Another Dublin Racing Festival has come and gone and we were once again treated to two excellent days of elite National Hunt racing. One constant remains and Willie Mullins’ dominance continued this year, as his horses won seven out of the 15 races.

Gordon Elliott gave the meeting a wide berth this year, choosing instead to keep his best Cheltenham candidates’ powders dry.

There was a poignant victory for Emmet and Danny Mullins in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle on what was surely a memorable day for the yard.

Here we take a look at what happened across the two days and consider who emerged as the biggest winners and losers.

Mullins, Mullins and more Mullins

It would be impossible to look at the Dublin Racing Festival without first considering Willie Mullins, who has been absolutely unstoppable at the meeting in recent years. Seven winners is a relatively quiet return for him, especially as he won all eight Grade 1s in 2024.

Whilst true, it’s clearly a little tongue in cheek as he won three of the four Grade 1s on both Saturday and Sunday. Kopek Des Bordes was as big as 12/1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but since decimating the field in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle he now finds himself as short as 11/10 at the head of the market.

It was a similar story for Final Demand, who was immediately sliced in to 11/4 from 7/1 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle after winning on Saturday and has shortened further since. Both novices looked like absolute machines and they were provided two of the stand out performances.

Galopin Des Champs is looking almost impossible to oppose in the Gold Cup after his impressive performance in the Irish equivalent on Saturday and there’s no one left with whom to take him on.

Ballyburn and State Man both got back on track with Grade 1 victories and the Brown Advisory is next on the agenda for Ballyburn.

El Fabiolo was a faller at the second fence in the Dublin Chase, so it’s very hard to know where we’re at with regards to his potential participation in the Champion Chase. Gaelic Warrior was bitterly disappointing and it’ll require some training performance to get him back to his best now.

Perhaps Mullins’ Triumph Hurdle challenge isn’t quite as strong this year as it normally is. Sainte Lucie was well supported in the Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday and flopped majorly, finishing last, beaten by over 40 lengths.

Elliott waves the white flag

Several trainers managed to get on the board across the two days, but Gordon Elliott-trained runners were noticeably few and even fewer had serious chances.

The likes of The Yellow Clay and Brighterdaysahead were left at home and Elliott is clearly waiting until Cheltenham to have a crack at the Mullins battalions.

Joseph O’Brien broke the potential Grade 1 clean sweep for Mullins on the Sunday, with Solness proving that his top-level success at Leopardstown over Christmas wasn’t a fluke when winning from the front in the Dublin Chase.

Gavin Cromwell won three races across the two days, including the Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle and Hello Neighbour is now firmly in the Triumph picture. The aforementioned Emmet Mullins, Paul Nolan and Noel Meade also made it into the winners’ enclosure.

Are the Seven Barrows team licking their lips?

Sir Gino demolished Ballyburn at Kempton over Christmas, so the latter’s brilliant return to form in the 2m5½f Ladbrokes Novice Chase will surely delight the Donnellys and Nicky Henderson in equal measure.

Majborough won the Irish Arkle comfortably enough for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh, but Sir Gino very much remains the one to beat.

Irish-trained Champion Chase contenders appear to be dropping like flies, with El Fabiolo and Gaelic Warrior both failing to enhance their chances. Perhaps the route is now clear for Jonbon to take the crown in March.

Champion Hurdle number two appears to be in the bag for Constitution Hill, as Lossiemouth fell in the Irish Champion Hurdle and winner State Man is demonstrably not as good as Nicky Henderson’s stable star.

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