We barely have time to catch our breath after Saturday drama, but just like that, day two of the Dublin Racing Festival is here.

But just like yesterday, we have a card stacked with Grade 1s that are up for grabs, with the highlight being the Grade 1 Irish Champion Hurdle, in which, to the shock of many, Paul Townend has stayed loyal to State Man and has chosen to ride the gelding over Lossiemouth.

Now, on to the matter at hand: the eight-race card to close out the 2025 Dublin Racing Festival and my best bets for each race.

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

A tricky opener to day two of the Dublin Racing Festival as 20 mares line up in search of big-day glory.

Queens Gamble is the obvious starting point, given her three-from-four record over hurdles, and she is given the utmost respect from Harry Derham, one of the up-and-coming yards in the UK, but her top weight and short odds make her less appealing.

SAVANTE is one of the more interesting runners for former Grade 1 winning trainer Colm Murphy.

Having started her hurdling career with a bang a Tramore, Sanvente was sent off the 11/4 favourite for a Grade 3 mares hurdle at Down Royal.

She never got into a rhythm on the day and dropped to the rear, but she ran on well to finish fifth.

Her run over this course at Christmas, where she was still bang there, keeping on well before being brought down two out.

The handicapper has dropped her one pound for that run, and off 119, she looks to be on a favourable mark back in mares’ company.

Deanos Diamond is not taken lightly at big odds and can run well for Philip Rothwell.

• Selection: Savente 10/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Denos Diamond 33/1
• Current Betting: Queens Gamble 7/2, Strigth Home 7/2, Qualimita 6/1, Vischio 10/1, Savante 10/1, Cottesloe Sunshine 10/1, 12/1 bar.

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

Ballyburn comes here on the back of a comprehensive defeat behind Sir Gino in the Kauto Star Novices Chase at Kempton, but given that the ground and track likely played against him on the day, you can be more than willing to forgive him that run.

He has an obvious chance now that he steps up in trip on what will likely be testing conditions, but he may have to watch IMPAIRE ET PASSE pull away from him in the finish.

This hugely talented gelding arguably has better form in the book than Ballyburn.

His win in the 2023 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival saw him beat Gaelic Warrior by over six lengths, with Champ Kiely a further length behind, and he looked set for great things after that.

Last season’s plan of staying hurdling didn’t go as planned, but he was still only the soon-to-be Stayers Hurdle winner Teahupoo and Champion Hurdler State Man, before ending the season with a Grade 1 and Grade 2 win.

For me, that is far superior form than anything Ballyburn has achieved, and even in their short time over fences, Impaire Et Passe looks the more natural chaser.

With conditions looking to be coming into Impaire Et Passes’s favour, he can be hard to beat here.

• Selection: Impaire Et Passe 3/1
• Danger: Ballyburn 4/5
• Current Betting: Ballyburn 4/5, Impaire Et Passe 3/1, Champ Kiely 7/1, Better Days Ahead 10/1, Croke Park 14/1, Praire Dancer 66/1, Arctic Skua 250/1.

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1:40 Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle – 2m (5yo+)

This race revolves around KOPEK DES BORDES and whether his jumping can improve from his hurdling debut.

For all that he tried to kick every hurdle out of the ground on debut, this hugely talented gelding still managed to pull away and beat Kawaboomga (who has won since) by over two lengths.

Paul Townend gets the leg up today, and if he can get Kopek Des Bordes to respect his hurdles, I see only one outcome: an impressive win for Kopek Des Bordes.

At a much bigger price, Karniquet looks to be missed in the betting at 50/1. He is a live each-way player at a massive price.

Selection: Kopek Des Bordes 1/1

Danger: Karniquet 50/1

Current Betting: Kopek Des Bordes 1/1, Kaid Dauthie 5/2, Redemption Day 8/1, Blue De Vassy 8/1, 16/1 bar.

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2:10 Grade 1 Ladbrokes Dublin Chase – 2m1f (5yo+)

It will be interesting to see how El Fabiolo gets on here in what will be his first start of the season. If he can get back to his brilliant best, you can see him playing a massive role in today’s finish.

But they may all have to go some way to stop GAELIC WARRIOR from making amends for his defeat here at Christmas.

The enigma that is Gaelic Warrior was not given the best of rides on the day by Patrick Mullins, and the same can be said for the rest of the jockeys as they left Solness built up an unsurmountable lead coming into the home straight where none were able to reel him in.

On the back of that run and back on testing ground, it looks set up for Gaelic Warrior to get his season back on track before a crack at Jonbon in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

• Selection: Gaelic Warrior 4/5
• Danger: El Fabiolo 8/1
• Current Betting: Gaelic Warrior 4/5, Marine Nationale 9/2, El Fabiolo 8/1, Solness 8/1, Quilixios 14/1, 25/1 bar.

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

Backtonormal has been the money horse for the past few days and now heads the betting at 5/1.

He looks to have his chance from the in-form Gavin Cromwell stable and is sure to improve on his handicap debut, but the one I will be siding with is the Galway Plate winner, PINKERTON.

Having been hampered by a faller at the fifth in the Paddy Power Chase over three miles at Leopardstown in December, Pinkerton did well to get himself back in the race and run on well in the closing stages to overtake the now Tyestes Chase winner Nick Rockett.

Pinkerton drops back in trip here and has to contend with a two-pound rise in the weights, but this in-form nine-year-old is still relatively unexposed over this trip and should be able to put up a good showing here.

Monbeg Park and Horantzau d’Airy are others to consider and can run well at bigger prices.

• Selection: Pinkerton 7/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Backtonormal 11/2
• Current Betting: Backtonormal 11/2, James Du Berlais 11/2, Pinkerton 7/1, Search For Glory 8/1, Sequestered 8/1, Monbeg Park 9/1, 12/1 bar.

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Grade 1 Irish Champion Hurdle – 2m (4yo+)

Like many, I was shocked that Paul Townend chose State Man over Lossiemouth today, but loyalty maybe Paul Townends undoing here.

There have been no excuses for why State Man ran so much below par when he finished a distant third behind Brighterdaysahead last time out, and he will need to be back to his brilliant best if he has any chance of winning.

Danny Mullins steps in for the ride on LOSSIEMOUTH here, and she is the one that can prove hard to beat.

She comes here on the back of what was a puzzling run behind Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, but even so, she was still just over two lengths off him.

There is every reason to believe that she has a lot more to offer as a six-year-old, and if she is back to her best, I see it hard for State Man to be able to concede seven pounds to this hugely talented mare.

• Selection: Lossiemouth 4/5
• Danger: State Man 5/4
• Current Betting: Lossiemouth 4/5, State Man 5/4, Winter Fog 14/1, Daddy Long Legs 40/1, Fil d’Oudairies 50/1.

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3:50 Listed Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle – 2m (4yo+ 0-150)

Ol Man Dingle comes here in the form of his life after securing a hat-trick in a novice handicap hurdle over 2m4f at Leopardstown.

He has been hit with a 12-pound rise in the weights for his latest win and drops back in trip here, but he can not be ruled out in his current form.

Storm Heart, who mixed it with the best of them in his juvenile campaign last season, is an interesting runner on handicap debut off 140.

But we may have a graded horse hiding in a handicap today.

JAMES’S GATE, formerly trained by Willie Mullins in his bumper days, was a highly thought-of individual, but setbacks have seen his career fail to take off.

But now in Martin Brassil’s care, James’s Gate has managed to get a clear run of things this season and looks to be making up for lost time.

He has won back-to-back races and would have won more impressively on his latest start if it hadn’t been for him sprawling on landing after the last, but even so, he still managed to win comfortably.

The way he travels with immense ease and can pick up when asked will be a big asset in a race like this, and on handicap debut off 136, he looks to hold a leading chance here.

• Selection: James’s Gate 10/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Strom Heart 15/2
• Current Betting: Brave Troop 9/2, Storm Heart 15/2, Mclaurey 8/1, Ol Man Dingle 9/1, Enniskerry 10/1, James’s Gate 10/1, The Enabler 10/1, 11/1 bar.

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4:25 Grade 2 Coolmore N.H. Sires Luxembourg Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race – 2m (4-7yo)

A cracking mares bumper to bring the curtain down on the 2025 Dublin Racing Festival.

Future Prospect could not have been more impressive on debut, but she did do a lot wrong and does look like a mare that could get buzzy in the parade ring and fail to settle during the race.

She is given the utmost respect, but AMEN KATE was arguably just as impressive on debut when slamming Carrigmoornaspurce, who has since won back-to-back bumpers while beating the geldings over course and distance last time out.

That is taking form, and with so much more expected from Amen Kate, she can answer the prayers of her supporters and close out the 2025 DRF with a convincing win.

• Selection: Amen Kate 4/1
• Danger: Future Prospect 13/8
• Current Betting: Future Prospect 13/8, Amen Kate 4/1, Bambino Fever 5/1, Carrigmoornspruce 7/1, Churchfield Sunset 9/1, 16/1 bar.

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