Dublin Racing Festival 2026 – Day One Preview (Saturday 31st January)

Please be aware this preview was for Saturday 31st January 2026, however this Raceday was abandoned and then moved to Monday 2nd February 2026. The same content applies as the ground was always going to be heavy.

The Dublin Racing Festival is one of the most important meetings in the National Hunt calendar. It regularly shapes the Cheltenham Festival markets, and many of today’s runners will reappear in five weeks’ time at Prestbury Park.

Very soft ground looks likely and that could play a huge role throughout the card.

Let’s get stuck in.

Short on time? If you’d rather skip the full breakdown and go straight to my three strongest Day One selections, you can add them to your bet365 bet slip via clicking the button below:

1:15pm

Trends

• 8 of the last 12 winners were trained by Willie Mullins

• 6 of the last 12 winners were favourite or joint-favourite

• 9 of the last 12 winners won on their previous start

Doctor Steinberg could attempt to make all. He won nicely last time, beating Deviluno (who has since franked the form). He’s the obvious pace angle and the horse I will side with in the hope he gets a relatively soft lead on the front and can kick clear on the final bend.

Love Me Tender also has tactical speed but steps beyond 2m3f for the first time, so may be ridden more conservatively to ensure he gets home.

Jack Kennedy siding with Kazansky from the Gordon Elliott quartet is interesting. He shapes like a thorough stayer and won over 2m7f on heavy ground last time, so conditions should suit. If this turns into a thorough test, that stamina could prove decisive. I don’t think it will and I think he’ll be staying on into a place at best.

Henry De Bromhead’s recent strike rate suggests this might be a tough ask for Yeshil, who tried to make all in the race Kazansky won.

Selection: Doctor Steinberg

1:50pm – Juvenile Hurdle (Triumph Trial)

Trends

• 2 of the last 12 winners were favourites/joint favourites

• 9 of 12 winners were in the top three in the betting

• All 12 winners had at least one run that season

This is traditionally one of the strongest Irish trials for the Triumph Hurdle.

Narciso Has heads the market and is prominent in the Cheltenham betting, but I think the key piece of form is November’s clash with Mange Tout.

Mange Tout beat Narciso Has that day receiving 3lb — and today receives an additional 4lb. While Narciso Has may have needed that first Irish run after coming from France, the bare form gives Mange Tout a strong chance of following up.

At current prices (around 3/1), she looks the value against an odds-on favourite.

Selection: Mange Tout

2:25pm

Trends

• 9 of the last 11 winners were aged 6–8

• Only 1 of the last 10 winners were favourites

• 9 of 11 winners were rated 125+

This is a graveyard for favourites, so I’m happy to look beyond County Final.

I’ll play two each-way:

Sons Of Anarchy – Should relish testing ground and the step up in trip based on his point-to-point form.

He Can’t Dance – Another heavy-ground PTP winner who now goes up to 3m for the first time. First-time cheekpieces are applied and Gordon Elliott clearly feels there’s improvement to come over this trip.

Selections: Sons Of Anarchy (EW), He Can’t Dance (EW)

2:55pm – Irish Arkle

Key Notes

• Willie Mullins has dominated recent renewals

• Small field (3 runners)

Disappointingly, this has cut up badly.

It looks a straight duel between Romeo Coolio and Kargese, with Downmexicoway facing a stiff task at the weights.

At current prices (Romeo Coolio odds-on, Kargese around 7/4), there’s little margin for error. I’ll likely sit this one out, but if forced to choose at the prices, Kargese offers more value.

No official bet

3:30pm – Irish Gold Cup

Trends

• 11 of the last 12 winners were aged 7–9

• 10 of 12 winners were rated 157+

• All 12 had previous Leopardstown experience

Gallopin Des Champs attempts to make it four in a row in this race.

He does carry the age stat against him, as very few 10-year-olds have won this in modern times. Affordale Fury beat him last time, but that may have been a prep run.

If Gallopin is anywhere near peak fitness, he’s still the one to beat.

However, only 3 of the last 12 favourites have won — all of them Gallopin himself — and this race has thrown up big-priced winners (20/1, 33/1, 18/1).

At bigger odds, I Am Maximus is interesting. With Gallopin, Affordale Fury and Spindleberry all comfortable forcing the pace, there’s a chance of a strong gallop. If they overdo it, I Am Maximus could pick up the pieces.

Selections: Gallopin Des Champs (win), I Am Maximus (EW saver)

4:05pm – Handicap

Trends

• 2 of the last 12 winners were favourites

• 9 of 12 ran within the last 49 days

• All 12 had at least four runs that season

I’m focusing on the Fairyhouse form between Western Diego and More Coko.

More Coko was 4lb out of the handicap that day and ridden by a 7lb claimer. Adjusting for that, he’s effectively well treated here on revised terms.

Put simply: on the numbers, he has more favourable conditions today.

He handles heavy ground and should sit handy in a race lacking obvious pace.

I’ll also mention Addragoole, who won over course and distance last time. A 10lb rise looks stiff, but Gavin Cromwell’s yard is in good form and there may be further improvement to come.

Selections: More Coko (primary EW), Addragoole (secondary EW)

4:40pm – Bumper

Trends

• 5 of the last 8 winners were favourites

• All 8 won on their previous start

• 5 of 8 had at least two prior NH Flat runs

This looks between the first two in the market.

Charismatic Kid makes his first start for Gordon Elliott, and horses debuting for the yard have a strong strike rate. However, Elliott hasn’t won this race since Envoi Allen in 2019.

I prefer It’s Only A Game.

He was second on debut last season before winning impressively at Punchestown on reappearance. The runner-up that day, Boycetown, bolted up next time by 18 lengths, which strengthens the form.

Martin Brassil tends to bring horses along steadily, so if there’s natural progression from that run, he’ll be hard to beat.

Selection: It’s Only A Game

My Recommended Bets – Day One

After going through the card in full, these are the three I’m strongest on for Saturday:

Win Trixie

• Doctor Steinberg (1:15)

• Mange Tout (1:50)

• It’s Only A Game (4:40)

Three horses with strong profiles on the trends, solid recent form, and conditions to suit.

Doctor Steinberg could control the opener from the front.
Mange Tout looks overpriced on the revised terms.
It’s Only A Game has serious upside and the form to back it up.

Each-Way Doubles (x4 Bets)

• Sons Of Anarchy & He Can’t Dance (2:25)

• More Coko & Addragoole (4:05)

Four horses with very good each-way chances in competitive races. Smaller stakes on this one for me.

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