Dublin Racing Festival: How will the hot favourites fare on day two at Leopardstown?

Ding, ding. Seconds out. Round two. That's if the bookmakers come out for round two. You could forgive them for having thrown in the towel after Saturday's action.

There were some tremendous heavyweight equine performances on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival and some layers would have been left in need of smelling salts to revive them.

Gaillard Du Mesnil (13-8), Chacun Pour Soi (2-5), Enurgumene (5-6) and Honeysuckle (10-11) won the four Grade One races in brilliant style, and then Kilcruit (11-10) laughed at his rivals in the closing Grade two bumper.

Plenty would have stuck the quinet in accumulators and it paid about about 25-1 at SP.

Day two at Leopardstown promises more thrills and spills with four more hot favourites in the Grade One contests, plus another in the closing bumper.

Will Quillixios, Appreciate It, Monkfish, Minella Indo and Brandy Love pile on the pain for the layers? Here's a closer look at them.

He’s won his three races over hurdles by an aggregate of 45 lengths and represents the formidable alliance of Gordon Elliott and Cheveley Park.

However, this is by far his stiffest assignment - he beat inferior rivals at 1-16 last time - and looks short enough in the market despite drifting to odds against in the past 24 hours.

Busselton, Ha D’or and Saint Sam chased home his exciting stablemate, Zanahiyr, in a Grade Two event at Leopardstown over Christmas and you could argue they’ve achieved as much as the market leader. And then there is the unlucky Fairyhouse loser, Youmdor, who Timeform rate 8lb superior to the favourite.

Verdict: Blowout

Looked a bit of a monster when winning the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle here by nine lengths over Christmas, just as he had when landing the bumper on this card a year ago.

Several of those who he left trailing in December take him on again, but it’s hard to envisage any turning the tables. And before that he had not been extended to peg back the zestful Master Mcshee, who also reopposes, at Cork.

With 16 runners lining up, Paul Townend will need his wits about him. But I’d imagine he will have the ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle handy and out of trouble from an early stage before asserting in the closing stages.

Verdict: Banker

Showed tremendous grit to win the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last season and, every inch a chaser in physique, has made a great start to his career over fences.

The form of his first win over the larger obstacles is working out a treat and there was plenty to like about the way he shrugged off Latest Exhibition after a good tussle in the Neville Hotels Novices' Chase at Leopardstown last time.

You cannot blame the connections of Latest Exhibition for having another crack at him and there’s also the exciting Andy Dufresne to consider, but Monkfish sets the standard and is one of those horses who seems prepared to go the extra yard when required.

Verdict: Banker

His fall in the Savills Chase last time is just about the only blemish on his record but he’s usually a sound jumper and, with only four rivals here, should get plenty of daylight early on to recover any dented confidence.

He was somewhat mugged in a strong renewal of the RSA last season and had impressed at Wexford and Navan before his mishap in the Savills.

Some will argue Delta Work and Kemboy have slightly better form but we know the limitations of that pair, while the luckless Melon has contested 15 Grade One races and been beaten every time.

Minella Indo might not need to improve to win, and we simply do not know where his ceiling is.

Verdict: Banker

I’m not sure that anyone who watched her justify cramped odds at Fairyhouse will be in a hurry to oppose her, especially as she had also impressed on her point debut.

Patrick Mullins has opted to ride her over three stablemates (all of whom he has ridden to victory), but he is working with limited evidence and doesn’t always get it right.

For instance, he rode the odds-on Colreevy in this race in 2018 – after she too had won at Fairyhouse on her Rules debut – but it was the stable’s 16-1 chance, Relegate, who took the spoils.

The other Mullins trio all merit close attention, especially Take Tea, who cruised home at Naas. All in all this looks a hot race, with Hollymount and Party Central other leading ladies for Gordon Elliott. The depth of the contest makes Brandy Love a lay, for all that she could be anything.

Verdict: Blowout