El Fabiolo is out to confirm his position as the leading two-mile chaser in training when he lines up in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Winner of the Irish Arkle at this meeting 12 months ago when he was overlooked by Paul Townend in favour of Appreciate It, he went on to confirm the big impression he made that day at Cheltenham.

Up against Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon, the only horse to beat him since joining Willie Mullins, he came out well on top.

The pair were due to clash again in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot two weeks ago but the meeting was abandoned due to frost and Mullins swerved the rearranged race at Cheltenham last week, leaving Jonbon seemingly with a penalty kick, only for him to fluff his lines.

Mullins will be hoping the same fate does not befall his seven-year-old this weekend when he faces stiff opposition from within his own camp, three runners all owned by JP McManus – the improving mare Dinoblue, Gentleman De Mee and Saint Roi.

“El Fabiolo was supposed to go to England and then the Clarence House was rerouted to Cheltenham and we said we’d skip that and come to the Dublin Racing Festival,” said Mullins.

“He’s in great form. Dinoblue is a mare that’s improving all the time and then Gentleman De Mee’s there, he will also give a good account of himself and he likes this track. It’s shaping up to be a hot race, it’s not a foregone conclusion.”

El Fabiolo is the star among owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s ‘double green’ team but their racing manager Anthony Bromley is also taking nothing for granted.

“Dinoblue and Gentleman De Mee are really strong opposition and it is certainly not going to be easy,” said Bromley.

“The ground should be fine, he’s a course and distance winner and rated to win it, but I was hugely impressed by Dinoblue at Christmas in proper soft ground and there could be a big danger there.

“Let’s hope we can just get through it and then plan for Cheltenham. He is our big hope for Sunday and the weekend really.”

The only non-Mullins runner in the race is Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guinness, who was desperately disappointing behind Dinoblue at Christmas and has frequently come up just short in Grade Ones in the past.

The Dublin Racing Festival began as many expected with a Willie Mullins-trained winner, but not with the one most predicted, as complete outsider Dancing City beat favourite Predators Gold in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle.

With Paul Townend plumping for Predators Gold from the four Mullins runners, punters took that as a clear hint he was seen as the number one contender, despite stepping up six furlongs in trip from his Christmas outing.

Townend settled the market leader at the rear, as Danny Mullins on Dancing City (16-1) set out to make the running at a sedate tempo, but Rachael Blackmore was having none of it and after half a mile Jetara was allowed to stride on.

Blackmore had a scary moment approaching the second last when she lost her left stirrup but was soon back on an even keel, although the Mullins pair loomed up on the turn for home.

Predators Gold had every chance on the outside but Dancing City kept on finding for pressure and went on to win by a length and a quarter. To Jetara’s credit, she stuck on gamely for third.

Former Irish Derby fourth Peking Opera made a successful start to his jumping career with a solid win at Sandown.

The son of Galileo was bought for 100,000 guineas after also scoring in Listed company for Aidan O’Brien and was sent off the 13-8 joint-favourite for the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Hurdle.

Niall Houlihan had his mount tucked in behind front-runner Glengolly for much of the way and his jumping was smooth.

Peking Opera was almost forced to push on when a big gap opened up on the inside entering the home straight and quickly took control of proceedings.

Fellow market leader The Good Doctor threw down a challenge between the final two flights but was giving his rival 22lb in weight and was readily seen off on the run-in, going down by a length and three-quarters.

Winning trainer Gary Moore told Racing TV: “I expected him to run very, very well, but I’ve had two good horses beaten in this race over the last two years, so that did worry me.

“He’s a very lazy work horse at home and I couldn’t believe he was a different horse on the track. You could work him with a donkey at home and he’d just work with it.

“He’s always loved his jumping though, the more we’ve schooled him, the better he’s enjoyed it, so I think it’s turned him round.

“Niall was told not to hit the front until the last and he had to hit the front early, so it’s a good result.

“I brought him to a stiff track because I thought that would suit him on his Flat form, but I’m just going to change things now and I think he’s got the pace to go for the Adonis (Kempton, February 24).”

The JCB Triumph Hurdle would then be the ultimate target, but Peking Opera was pushed out to 33-1 from 20-1 by Betfair for Cheltenham Festival glory.

Willie Mullins’ ever reliable State Man looks to retain his crown in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle against a familiar rival in Impaire Et Passe.

Since falling on his Irish debut, the seven-year-old has met with defeat just once in his last 10 outings for the Closutton maestro, when beaten by Constitution Hill in last year’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

His record includes seven Grade One wins and he was a four-and-three-quarter-length victor in this event 12 months ago when defeating the great Honeysuckle.

State Man’s two runs this season have both been convincing wins, as he took the Morgiana Hurdle and the Matheson Hurdle, the latter over stablemate Impaire Et Passe.

However, Mullins said of his runners: “State Man will have to turn up in the health he was in at Christmas, even better really, because Impaire Et Passe is improving all the time.

“I think conditions might suit Impaire Et Passe as well – and then you have Bob Olinger, who was very impressive in Cheltenham.

“He takes his chance here as well and he’s a good horse. Echoes In Rain we run as well, she’ll have her chance. It’s going to be a tip-top race, I think.”

Impaire Et Passe is owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and has made a good start to life in the open division after winning the Ballymore at Cheltenham and the Champion Novice at Punchestown last season.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to the owners, said of his chances: “Impaire Et Passe will run against State Man and will have his work cut out.

“I have huge respect for Bob Olinger in that race also and coming back in trip, he could be a big danger for us in terms of getting second place. It’s a small field but an exciting race.

“Daryl will ride him again and we will then make decisions on what we will do next, as he is entered in the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. We will see how we get on this Sunday.”

Bob Olinger looked back to his best last time out with a seven-length win in the Relkeel Hurdle, a run that came after a winning debut this term in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan.

Henry de Bromhead said of the nine-year-old: “It’s great to see him coming back to himself, we’re delighted with him, he seems in good form.

“We’re in the Irish Champion Hurdle, it’s going to be a very good race and we’ll all learn something.”

There is a sole entrant from Gordon Elliott’s yard in Fils D’oudairies, who completes the field.

Ballyburn bids to continue the recent domination of Willie Mullins in the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The champion trainer has saddled 10 of the last 11 winners of this Grade One event, with Gordon Elliott’s Samcro the only outlier on a roll of honour that features four other subsequent Cheltenham heroes in Vautour (2014), Klassical Dream (2019), Appreciate It (2021) and Sir Gerhard (2022).

Dual bumper winner Ballyburn was beaten by Firefox on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse but was hugely impressive at the second attempt when scoring by 25 lengths at this venue over the Christmas period.

The six-year-old is prominent in ante-posts lists for both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and his target is likely to become clearer after he drops back in trip from two-and-a-half to two miles this weekend.

Ballyburn might not have things all his own way, with Elliott’s Farren Glory and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Slade Steel among his rivals.

Farren Glory is already a Grade One winner having landed the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, and he may well have doubled his top-level tally in the inaugural running of the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day but for suffering a crashing fall two flights from home.

Slade Steel has so far won a maiden hurdle at Naas and the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle and steps up in class for the hat-trick bid in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

“Slade Steel hasn’t put a foot wrong this season. He won his maiden hurdle over two miles at Naas in November, and he stepped up in trip last time and won the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles,” said the jockey,

“This is back over two miles again, it’s another step up in grade into a Grade One race, and it looks like a high-quality race. Ballyburn looked very good in winning at Leopardstown at Christmas and Farren Glory won the Royal Bond Hurdle and was travelling like a winner at Aintree when he fell.

“But we’re very happy with Slade Steel. He came out of the Navan race really well, and we’re hoping he can run another big race here.”

Mullins allows three of his star novices to do battle in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase, with Gaelic Warrior, Fact To File and Grangeclare West all declared.

The Closutton handler raised the possibility of Gaelic Warrior dropping back in trip for a mouthwatering clash with Marine Nationale in Saturday’s Irish Arkle earlier in the week, but he instead goes over the longer distance of two miles and five and half furlongs 24 hours later.

That is not to say he has taken the easy option, however, with his stablemates Fact To File and Grangeclare West both having impressed at Leopardstown on their most recent starts.

It promises to be an informative contest with the Cheltenham Festival in mind, as Gaelic Warrior is a hot favourite for the Turners Novices’ Chase, while Fact To File and Grangeclare West are the top two in the betting for the Brown Advisory.

The Coolmore N.H. Sires “Hurricane Lane” Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race brings the Dublin Racing Festival to a close and once again Mullins possesses a strong hand, with Aurora Vega leading a four-strong assault.

Out of the brilliant racemare Quevega and a full-sister to Facile Vega, the daughter of Walk In The Park is three from three in the bumper sphere and will be a warm order to extend her unbeaten record in the hands of record-breaking amateur Patrick Mullins.

Cinderella’s Dream emerged as a potential Qipco 1000 Guineas contender after maintaining her unbeaten record with a thoroughly impressive victory in the Jumeirah Fillies Classic at Meydan.

One of four winners on the card for trainer Charlie Appleby and the first leg of a treble for jockey William Buick, the the Shamardal filly had won her first two starts at a fairly low-key level at Lingfield and Thirsk in September.

However, she looks more than ready to hold her own in better company judged on a dominant comeback victory in a race won 12 months ago by Saeed bin Suroor’s subsequent Guineas heroine Mawj.

“She was there for me the whole way and is still learning on the job, having only had two previous runs before this evening,” said Buick.

“But once I put her in between horses, it was just about trying to follow the right ones and she was there instantly. It was a very nice performance from a filly who I think is progressing.

“Mawj won this race last and she ended up winning the next round of this series and then won the 1000 Guineas, so she’s in good company.

“I think she’s going to progress, so I wouldn’t want to rule anything out.”

Appleby and Buick also successfully combined in the Listed Dubai Sprint with Mischief Magic.

The Exceed And Excel gelding was a winner at the 2022 Breeders’ Cup meeting but endured a largely disappointing three-year-old campaign last season and Buick is hoping he might be able to rediscover his best form following this clear-cut success.

He added: “I knew I had plenty of horse and I knew the gap would eventually be there for him. When you look through his form as a two-year-old, that’s how he was always ridden and don’t forget he’s a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner, so the quality is there.

“Let’s hope he’s on the way to reaching those heights again. We all know how tough it can be for a three-year-old sprinter, so hopefully he’s strengthened up and he’s more the finished article.”

Appleby made it a treble in the Dubai Millennium Stakes, but it was his apparent second string Warren Point who upset his better fancied stablemate New London to secure Group Three honours.

The winner was still nearer last than first approaching the final furlong, but fairly flew home under an ice-cool Mickael Barzalona to deny Jamie Osborne’s Sean by a short head.

Osborne also saddled the third-placed Solid Stone, with 4-6 favourite New London only fourth.

Barzalona said: “The horse did very well as he was a bit strong at the beginning. I had the chance to come wide, but I thought it was a bit too early to come around the horses, so I tried to go on the inside and I was stuck. He was able to pick up to win it and he’s a talented horse.”

Winner number four for Appleby and three for Buick was provided by Legend Of Time, who readily followed up his course win of four weeks ago and justified cramped odds in the Jumeirah Guineas.

“He’s a horse who has only improved, he won the trial for this race very well over seven furlongs and we always thought he was going to improve for stepping up to a mile tonight,” said the jockey.

“I think he’s progressing the whole time and hopefully he’s a nice horse in the making. His ability enables him to win over shorter distances, but I think we’ll see the best of him over 10 furlongs.

Asked whether Legend Of Time could develop into a Derby contender, Buick added: “It’s hard to stand here in early February and say that, but we hope so. That’s what these horses are here to do, so let’s hope he can make those necessary steps to put himself in that picture.”

Michael Owen emulated his old Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson by welcoming home a winner in Bahrain as Roman Dragon surprised connections in the Hawar Cup.

Ferguson saw Spirit Dancer continue his rise through the ranks in November when winning the Bahrain International Trophy and while Roman Emperor was not winning at that exalted level, it clearly meant just as much to the former Liverpool and England striker.

While Roman Dragon is far from the best horse Owen has owned, the fact that he also bred him means he has a soft spot for the sprinter, who before this had only ever won at Chester.

Ridden by Ebrahim Nader, he came with a powerful late run to beat John and Sean Quinn’s Brazen Bolt by half a length.

“We’re absolutely delighted. He has got speed to burn but we often think he’s better round a turning track than a straight track, so today is a lovely surprise,” said Owen.

“We thought beforehand Box To Box (unplaced in the Anchorman Cup) would be in the first three and this horse (Roman Dragon) would be in the last three, but it happened the other way round!

“Me and Nick (Hughes) own the horse; I bred him and we’ve owned him all his life.

“It’s my first time here and I am really enjoying it. My old boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, was stood here not so long ago having won the big race, the Bahrain International Trophy, so it’s clearly a lucky spot.”

The Listed His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Cup went to George Scott’s Isle Of Jura, ridden by Callum Shepherd.

“He’s a lovely horse and he’s clearly improving,” said Scott.

“He’s bred to be a good horse and the sky is the limit with him, although we will just enjoy today first.

“It’s well documented that His Highness Shaikh Nasser (owner) has been a huge supporter of mine and to repay him in this way is so exciting.”

Willie Mullins is anticipating another great race between Galopin Des Champs and the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The two have met three times in total, initially in the 2022 John Durkan, when Fastorslow was having his first run over fences in Ireland and he was 21 lengths behind Mullins’ runner.

Fast forward to last April and Galopin Des Champs was the new darling of Irish racing, having won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, while Fastorslow stepped up to take him on at Punchestown having been beaten a neck by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler in a handicap.

Fastorslow showed he was a much-improved performer there, though, coming out on top at 20-1 – and he proved that was no fluke by beating Galopin Des Champs again in the John Durkan when both made their reappearance this season.

Mullins believes a change in tactics helped Galopin Des Champs return to his best at Christmas, when Fastorslow came out on the morning of the Savills Chase due to the soft ground, and the Closutton handler is hoping for a blockbuster race between them again.

“It’s going to be a hell of a race. I hope it turns out well and that the two of us are coming to the second-last, or indeed even the last – it’s going to be a great race,” said the champion trainer.

“He put two middling performances behind him, we changed tactics on the day and it worked. Hopefully he hasn’t left his season behind him there, but it was a good enough race to win anyhow. Hopefully he can do the same again on Saturday and we can go on to Cheltenham after that.

“We’ve been very lucky in the race but I’ve always targeted the race, whereas some people miss it to go to Cheltenham. It’s the Irish Gold Cup, it’s got great prize money and we must support our own races, that’s my view.

“I remember coming home from the races one day and my wife Jackie asking me if we’d ever have a horse good enough to run in the race, never mind win it. I appreciate whenever we have a horse good enough to run them, I enter them and see what happens.”

Mullins also runs last season’s Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus but he has over 30 lengths to find with his stablemate from Christmas.

For Brassil, who won the Grand National at Aintree with Numbersixvalverde in 2006, Fastorslow has catapulted him back into the big time.

“It’s easy to get up in the mornings when you have a horse like him, we have other nice horses as well but he’s the star attraction all right,” he said.

“Any horse that goes to Cheltenham and just comes up on the wrong side of the lollipop has to be a fair horse, he gave the National winner weight and he was a really strong National winner and it’s possible he could be in the Gold Cup too.

“He’s not short of pace, people don’t notice how fast he jumps, he’s very slick over a fence, he makes a bit of ground at every fence and over 16 or 18 fences it all adds up.

“I don’t think he’s underestimated after what he did in the John Durkan, he’s a solid second favourite and if he runs up to what is expected, we’d be happy.”

The field is completed by Gordon Elliott’s Conflated, the 2022 hero here and last season’s Savills Chase winner, who unshipped Sam Ewing when making a tired mistake at the last in that corresponding race over the festive period this term.

Elliott said: “There’s four left in it; Galopin Des Champs, I Am Maximus, Fastorslow and Conflated. Conflated, on ratings, should only be third but he’s in good form and seems to like going left-handed around Leopardstown, so we’re looking forward to running him.

“I was very impressed with Galopin Des Champs the last day, he was awesome and he seemed to relish a bit of soft ground, which he’ll get again. He’s the one we all have to beat but if you’re not in, you can’t win.”

Jessica Harrington is confident her fast-improving mare Jetara can give the boys a run for their money in the curtain-raising Nathaniel Lacy And Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The two-mile-six-furlong contest is the first of eight scheduled Grade Ones across the two-day Dublin Racing Festival and, as is the case with most of them, the market is dominated by Willie Mullins.

The champion trainer is responsible for four of the six runners, with hot favourite Predators Gold joined by Loughglynn, I Will Be Baie and Dancing City, but Harrington has high hopes for the well-related Jetara, who since disappointing on her Down Royal comeback has rattled off a hat-trick of wins.

“She had the summer off, she grew, she filled out and when she came back, she was great, but unfortunately she went to Down Royal, was very fresh and made a mistake at the first hurdle and after that it was a non-event,” said the Moone-based trainer.

“Since then, she’s won her next three and done nothing but improve. I think that has happened because she has got a lot stronger.

“She did everything right the last day. I was a bit worried because they took the last hurdle out because of low sun, so it was a long way home. I knew she would stay but I was worried the others might have a better turn of foot.

“She’s from a great family, her dam is a full-sister to Jezki and she’s related to Jetson. Her dam was much smaller, she won a bumper and went off to stud and Jetara is her first foal.

“She jumps well and they (geldings) are going to have to give her 7lb. She’s above average and they are going to have to be above average to give her 7lb. She wouldn’t be there unless I thought she could win, I hope she lives up to my expectations.”

Goffs Bumper winner Predators Gold impressed on his hurdling debut at Punchestown before finishing best of the rest behind Caldwell Potter in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at this track in December.

Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for owners Gigginstown House Stud, views a significant step up in trip as a positive for the five-year-old.

He said: “This will be his acid test, we always thought he was a stayer until Willie ran him back over two miles and he ran well. We will get to see where we are.”

The second Grade One on the card is the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle, in which Gigginstown’s market leader Storm Heart leads a six-strong Mullins assault.

The French recruit won by 22 lengths on his Irish debut at Punchestown but faces a sizeable step up in class for what promises to be a hugely informative event with the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in mind.

“We will see on Saturday what we have and I hope he comes through it well. We know he won his race well and this will tell us where we are now. He has to take the next step,” O’Leary added.

Joseph O’Brien claimed back-to-back wins in this race in 2019 and 2020 with Sir Erec and A Wave Of The Sea and has another interesting contender on his hands in the form of Intellotto, who impressed on his hurdling bow over the course and distance.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: “Daryl (Jacob) won on him for Joseph over Christmas at Leopardstown and we’re going back to course and distance.

“We had the option of going over to Cheltenham last Saturday, but decided to stay local and see where we are in the pecking order.”

A Dream To Share is the star attraction in the concluding Donohue Marquees Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race.

The six-year-old really burst onto the scene when landing this Grade Two prize 12 months ago before going on to win the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and a second Grade One at Punchestown.

John and Thomas Kiely’s charge was due to pursue a career over obstacles this term, but with a setback delaying his return, he instead bids to complete the very rare feat of winning six bumpers.

Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale is a rarity at the Dublin Racing Festival this weekend in that he is the red-hot favourite for the Goffs Irish Arkle and not trained by Willie Mullins.

Ireland’s champion trainer generally flexes his muscles at the meeting and of the eight Grade One contests across the two-day fixture, Mullins houses the ante-post market leaders for every race but this one.

The exciting Gaelic Warrior, so impressive at Limerick over Christmas, was suggested as a possible challenger, but Mullins will instead look to Facile Vega to lead his team.

Everything has gone smoothly for Connell, though, with his unbeaten Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner from last season seemingly holding all the aces.

“We’ve had a clear run with the horse, everything has been good with no hiccups,” said Connell.

“He looks the one to beat on all known form and ratings and so forth. It’s a small field and he’s a course and distance winner already, so that in itself is a positive.

“He loves jumping and I think the ground will probably dry out, I think it’ll be no worse than yielding ground and this horse goes on anything from good ground to soft ground, so that’s not going to be an issue.

“Normally Willie doesn’t say anything, but he got everybody excited about a big clash with Gaelic Warrior and then changed his mind at the last minute.

“We can only talk about our own horse and we’re happy to take on whoever turns up.”

Connell went on: “He’s the first horse that I’ve had that has the ability that he has. We haven’t got to the bottom of him yet.

“He’s very straightforward, which is massive when you get into these big festivals, you know he isn’t going to boil over and give the race away because he’s too nervous about things. He never turns a hair.

“Touch wood, he seems to have the full package and it’s our job to keep him sound.”

Facile Vega was put in his place last time out by Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty in a Boxing Day Grade One and the two clash again.

“He’s in good form, he came out of the race very well, so we’re looking forward to running him again,” said Elliott.

“There’s six declared in it, Facile Vega and Barry Connell’s horse, who was very good the last day, so he’s the horse we’re all going to have to beat. We’re looking forward to running him and it looks a good race.”

As for Mullins, the final gameplan was made due to the way Facile Vega has been working since his defeat, as it had looked as if he would be stepping up in trip.

“Marine Nationale is obviously the horse to beat. He was very good over Christmas and has just had the one run over fences,” said Mullins. “But I’m much happier with Facile since Christmas.”

The champion trainer also runs Il Etait Temps and multiple Grade One winner Sharjah, while outsider Senecia completes the field.