2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Preview – DS
2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Tips
Owe were robbed of Leopardstown on Saturday due to heavy rain and a waterlogged track. Day 2 of the DRF is probably 50/50 to go ahead with Day 1 now rescheduled to Monday. Hopefully, we get to see some racing tomorrow, Dave Stevos’ 2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday tips are below.
12.40 Leopardstown – Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
We backed Galileo Dame in the Grade 1 Juvenile hurdle here last year and she really should have won. Since then, things haven’t exactly gone to plan over hurdles or back on the Flat but she did run well in a heavy ground maiden hurdle at Limerick last time. If she rediscovers the form she showed here last year she could go close off a mark of 130 but odds of 12/1 are probably about right.
An interesting one at bigger odds is Tir Og. This consistent mare has been on the go since July. She has won three of her last six starts. The winning run started off 88 at Sligo (17.5f, good), she followed up off 93 at Downpatrick (2m2f, yielding) and after a pair of seconds at Limerick (19.5f, soft) and Thurles (2m4f, gd-yld) she added a third win in a novice hurdle at Naas (2m, sft-hvy).
Last time at Limerick she dipped her toe in this grade for the first time over 2m (sft-hvy) off her revised mark of 118 and she was far from disgraced in fifth, getting outpaced before running on nicely enough between the last two flights. She runs off the same mark here, this longer trip will suit and Calum Hogan keeps the ride. At odds of 20/1, hopefully Tir Og can stay on late and hit the frame.
2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Tip: Tir Og e/w @ 20/1 (5 places)
1.10 Leopardstown – Ladbrokes Novice Chase (Grade 1)
Final Demand has been heralded as the second coming and he has made a flawless start to his chasing career. A G1 winner here over hurdles, the ground will pose no problems for him and he’ll surely make a bold bid from the front.
If his jumping holds up he’ll be a tough nut to crack and it is hard to see any of these opponents laying a glove on the son of Walk In The Park. With just two places on offer, this is a race best watched. No bet.
2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Tip: No Bet
1.40 Leopardstown – Tattersalls Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
We backed Blake in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse back in November and he lost no caste in defeat behind Koktail Brut. He just missed out in a head-bobbing finish and while The Passing Wife let the form down somewhat here over Christmas, Gavin Cromwell’s horses weren’t right at that time. The 20l fifth, Eachtotheirown, hosed up by 9l in a handicap next time out and is now rated 137 so I think the form is solid.
Blake has won a premier handicap here on the Flat on heavy (awarded race by the stewards due to interference) so he won’t have any issues with the track or on this testing ground (3/3 on the Flat on soft-heavy).
All the hype has been about King Rasko Grey and Talk The Talk, a faller when looking the likely winner in a G1 here over Xmas, and the form of Ballyfad’s maiden win here has since been boosted. Blake seems to be something of a forgotten horse and at the prices, he is worth backing e/w.
2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Tip: Blake e/w @ 20/1 NB
2.10 Leopardstown – Dublin Chase (Grade 1)
I think there could be a shock on here given the testing conditions. Majborough is just 15/8 but I couldn’t back him with stolen money. He’s a bad jumper and over 2m1f, that is not a good thing.
Marine Nationale is a top-class horse but whether he’ll be at his imperious best on heavy is another question. Our Champion Chase ante-post bet Solness is another one that would prefer a sounder surface and Energumene is getting on a bit now.
That leaves Found A Fifty. He was well beaten behind Solness and co here over Christmas but the ground was yielding. This horse is a bog monster who is a stone better when the mud is flying.
At Cork in December in the Hilly Way chase, he beat Majborough and Energumene on soft ground. He finished second in the 2024 Arkle on soft ground and he is undefeated on ground with heavy in the description (2/2). Overall, his form figures on soft-heavy read 1221111, hopefully he can add another 1 or 2 to that sequence tomorrow.
At odds of 12/1, Found A Fifty is the each way selection.
2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Tip: Found A Fifty e/w @ 12/1 NAP
2.45 Leopardstown – Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
23 runners here but no less than 11 trained by Elliott and Mullins. It really makes things difficult from a race reading point of view because working out which horses will be trying is nigh on impossible.
Tom Gibney’s Kinturk Kalanisi has to have a huge chance after his excellent run here at Xmas but he’s too short for the blog so I’ll take a punt on Henry De Bromhead’s Harry Des Ongrais.
He was heavily backed for the Thyestes Chase 10 days ago but the 3m1f trip on desperate ground proved too much for him and he was pulled up. He’s clearly a better horse than he showed that day and he will be much better suited by this shorter trip.
On his penultimate start at Navan, his first run of the season, he finished a fine third in a Listed handicap chase at around this trip on soft to heavy and he runs off the same mark here. Both his wins have come at 2m4f on soft/heavy, a maiden hurdle at Wexford and a beginners’ chase at Gowran.
He is still relatively unexposed in handicap chases, with both his unplaced efforts coming over 3m+. He likely needed the run when third at Navan but he’ll be fit now, he has his optimal distance and hopefully, he can bounce back from that below par Thyestes run in the first-time cheekpieces. At odds of 20/1, Harry Des Ongrais is the e/w selection.
2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Tip: Harry Des Ongrais e/w @ 20/1 (6 places)
3.20 Leopardstown – Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
Another small field and a race in which the market leaders look likely to dominate. Lossiemouth beat Brighterdaysahead by a length here in December and they’ll probably fill the same positions here on ground they both handle.
The shock Triumph winner Poniros adds a bit of intrigue but he’d be of more interest on better ground so El Fabiolo and Anzadam look most likely of the remainder. However, with just two places on offer, this is another race left well alone. No bet.
2026 Leopardstown DRF Sunday Tip: No Bet
3.52 Leopardstown – Spring 2026 Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
The one I like here at a nice price is another Henry De Bromhead horse, Pinot Gris. Formerly trained by Gavin Cromwell, his sole start for this stable came on the Flat in the November Handicap at Naas. He failed to fire but he’s a talented hurdler and he’s 3lb lower than when not beaten that far behind Kargese in the County Hurdle last March.
This 4yo son of Mastercraftsman has had eight starts over timber and has finished out of the first three just twice. He’s had one run at this track over hurdles and it was a fine effort in December 2024. He was beaten a neck off 132 by Enniskerry on yielding ground and he clearly likes it here because he has a course win on the Flat to his name too (1m5f, soft).
There is a chance that De Bromhead will be using this race as a stepping stone back towards the County Hurdle in March but this is actually a more valuable race so hopefully he is trying. If he is, Pinot Gris is capable of running a big race here at odds of 22/1.
