Dublin Racing Festival: Sunday Leopardstown Horse Racing Tips

See below Andy Newton’s Leopardstown horse racing tips on Sunday ahead of the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival. 

Andy Newton’s Leopardstown Racing Tips: Sunday 1st February 2026 🏇🇮🇪

The Dublin Racing Festival continues into Sunday with another top card of National Hunt action at Leopardstown racecourse.

There is eight races on the card, that are headlined with the Irish Champion Hurdle

The ITV Racing team will also be showing Leopardstown races on Sunday – a race trainer Willie Mullins has won nine times.

He’ll be pinning his hopes on the popular grey mare Lossiemouth, who fell in this race 12 months ago.

On the day, we’ll also see hot Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase favourite Final Demand in the Ladbrokes Novices’ Chase.

And also, the apple of trainer Barry Connell’s eye Marine National in the Grade One Dublin Chase.

As he continues his preparation to defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase title at Cheltenham in March.

So, don’t miss Andy Newton’s Sunday Leopardstown horse racing tips as he gives you his 1-2-3 best bets and key trends.

Plus each day you can also see Andy’s daily horse racing tips and cheat sheet – including his NAP, NB, Lay Of The Day and hot trainers list.

Let’s get going.

Leopardstown Racing Tips: Sunday 1st February, 2026 🏇: Lossiemouth To Shine In Irish Champion Hurdle

12:40: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+) 2m2f RTV

One of the key stats here tells us 90% of the last 10 winners carried 10-11 or less, while 70% had just 10-7 or less.

Kimy was also runner-up in 2025 and is back rated 6lbs lower, so could surprise at odds.

While Disco Dancer was 4th 12 months ago and is back off the same mark (120).

Only By Night, Galileo Dame and Siog Gael coming over from the Fergal O’Brien yard will be popular.

But going back to the weight stat the two that are chanced are SHODA and ADRIENNE. 

Yes, the former will have 10-12 but is only a pound over the cut-ff (10-11). She’s run well in her four starts over hurdles so far, despite not winning.

And this first try into a handicap will help – you just feel this has been the plan.

Plus, was only 1/2 a length behind Leader d’Allier last time and that horse has since won well to frank the form.

Then Adrienne ran second to Narciso Has, albeit 11 lengths back, last time here and was third to Mange Tout before that.

This will be easier now out of Graded company and has only 10-6 on her back.

🥇SHODA
🥈ADRIENNE
🥉KIMY 

KEY STATS 📈

1:10: Ladbrokes Novice Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) 2m5½f RTV

We’ll keep this one short and sweet – as it will be a shock if FINAL DEMAND isn’t giving Willie Mullins another win in this race.

He won at the DRF last season, so knows what it’s all about and has since impressed over fences this season – winning both starts in facile fashion.

The first a Navan in November and the latest a smooth success at Limerick in the Faugheen Novices’ Chase.

This might be a tad harder with the likes of Kaid d’ Authie (rated 10lbs lower) and Western Fold, who is actually only rated a pound behind Final Demand.

But Final Demand is already 5/4 for the Browns Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival and is likely to be odds-on after this.

In recent years, Fact To File (2024) and Monkfish (2021) landed both races – and, of course, Galopin Des Champs should have too in 2022.

🥇FINAL DEMAND
🥈KAID D’AUTHIE
🥉WESTERN FOLD

KEY STATS 📈

1:40: Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) 2m RTV / ITV

Talk The Talk will be popular to ‘walk the walk’ here for Joseph O’Brien, but he does come here off a fall.

Before that, this 5yo had impressed with wins at Limerick and Leopardstown – however, just over-jumped the last day here at Christmas.

He’d probably have won that day too and showed a good turn-of-foot, but will he be as good in much softer ground?

Plus, we don’t know how that fall will impact him – especially as it also came here at Leopardstown.

Talk The Talk is around 8/1 for the Supreme at Cheltenham.

Ballyfad is 3-3 unbeaten and could be anything. He beat Leader D’Allier by 9 1/2 lengths last time here at Leopardstown and that horse has won since.

The only non-Mullins winner in recent times was Samcro (2018), who was, or course Gigginstown and trained by Gordon Elliott – just like Ballyfad.

But this has been yet another Willie Mullins benefit race in recent times. Winning the last seven – including last season with Kopek Des Bordes.

And with conditions to suit I’m happy to go against Talk To Talk with Willie’s KING RASKO GREY. 

This non-grey horse was super impressive in soft/heavy ground at Limerick over Christmas – travelling well and staying on powerfully to the line.

That form has also been well advertised since with the second Shuttle Diplomacy and third I Started A Joke both winning well since.

King Rasko Grey is around 20/1 for the Supreme.

🥇KING RASKO GREY
🥈TALK THE TALK
🥉BALLYFAD

KEY STATS 📈

2:10: Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) 2m1f RTV / ITV

M&M horses Majborough and Marine Nationale are going to be big players here.

Majborough landed the Irish Arkle Chase at the DRF last season but hasn’t quite fulfilled his potential since – has he?

While Barry Connell makes no secret that his Marine Nationale is the best jumps horse on the planet at the moment.

Okay a slight exaggeration but having won the Champion Chase last season he’s got every right to shout loud about his horse.

However, for me, he’s not quite superstar status just yet and – hey – would he even had won last season’s QM Champion Chase if Quilixios had not fallen late on?

That said, he still ran well last time to be a close second in the Paddy’s Reward Club Chase here over Christmas. Having made a mess of a fence earlier on and almost unshipping Sean Flanagan.

He lost many lengths there, but still only went down by 1/2 a length at the line.

Solness Loves Leopardstown

But it’s the horse that beat him that day SOLNESS that I think is the value again here, as he looks to win this race for a second year.

Yes, the softer ground is not totally ideal, but he has won in heavy and soft in the past – but the main reason being is he love this place.

His record at Leopardstown reads 1-3-1-1-1 and this would had been his big season target again.

We can expect him to race up with the pace again and that will then put jumping pressure on his main rivals.

He’s also still somehow only 8 years-old (seems to have been around forever) and is actually rated 2lbs higher than Majborough anyway.

Solness is then 20/1 for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham but forget that – this is his Champion Chase and his track.

Of the rest, old-boy Energumene (12yo) will love the ground and could have one last big performance in him.

🥇SOLNESS
🥈MARINE NATIONALE 
🥉EMERGUMENE

KEY STATS 📈

2:45: O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (5yo+) 2m5½f RTV /ITV

Proper ‘pin-job’ this next race, with stacks of chances.

Elliott has won two of the last nine, so his runners are noted that could include Down Memory Lane and Jacob’s Ladder.

While, despite the competitive nature of the race, we’ve still seen three winning favourites in the last 10 runnings.

Including Backtonormal, who landed a big gamble as the winning jolly last year.

But with the last nine winners carrying 10-13 and eight of the last nine aged 6-8, this is where I’ll focus my search.

Also look for claiming riders – with four winning in the last 10.

The two that are chanced though are the two K’s – KIM ROQUE and KINTURK KALANISI.

Kim Rogue was a fair 4th in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham last time and is back on the same mark with just 10-2 to carry.

This Joseph O’Brien horse has only had five runs over fences and two since coming over from France, so should have more to offer.

While Kinturk Kalanisi is also of interest after an excellent third here at Leopardstown over Christmas.

This Thomas Gibney runner is up just 3lbs for that run. And can be expected to have improved as it came after eight months off.

Having run well for much of the way that day over 3m, the drop in trip is also a big positive.

Plus, that form has been franked too with the winner Favori De Champdou landing the Cross Country race at Cheltenham last weekend.

Buachaillbocht was back in 6th in that Leopardstown race here behind Kinturk and can also go well off a featherweight.

🥇KINTURK KALANISI
🥈KIM ROQUE
🥉BUACHAILLBOCHT

KEY STATS 📈

3:20: Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) 2m RTV /ITV

It should be ‘girl power’ all the way here as top mares LOSSIEMOUTH and Brighterdaysahead lock horns.

The last-named recorded her last win here at Leopardstown in Dec 2024 but is since three runs without success and was also beaten a length by Lossie over Christmas – again here at Leopardstown.

They pair are both aged 7 and also both rated 159 – but for me, Lossiemouth has achieved much more and is the call again to beat the Elliott horse.

In fact, I’m not sure why Lossiemouth isn’t a tad shorter in the betting – especially as the Gordon Elliott form at the moment is only average.

Yes, she fell in this race last season – however, will have Paul Townend back on here and the softer ground will play to her strengths too – as we know she stays further.

Mullins is the call to win his 10th Irish Champion Hurdle and then hopefully we’ll see Lossise head to the Champion Hurdle in March, where she’s already favourite.

But, of course, could also run in the Mares’ Hurdle that she’s won twice before.

Anzadam, who hasn’t quite fulfilled expectations yet, can follow the girls home.

🥇LOSSIEMOUTH
🥈BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD 
🥉ANZADAM 

KEY STATS 📈

3:52: Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+ 0-150) 2m RTV

A Dream To Share was a good winner of the Future Stars NH Flat Race at the DRF in 2023, but hasn’t really been a ‘future star’.

He’s only won one of this last 10 starts and so it’s hard to get jiggy about him.

But is two-from-three here at Leopardstown, so does like it here.

Storm Heart (will love the ground) and last year’s DRF winner Hello Neighbour are the class angles into the race, but that comes at a price with big weights.

The stats to note tell us 90% of the last 10 winners were aged 5-7 and also 70% carried just 10-10.

So, armed with these – plus the fact a certain Charles Byrnes likes this race – it’s hard to get away from his I STARTED A JOKE.

This 7 year-old was a fine fourth to King Rasko Grey (who runs earlier on the card) at Limerick in December.

Then backed that up with a tidy win at Punchestown in January. He’s into a handicap for the first time here and looks on a fair mark of 126 and only 10-4 to carry.

Soft and heavy ground is fine too, having won on it last time.

So I Started A Joke is the call to have the last laugh here.

🥇I STARTED A JOKE
🥈HELLO NEIGHBOUR 
🥉STORM HEART

KEY STATS 📈

4:27: Coolmore N.H. Sires Luxembourg Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race (Grade 2) (4-7yo) 2m RTV

We end the DRF with the mares NH Flat race and the betting will be a big help here.

It’s another Mullins – Willie that is – has a good record in – shock!

He’s won five of the last eight (and last three).

Oh, and anything Miss Jody Townend rides should also be noted as she’s won three of the last five (and last two).

We’ve only had one winning favourite since 2018 too – with this year’s jolly potentially being Celestial Tune.

She was a good winner at Cheltenham in a similar race in November but as a result has to give 3lbs away here.

Of the Mullins runners, WONDERFUL EVERYDAY was a good winner at Punchestown in April but flopped at Huntingdon in December as the Evs favourite.

But that clearly wasn’t her true running and maybe the trip over or tighter track didn’t suit.

She’s chanced to bounce back. Oh, and with that name I’m not sure if she’s owned by an IKEA worker!

Mullins could also have Maximillian Lady, who is having her first run for the yard – having been with C W J Farrell before.

She’s one of the more experienced in the field too, with four runs (one win) and is one to note for sure in the market.

🥇WONDERFUL EVERYDAY
🥈MAXIMILLIAN LADY
🥉CELESTIAL TUNE 

KEY STATS 📈