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The Dublin Racing Festival 2025 will be held on the 1st and 2nd February, and the prestigious weekend at Leopardstown is set to deliver the best racing experience so far. The elaborate mix of impressive racing, top-class entertainment and exquisite gastronomy, alongside betting on the horses, is a great way to start the year. So, who are the favourites?

The betting odds are our best hint as to which horses are the Dublin Racing Festival favourites this year. The two main events which spectators and punters are most highly anticipating include the Irish Gold Cup and the Irish Champion Hurdle.

Irish Gold Cup

The Irish Gold Cup (or the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup) will be held on the 1st February at 15.30pm; it is a Grade 1 National Hunt ran over around 3 miles and 1/2 furlong with 17 fences. For the past two years, Galopin Des Champs has notoriously claimed the winning title, with jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins. Additionally, Galopin Des Champs was named Horse of the Year in 2024. This year, the horse is unsurprisingly the bookies' favourite.

• Boylesports: 8/13

• Bet365: 4/7

• Unibet: 4/7

Another horse that is considered a favourite is Fact To File. The Savills Chase at Leeopardstown in December last year saw Galopin Des Champs take first place, closely followed by Fact To File. The two horses also share the same trainer, which easily explains the how the horses consistently perform so well.

• Boylesports: 10/3

• Bet365: 7/2

• Unibet: 10/3

Other betting odds from Boylesports include Embassy Gardens (10/1) who won the O' Driscoll's Irish Whiskey New Year's Day Chase at Tramore, and Monty's Star (8/1) who came in close second. Horses also running include Hewick, Inothewayurthinkin, I Am Maximum, Grangeclare West, Conflated, and Minella Cocooner.

Irish Champion Hurdle

The Irish Champion Hurdle will be held on the 2nd February at 15.20pm. It is a Grade 1 race ran over 2m and 8 hurdles. The favourite to win is Lossiemouth, thanks to a majestic performance at Fairyhouse, claiming first place at the Hatton's Grace Hurdle. Recently, Lossiemouth was beaten by Constitution Hill att Kempton Park during the Christmas Hurdle, which is useful to bear in mind.

• Boylesports: 8/15

• Bet365: 8/13

• Unibet: 4/6

Both trained by Willie Mullins, State Man is another big contender. State Man placed second at the Punchestown Unibet Morgiana Hurdle, narrowly missing first place. Furthemore, State Man's last performance at Leopardstown led to third place at the Neville Hotels Hurdle. The two horses are set to clash during the Irish Champion Hurdle on Sunday.

• Boylesports: 13/8

• Bet365: 6/4

• Unibet: 11/8

The race will include runners Lossiemouth, State Man, Winter Fog, Daddy Long Legs, and Fils dOudairies.

Additional races to look out for as well as the Irish Gold Cup and Irish Champion Hurdle include the Ryanair Handicap Steeplechase, Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, and Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. Even if you aren't betting right now, it is useful to observe the performances of high-profile horses, because this could give handy clues as to who will win future competitions.

See our full list of free bets to claim a bonus for the event.