A pair of familiar names dominate the Dublin Racing Festival (DRF) list of entries. Willie Mullins leads the way with 63 entries, which is 14 more than his big rival Gordon Elliott. The Elliott vs Mullins narrative lays the foundation for some cracking battles at this €2.15 million fixture, which gets underway on Saturday, 31st January.
Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle
- Elliott Wins – 1
- Mullins Wins – 10
The odds suggest the Mullins-trained Doctor Steinberg is the one to beat in the opening Grade 1. A perfect two from two over hurdles, he won a Grade 2 at Navan last time out and currently heads the betting for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Santo Sospir and Kazansky bring the strongest form claims of the Elliott entries. Both arrive seeking a hat-trick, with Kazansky’s Grade 2 win at Limerick standing out on paper.
Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle
- Elliott Wins – 2
- Mullins Wins – 7
Mullins is also responsible for the favourite in this event for the youngsters. Narciso Has shot to the head of the Triumph Hurdle market on the back of an 11-length romp over course and distance in December. If in the same form, the JP McManus-owned gelding may be hard to beat.
The biggest threat to the favourite may be Elliott’s unbeaten filly, Mange Tout. Sporting the Robcour silks, this ex-French runner already has a verdict over Narciso Has on her CV, having mastered the Mullins runner at Fairyhouse in November.
Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase
- Elliott Wins – 0
- Mullins Wins – 11
One of the most fascinating head-to-head clashes arrives in this 2m1f event for the up-and-coming chasers. Elliott’s Romeo Coolio is the early favourite, following a flawless start to his chasing career, including Grade 1 wins at Fairyhouse and over this course and distance.
The respective records of the trainers in this race suggest that Elliott is up against it. If Mullins is to make it a round dozen wins, the horse most likely to prevail is the six-year-old Kopek Des Bordes. Successful on chase debut at Navan in November, he had Romeo Coolio back in third when winning the 2025 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup
- Elliott Wins – 2
- Mullins Wins – 14
The star attraction in the Day One feature contest is the mighty Galopin Des Champs. The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup champ loves it at Leopardstown and bids to win this race for a fourth year in a row. The Elliott duo of Stellar Story and Firefox are talented performers, but fall some way short of the standard set by the three-time champ.
Ladbrokes Novice Chase
- Elliott Wins – 1
- Mullins Wins – 12
Final Demand is Mullins’ shortest-priced favourite in the early markets and bids to make it three from three over fences here. An impressive eight-length winner of the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase last time out, he is touted as a Gold Cup contender of the future. Elliott’s main hope, Western Fold, is yet to win at the highest level but ran well to finish third in the Down Royal Champion Chase in November.
Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle
- Elliott Wins – 1
- Mullins Wins – 13
Mullins has won the past seven editions of this, with six of those winners going on to score at the Cheltenham Festival. The odds suggest the horse most likely to keep that streak going is King Rasko Grey. This represents a big step up from his maiden hurdle success at Limerick, but he was impressive that day and will look to book his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle ticket.
With El Cairos heading elsewhere, the pick of the Elliott runners is the Gigginstown House Stud gelding Ballyfad. Three from three under rules, he looked like a horse on the up when winning his maiden hurdle at this track on Boxing Day.
Ladbrokes Dublin Chase
- Elliott Wins – 0
- Mullins Wins – 7
As has been the case in each of his last six starts, the Mullins-trained Majborough seems sure to be amongst the favourites in the Leopardstown equivalent of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Undoubtedly talented, he will need to cut out his jumping errors if he is to avoid a third defeat on the spin. Elliott’s sole entry, Found A Fifty, heads to the DRF with hope, having mastered Majborough at Cork in December.
Irish Champion Hurdle
- Elliott Wins – 1
- Mullins Wins – 9
Last but not least, a fascinating clash between two wonderful mares in the headline hurdle event. The nine-time Grade 1 winner Lossiemouth flies the flag for Mullins. Successful three times at the Cheltenham Festival, one of the few blots on her copybook came when falling in the 2025 edition of this.
The Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead returns to the scene of the most remarkable performance of her career. That staggering display saw her finish 30 lengths clear of the field in the 2024 December Hurdle. Making her seasonal return in the 2025 edition of that event, she finished a length behind Lossiemouth but may turn the tables with that run under her belt.