Gigginstown and Willie Mullins back on Grade 1 trail together and eyeing explosive start to Dublin Racing Festival
Eddie O'Leary has described the Gigginstown team right now as a combination of "horses with zimmer frames and the rest in prams", but hopes youngsters Storm Heart and Predators Gold can prove the future is bright for the rejuvenated operation by justifying favouritism in the opening two races at the Dublin Racing Festival.
The biggest news to emerge from the day-one declarations was the absence of Gaelic Warrior from the Goffs Irish Arkle, depriving jump racing fans of a blockbuster showdown with the unbeaten Marine Nationale.
Gaelic Warrior will instead wait for the Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Sunday with Facile Vega stepping in to his shoes for another clash with Marine Nationale, but Willie Mullins' artillery for the meeting appears more powerful than ever.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Copy- Leopardstown delighted with 'very significant increase' in British racegoers at packed-out Dublin Racing Festival
- 'It's been absolutely extraordinary - it's certainly way more winners than I thought we would achieve'
- Who has been your big Dublin Racing Festival eyecatcher?
- Irish Champion Hurdle: 'You can't get much better than this' - State Man completes remarkable Grade 1 clean sweep for Willie Mullins
- Dublin Chase: 'It was everything I wanted and more' - El Fabiolo thrills Willie Mullins with another easy Grade 1 success
- Leopardstown delighted with 'very significant increase' in British racegoers at packed-out Dublin Racing Festival
- 'It's been absolutely extraordinary - it's certainly way more winners than I thought we would achieve'
- Who has been your big Dublin Racing Festival eyecatcher?
- Irish Champion Hurdle: 'You can't get much better than this' - State Man completes remarkable Grade 1 clean sweep for Willie Mullins
- Dublin Chase: 'It was everything I wanted and more' - El Fabiolo thrills Willie Mullins with another easy Grade 1 success