
Dublin Racing Festival Tips Day 2: Back Brucio in the opener at a big price

Day two of the magnificent Dublin Racing Festival comes along on Sunday and it's another stirring afternoon of Grade 1 quality from Leopardstown. There are four more top-level events on Sunday afternoon, with racing from 12:40-16:25 at Leopardstown and the headline acts include the Dublin Chase (14:10) and the Irish Champion Hurdle (14:45).
We've got a race-by-race guide to the action on the second day of the DRF.
Dublin Racing Festival Day 2 Tips
- 12:40 - Brucio @ 20/1
- 13:10 - Gaelic Warrior @ 10/11
- 13:40 - Farren Glory @ 3/1
- 14:10 - El Fabiolo @ 4/11
- 14:45 - State Man @ 1/3
- 15:20 - Heart Wood @ 9/1
- 15:50 - By Your Side @ 16/1
- 16:25 - Aurora Vega @ 13/8
12:40 - Irish Stallion Farms Ebf Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle (Listed, 2m2f)
Foxy Girl was the early market leader for a tough opener, but the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare has come up shy in two similar tests at Down Royal and Fairyhouse this season and needs a personal-best to land this.
Risk Belle was third behind Jetara here at Christmas - that rival had a Grade 1 aspiration here on Saturday - and should excel herself at this intermediate trip for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.
Belle Of Annandale is one the lesser-spotted UK raiders this weekend and Adrian Keatley's challenger is unexposed at this distance, ensuring she's noted at a big price.
BRUCIO will have to come forward for her recent Catterick maiden success over 1m7½f, but Stuart Crawford knows the time of day and has landed some big pots here in the past.
JJ Slevin rides and the Authorized mare could go well off this opening mark of 116.
Selection: Brucio
13:10 - Ladbrokes Novice Chase (Grade 1, 2m5½f)
Five runners in this Grade 1 and they are all trained by Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott.
Found A Fifty won a Grade 1 over 2m1f here at Christmas, but that owed more to the misfiring rivals behind him and it's noted that Jack Kennedy abandons him for American Mike now.
He beat Fact To File at Navan (2m4f) in November in a beginners' race, but he bowed out very tamely behind GAELIC WARRIOR at Limerick last time.
Fact To File, for his part, easily won a beginners' contest over course and distance in December and is respected but Gaelic Warrior can deliver on the hype.
There are clear worries over his tendency to jump right, but that didn't stop him at this Festival last year and he was a fair second behind Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham afterwards.
He has looked a real weapon in his two chase wins and can dismiss this field after his all-conquering trainer settled on this race over Saturday's Irish Arkle.
Selection: Gaelic Warrior
13:40 - Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m)
Ballyburn appeared to run into a good one on his hurdles bow at Fairyhouse in December as Firefox repelled him willingly, but that rival didn't frank the form in the Lawlor's Of Naas since. Ballyburn easily won here over 2m4f at Christmas but drops in trip now.
Daddy Long Legs was undone by bottomless ground over C&D at Christmas having shown lots of promise in his opening Thurles success the previous month. He could rebound.
Royal Bond winner FARREN GLORY is another seeking a rebound, literally, after a fall at Aintree on Boxing Day.
He looked to be going better than anything in that Grade 1, however, and Gordon Elliott's charge can confirm his Fairyhouse superiority over stablemate King Of Kingsfield (winner next time) en route to thwarting the Mullins hotpot.
Selection: Farren Glory
14:10 - Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (Grade 1, 2m1f)
Nicky Henderson recently labelled it the 'Willie Mullins Racing Festival' and this race certainly nods to that theory as the champion trainer accounts for 80 per cent of the field in a Grade 1 that only one man has tasted success in since the DRF was inaugurated in 2018.
Gentleman De Mee stunned Blue Lord in last year's running but, in the same colours, it's tougher still to imagine EL FABIOLO coming a cropper now.
Nothing has got near him in five chase starts and he easily won the Grade 2 Hilly Way at Cork on his comeback.
Given that the smart mare Dinoblue had the remaining trio of contenders well beaten here at Christmas, she looks the one for the forecast or the major upset if the favourite fluffs his lines.
Selection: El Fabiolo
14:45 - Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m)
STATE MAN is rather unfortunate to be at his best in the Constitution Hill era. Whether he will ever be able to claim a decision over that rival is doubtful but, on this side of the Irish Sea, he's mustard.
Paul Townend thinks he's a better, stronger horse this season and their dismissal of Impaire Et Passe at Christmas backed that up. A seventh straight Irish Grade 1 success surely beckons.
Bob Olinger won the Relkeel at Cheltenham on New Year's Day, getting back to something like his best, but this trip is not playing to his strengths.
Selection: State Man
15:20 - O'Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade 3, 2m5½f)
A tough contest on paper and a race in which lots have chances. HEART WOOD joined Henry de Bromhead in the off-season in 2022 and has only run three times for the Knockeen handler.
He brought home the silver medal in each instance, initially over 2m1f at Navan in November 2022 then, this season, twice at Naas over 2m4f. The trio that denied him were Hollow Games, Grangeclare West and Blood Destiny - all class acts.
Rachael Blackmore's partner is still only a six-year-old and makes his handicap chase bow off what might be a lenient starting point off 136.
Selection: Heart Wood
15:50 - Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle (Listed, 2m)
BY YOUR SIDE was just above-average on the Flat in Britain and picked up plenty of experience over hurdles last season after joining Gordon Elliott, winning his maiden at Naas over this sort of trip in March.
He's exposed to a degree, but has only just turned five and this mark of 125 is manageable.
Both runs this season have been excellent, behind Common Practice at Fairyhouse and then re-opposing One Last Tango here, both in December. He could well have more to give as he matures and is an each-way chance.
Magical Zoe's second to Irish Point at Down Royal in November is strong form and the fact she's had a break since bodes well as she does best when fresh.
Selection: By Your Side
16:25 - Coolmore N.H. Sires 'Hurricane Lane' Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race (Grade 2, 2m)
A Dublin Racing Festival wouldn't be complete if Patrick Mullins didn't get in on the act.
The concluding mares' bumper sees unbeaten AURORA VEGA going for her fourth win.
The regally bred mare started at Sligo back in June, humble beginnings, and was last spotted taking a Listed Gowran Park contest in September on ground probably more testing that she ideally wanted.
Her stablemates Baby Kate and Femme Magnifique, as well as Mongibello for Stuart Crawford and the Gordon Elliott-trained newcomer Holly Brook will all contribute to this being her toughest test, but she has the hallmarks of being an A-plus student and can pass with distinction.
Selection: Aurora Vega
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