Superstar Galopin Des Champs heads Dublin Racing Festival fields with six Brits in contention for Grade 1 bonanza

Superstar Galopin Des Champs heads Dublin Racing Festival fields with six Brits in contention for Grade 1 feast

Galopin Des Champs ridden by Paul Townend jumping the last fence to win the Savills Chase

Galopin Des Champs: won the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last month Credit: Caroline Norris

Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs heads entries unveiled on Thursday for what promises to be another hugely informative Dublin Racing Festival next month.

The two-day meeting at Leopardstown on February 1-2 invariably offers plenty of clues as to which high-class Irish horses are likely to win at the Cheltenham Festival the following month.

And Galopin Des Champs, who is unbeaten in six races over fences at the course, has warmed up for Cheltenham by landing the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup there in each of the last two years.

His trainer Willie Mullins last year completed an unprecedented clean sweep of all eight Grade 1s on offer.

Also among the 14 chasers put in the first-day feature are his Gold Cup market rivals Fact To File and Gerri Colombe.

State Man (left) and Brighterdayahead set to reoppose in the December Hurdle

State Man (left) and Brighterdaysahead could take each other on again in the Irish Champion Hurdle

Last year's Champion Hurdle winner State Man is one of 12 entries for the Irish Champion Hurdle on the second day, a race he won for the second year in a row on his way to Cheltenham success last year.

Brighterdaysahead, who conquered State Man in the Morgiana Hurdle in November and then slammed him by over 30 lengths at Leopardstown over Christmas, is also entered along with Lossiemouth and Kargese.

Six British horses have been entered for the eight Grade 1s over the two days, namely Boothill (trained by Harry Fry, Dublin Chase), Good And Clever (Warren Greatrex, Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle), Dysart Enos (Fergal O'Brien, Irish Champion Hurdle), East India Dock (James Owen, Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle), Quantock Hills (Greatrex, Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle) and Here Comes Georgie (Paddy Neville, Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase).