin Racing Festival weekend live on RTÉ 2. Live streaming will also be available on RTÉ Player, with coverage from 1 pm both Saturday and Sunday or you can catch all the action on Racing TV.

History of the Dublin Racing Festival

While the feature races have been run for decades, the Dublin Racing Festival itself was only established in 2018 as they looked to try and replicate Irish Champions Weekend on the flat.

The Irish Champion Hurdle began back in 1950 and the inaugural Irish Derby took place in 1987. The Joseph O’Brien-trained Edwulf was the Irish Gold Cup winner in the festival’s first year, while Jessica Harrington’s Supasundae claimed the 2018 Irish Champion Hurdle.

Since the event’s inception in 2018, it has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in the jumps calendar with thousands of people attending and millions in prize money being won.

Who is the Dublin Racing Festival’s most successful jockey?

There are several jockeys with an excellent track record at the festival, Mark Dwyer has the most Irish Gold Cup successes with 4.

Two jockeys have six wins in the Irish Champion Hurdle – Ruby Walsh and Charlie Swan (both retired) while active jockey Rachael Blackmore has three successes in the event.

Who is the Dublin Racing Festival’s most successful trainer?

Unsurprisingly Willie Mullins has been the leading trainer in the feature races, having trained twelve Irish Derby winners including Florida Pearl in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004.

Mullins has also trained the most Champion Hurdle winners with seven, five of those successes came with Hurricane Fly who flew past the winning line in five consecutive years from 2011 to 2015.

What To Look Out For On Day One of the Dublin Racing Festival?

The feature event on Day One of the Dublin Racing Festival is the Irish Gold Cup, which was won last year by Galopin Des Champs, saddled by Paul Townend, and trained by Willie Mullins. The early favourite for the race is Galopin Des Champs to win it for the second successive year and can be currently backed at 4/9 according to the latest horse racing betting odds at BoyleSports.

Other Grade 1 races on Day One include the Spring Juvenile Hurdle which was won last year by Gala Marceau saddled by Danny Mullins and again trained by Willie Mullins, he trains the favourite for this year’s contest too with Storm Heart priced at 6/4.

The Irish Arkle last year was won by El Fabiolo, saddled by Daryl Jacob, and again trained by Willie Mullins. Favourite for the event this year is Marine Nationale trained by Barry Connell currently priced at 1/2 favourite.

What To Look Out For On Day Two Of The Dublin Racing Festival?

The feature race for the second day of the festival is the Irish Champion Hurdle which was won by State Man last year as the Paul Townend and Willie Mullins combination proved the dream team for success again. State Man is the 1/3 favourite with BoyleSports to win the event again with closest challenger Impaire Et Passe 7/2.

The Dublin Chase last year was won by the team of Gentleman De Mee, jockey Danny Mullins and trainer Willie Mullins. Remarkably this was the sixth time in a row that Willie Mullins trained the winner of the race since its inception in 2018. Favourite for this year’s race is another Mullins stable member with El Fabiolo priced at 2/5 per the latest Dublin Racing Festival odds at BoyleSports.

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*Prices subject to fluctuation

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