Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival takes place on the first weekend in February and provides two of the highest quality days of jump racing in the entire calendar on either side of the Irish Sea.
The fixture was created in 2018 to combine a series of meetings and key races into one fixture. Its position in the calendar distances the Dublin Racing Festival from the busy Christmas period and still allows runners to compete in the Spring festivals at Cheltenham, Aintree, Fairyhouse and Punchestown.
There are 15 races at Leopardstown across the weekend, seven on the Saturday and eight on the Sunday. Within those races are eight Grade 1s, two Grade 2 Irish National Hunt Flat Races, a Grade 3 Handicap and four Listed races. No race is worth less than €100,000 with the Irish Gold Cup the most valuable at €250,000
Saturday 31st January 2026
Saturday’s racing opens with two Grade 1s in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle over 2m6f and the 2m Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle.
The Listed Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle is next before the Grade 1 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase and the day 1 feature, the €250,000 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.
The final two races on day one are the Listed Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase and the Grade 2 DRF Future Stars I.N.H. Flat Race for colts and geldings.
- 1:15pm: Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle
Grade 1, 2m6f, 5yo+, €150,000 - 1:50pm: Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle
Grade 1, 2m, 4yo, €150,000 - 2:25pm: Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle
Listed, 3m, 4yo+, €100,000 - 2:55pm: Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase
Grade 1, 2m1f, 5yo+, €150,000 - 3:30pm: Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup
Grade 1, 3m½f, 5yo+, €250,000 - 4:05pm: Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase
Listed, 2m1f, 5yo+, €100,000 - 4:40pm: DRF Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race
Grade 2, 2m, 4-6yo, €100,000
Sunday 1st February 2026
Sunday’s racing begins with the Listed Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle over 2m2f before three Grade 1s in the 2m5½f Ladbrokes Novice Chase, the 2m Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle and the 2m1f Ladbrokes Dublin Chase.
The Grade 3 O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase is next before the most valuable race on day two, the €200,000 Irish Champion Hurdle.
The festival closes with the Listed Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle over 2m and the Grade 2 Coolmore N.H. Sires Los Angeles Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race.
- 12:40pm: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle
Listed, 2m2f, 4yo+, €100,000 - 1:10pm: Ladbrokes Novice Chase
Grade 1, 2m5½f, 5yo+, €150,000 - 1:40pm: Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle
Grade 1, 2m, 5yo+, €150,000 - 2:10pm: Ladbrokes Dublin Chase
Grade 1, 2m1f, 5yo+, €150,000 - 2:45pm: O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase
Grade 3, 2m5½f, 5yo+, €150,000 - 3:20pm: Irish Champion Hurdle
Grade 1, 2m, 4yo+, €200,000 - 3:52pm: Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle
Listed, 2m, 4yo+, €150,000 - 4:27pm: Coolmore N.H. Sires Los Angeles Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race
Grade 2, 2m, 4-6yo, €100,000
