It’s the rescheduled day 1 of the Dublin Racing Festival on Monday 2nd February, so we take a look at Matty Sutcliffe’s best bets for what should be a stunning afternoon at Leopardstown racecourse.
Check out all Matty Sutcliffe’s tips for the rescheduled day 1 of the DRF below…
Leopardstown Racing Tips (Monday 2nd February 2026)
Seven races take place during the afternoon at Leopardstown, with a 1.15pm start, and Matty has some eye-catching value selections across the card.
1:15 Leopardstown – Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Santo Sospir 11/2 1pt WIN
Form pick Doctor Steinberg looks the obvious candidate for striking gold here to give Willie Mullins yet another Nathaniel Lacy, but the Robcur-owned Santo Sospir is an interesting prospect, who could have plenty more to give now upped in trip.
The son of Motivator was a heavy ground Punchestown bumper winner last season, though disappointed on hurdles debut when only fourth at Wexford in October. Returning to Punchestown, he made no mistake in getting off the mark despite having to be kept up to his work, pulling nicely clear of the third. That maiden was won by Commander Of Fleet in 2018 who took the Nathaniel Lacy later that season, and also by Absolute Notions and Predators Gold who were both subsequently second in here.
Santo Sospir didnt have to improve much to win at Clonmel next time out, but it was a convincing performance to win going away by nine lengths again in heavy conditions despite giving 4lbs away to the second and jumping left throughout.
He’s done his best work at the finish in all of his races thus far, and given he’s a half brother to a 3x winner over three miles I suspect that this step up in trip could bring out further improvement and he can can prove the main threat to Doctor Steinberg.
1:50 Leopardstown – Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo) – Selma De Vary 14/11pt EW 2 places
Remarkably, Willie Mullins hasn’t trained a winning favourite in this race in the last ten renewals despite winning five of them, including two with Paul Townend on board, so that may be an angle to take on the proven Narcisco Has with Selma De Vary.
Paul Townend has opted to ride the Zarak mare over smart Limerick winner Bertutea, and she’s a highly interesting prospect given she was second in the same Auteuil Mares’ Hurdle that Lossiemouth won three years ago, who looked an unlucky loser for connections in this contest before Triumph hurdle success.
She was an impressive winner at Auteuil in November, and it’s highly unlike the camp to pitch her in deep here for her first run for the yard as they tend to run one over Christmas prior to coming here. She’s evidently proven to run well after a break, and this potentially smart daughter of Zarak is worth chancing for the winning connections of this race in 2022.
2:25 Leopardstown – Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+ 0-150) – Minella Sixo 66/1 0.5pt EW 6 places
Gordon Elliott has won this competitive handicap twice since 2019 including with a 28/1 winner in Maxxum, and if Minella Sixo can rediscover the smart form he showed as a novice then he can spring a surprise towards the rear of the market.
The Shantou gelding was a two length second to Potters Charm in a Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham last season and subsequently placed in two graded contests including a third to smart mare The Big Westerner, who was subsequently second in the Albert Bartlett and the second was placed behind Final Demand in G1 company next time out.
Minello Sixo has admittedly been entirely disappointing since, falling at Haydock, down the field in the Martin Pipe, nowhere on chase debut and tailed off back over hurdles at Fairyhouse earlier this month. However, Paddy Cleary never moved a muscle on him there when returning from a 166-day break in a race that could only be described as leg stretcher for him.
A first time visor is equipped now which may prove a signal of intent, and it mightn’t come as a surprise should this formerly promising novice bounce back to form under a rider who landed this prize in 2022.
3:30 Leopardstown – Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Grangeclare West 25/1 1pt EW 4 places
As one of just three course and distance winners in this field, Grangeclare West looks a tad overpriced on the balance of his overall form to fill the frame in an excellent renewal of the Irish Gold Cup.
The presenting gelding looked to be a promising chaser after beaten Heart Wood in a Naas Novice Chase, before comfortably stepping up to Grade One company over C&D two seasons ago to beat Corbetts Cross six lengths, and Flooring Porter a further sixteen with the second following up with a devastating performance in the National Hunt Novices’ Chase.
His first two attempts in open chasing were a bust last season, but he improved drastically to be beaten four lengths by Galopin Des Champs in this contest, finishing ahead of Fact To File and the subsequent Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin.
He improved on that when a potentially unlucky third in the Grand National after making a mistake at the last, and while that contest maybe on the minds of connections again given his poor run on seasonal debut, he proved he was up to this level when a credible fourth in the Savills, bettering last year’s efforts on RPR’s by 9lbs.
He was three lengths behind Galopin Des Champs there and given they’re both likely to come on further for the run, the discrepancy between the pair appears far too big of a gap given the proximity of Grangeclare West to the winner last season and if building on that latest effort, he’s one of few who look a strong bet to fill the frame given his excellent form around here.
4:05 Leopardstown – Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase (Listed Race) (5yo+ 0-150) – Addragoole 8/1 1pt WIN
The winner of this competitive handicap has been ridden to success by 5lb claimers in four of the last ten renewals, so the return of Eoin Staples bodes well who gave Addragoole a tentative spin in rear in a novice chase at Cheltenham earlier this season for a yard who won this with Final Orders in 2023. That success came after landed a handicap here on Boxing Day, the same one An Peann Derg won prior to landing this and Addragoole was a comfortable winner of that race this season, thus everything points this son of Gatewood following up here.
His chase form reads well, finishing a five length second to 151 rated hurdler Rocky’s Diamond at Galway in September, before beating Blaze The Way by a length at Sligo with the second subsequently beating Lhomme Presse at Cheltenham along with the third winning well since.
A revised mark of 142 asks further questions, but he’s effectively only 5lbs higher than that latest C&D success and a repeat performance could see him tough to pass for a yard finally among the winners.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Best Bets
1:15 Leopardstown – Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Santo Sospir 11/2 1pt WIN
1:50 Leopardstown – Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo) – Selma De Vary 14/11pt EW 2 places
2:25 Leopardstown – Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+ 0-150) – Minella Sixo 66/1 0.5pt EW 6 places
3:30 Leopardstown – Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Grangeclare West 25/1 1pt EW 4 places
4:05 Leopardstown – Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase (Listed Race) (5yo+ 0-150) – Addragoole 8/1 1pt WIN
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets on day 1 of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on Monday 2nd February.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s Leopardstown Day 1 of the Dublin Racing Festival tips were published at 9.57am on Friday 30 January.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival.
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