Welcome to the WMF – or to give it its proper title – the DRF. The festival is much hyped these days, but it is not perfect, though discussion of that is best left for elsewhere, with a number of the Grade 1s making limited betting appeal. That said, there are plenty of other interesting races among the shoulder races which I’ll get to anon.

Galopin Des Champs is looking for a remarkable fifth win in an open three mile Grade 1 chase at Leopardstown in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at 3.30 and there is little reason to oppose him. The maths may suggest an each-way bet in the race is good but he and Fact To File look to have the top two spots boxed off and picking the third home isn’t easy.

Majborough might be more vulnerable in the Goffs Irish Arkle at 2.55. It is not that he has done anything wrong to date, quite the opposite in fact, and he took very well to fences at Fairyhouse under conditions (tighter inner track, decent ground) that were not ideal.

The form doesn’t look as good as it did at the time, however, and he will need to be as good as his trainer makes him out to be with Touch Me Not likely to make this a jumping test from early on and Ile Atlantique impressing in that department the last twice too.

The opening Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at 1.15 sees just about the most impressive maiden hurdle winner of Christmas, Final Demand, back out. The form of that race has worked out in theory, the second and third winning since, though both looked as if they were ridden with the next day in mind at Limerick.

He is not a bad favourite, but his price looks short enough and Supersundae could be closer to him in the betting. That one shaped well at Naas, left a bit out of his ground as his rider looked to settle him, and there are a number of reasons why he could improve further: he might (though it is only a might) settle better, the nicer ground should suit and that was his first run in 243 days.

Still, there are too many others in there that have chances to be strong on him. Sounds Victorious remains a work in progress but was well on top late over two-and-a-half miles last time and should be suited by the step up in trip while even outsider Sporting Glory shaped well returning from a break at Thurles last month.

Perhaps the most appealing Grade 1 for a bet is the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle (1.50) where LADY VEGA ALLEN might be the play. The form of the race she made her Irish debut in at Christmas looks strong as both her and hurdling debutante Hello Neighbour pulled clear of horses that had good recent form in maiden hurdles and Graded races.

The selection and the winner Hello Neighbour have major scope to improve still but perhaps Lady Vega Allen can reverse the form now; her hurdling was notably slick and she came from further back than the Cromwell horse on a day when few were making up late ground, while few can get them to progress like Willie Mullins and she only had her first run of any kind in September.

Sainte Lucie is the pick of Paul Townend and an obvious danger in a race where the front three in the betting look well clear of the rest.

Willie Mullins to train a winner @ 30/1 (Paddy Power)

Today’s handicaps are typically competitive. Lucky Lyreen and Rushmount were the two I liked in the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle at 2.25, both having shaped better than the result at the Christmas meeting here, though their prices have shortened since declarations while I could only a manage a long shortlist in the Ryanair Handicap Chase at 4.05.

The closing Paddy Power Play Card Bumper at 4.35 tells us plenty about how the bumper season in Ireland, Willie Mullins not the dominant force he has been in recent season.It doesn’t seem a race that will produce a short-priced Champion Bumper favourite afterwards like Appreciate It, Kilcruit or Facile Vega, but stranger things have happened, and that largely seems down to what has been going on with the Mullins bumper horses.

Since the start of the 2024/25 season, Mullins has won 20 bumpers which seems quite a lot but only six have been since the start of November with fillies and mares making up a bigger proportion than is usually the case.

It has the look of a race where a solid type like Colcannon could get in the mix though his price has shortened up a lot since declarations.

Published at 0750 GMT on 01/02/2025

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