Dublin Racing Festival: read about star entries for this weekend

Lossiemouth

and

State Man

look set for a mouthwatering clash at Leopardstown on Sunday, with the Willie Mullins-trained pair among six horses confirmed for the Irish Champion Hurdle.

State Man will be bidding for a third successive victory in the feature event on day two of this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival, but returns to Foxrock on a recovery mission after finishing a lacklustre third behind the brilliant Brighterdaysahead at Leopardstown over Christmas.

There will be no rematch on after Brighterdaysahead’s trainer Gordon Elliott elected to keep his powder dry for Cheltenham, but even in her absence State Man’s task is far from straightforward, with his top-class stablemate set to be in opposition.

The grey was no match for the returning Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, but her planned presence this weekend will give stable jockey Paul Townend a decision to make.

Mullins has also left in Daddy Long Legs and Winter Fog, while Elliott has confirmed Fils d’Oudairies, who finished fourth behind Constitution Hill in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham last Saturday.

Vincent Halley’s rank outsider Senecia completes the sextet.

Mullins is responsible for four of the nine remaining contenders for the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, with likely favourite Gaelic Warrior joined by last year’s winner El Fabiolo, the 2023 victor Gentleman De Mee and the 2022 Irish Arkle hero Blue Lord.

The opposition is headed by Barry Connell’s stable star Marine Nationale, who was right on Gaelic Warrior’s tail last time out, while Henry de Bromhead has the Tingle Creek runner-up Quilixios and last year’s Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness in the mix.

Senecia also features in this two-mile-one-furlong Grade One, as does Joseph O’Brien’s Solness, who was a shock winner when beating Gaelic Warrior and Marine Nationale last month.

Ballyburn is the headline act among 10 entries for the the Ladbrokes Novice Chase, with Mullins also leaving in Champ Kiely, Impaire Et Passe and Ile Atlantique, while the champion trainer retains a seven-strong hand in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. Course winners Kopek Des Bordes and Kaid d’Authie look the two major players from Closutton.

Gordon Elliott has reiterated his desire to leave a decision on Brighterdaysahead’s Cheltenham Festival assignment to the last minute after electing to skip this Sunday’s Irish Champion Hurdle.

Owned by Gigginstown House Stud, she is unbeaten in three starts this term and having claimed the scalp of reigning Champion Hurdler State Man in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, she confirmed that form in style when an imperious winner of the Neville Hotels Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

That 30-length romp made a crack at the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Prestbury Park and a mouthwatering clash with Constitution Hill an even-more tempting proposition.

However, she also holds an entry in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival, with connections not shy in stating their great mare may stay among her own sex and will target what they feel is the most winnable option come March.

Now having decided against a run at Leopardstown this weekend, Brighterdaysahead will head straight to the Cotswolds.

“Brighterdaysahead goes straight to Cheltenham, all is OK,” said Elliott. “We’ll be leaving the decision until the last minute and we’ll be going to whatever the right race is for the mare – we’ll just make that decision closer to the time.”

Brighterdaysahead is a best price of 4-1 to topple Constitution Hill at Cheltenham, while she is the 5-4 favourite with most bookmakers for the mares’ contest.