There’s superb action on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on Sunday 1 February and our value tipster Matty Sutcliffe is chomping at the bit to get stuck into the action across the Irish Sea.
He has four selections for Sunday’s action, as he looks to kick off the month on a positive note.
Leopardstown Racing Tips (Sunday 1 February 2026)
It’s a real quality day’s racing at Leopardstown on Sunday, with the Irish Champion Hurdle and Dublin Chase two of the Grade 1 highlights. Check out Matty Sutcliffe’s best bets here.
12:40 Leopardstown – Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+) – Adrienne 8/1 1pt EW 5 places
It’s interesting that connections send four-year-old Adrienne to this competitive handicap as opposed to the G1 Juvenile to potentially cover her away for further Fred Winter prep, and this mark of 122 could easily underestimate her potential going forward.
The Kodi Bear filly was moderate on the flat with a record of 0-10, but she has a wealth of experience in that sphere in big field handicaps which won’t be lost on her in this field. She bumped into a nice juvenile in Secret Force on hurdling debut in October before getting off the mark in comfortable fashion on soft ground at Fairyhouse, travelling strongly throughout and picking up nicely late on.
She then caught the eye staying on well from rear behind the two Triumph Hurdle candidates in Mange Tout and Narcisco Has back there in Grade Three company, beaten only twelve lengths and pulling a further sixteen away from the fourth. It was a similar performance when eleven lengths behind Narcisco Has in Grade Two company next time out, finishing ahead of some promising previous winners with the 1st, 3rd and 4th all declared for the G1 Juvenile on Saturday
She carries a little weight in here for Darragh O’Keeffe who takes over for the first time, she’s proven in heavy going and her strong travelling nature suggests she’ll be suited to these conditions going up in trip.
1:40 Leopardstown – Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) – King Rasko Grey 11/4 1pt WIN
I’m still happy with our position on Talk The Talk for the Supreme, but whether this stiff test on heavy ground will suit him more than King Rasko Grey I’m unsure on, hence leaning towards the latter. Willie Mullins has won a remarkable nine of the last ten renewals of this contest with Paul Townend on board for four of the last five, and it’s rare the main man in Closutton makes the wrong choice.
The scopey son of Galiway hit the frame in two bumpers at Punchestown 367 days apart, and made a winning hurdling debut in soft conditions at Limerick with Danny Mullins only having to get serious on him when slightly missing the last. He showed a strong turn of foot there to fend of the opposing Champion Bumper third Shuttle Diplomacy, who franked that form healthily next time out having won cosily by four lengths.
He shapes as if he’ll be suited to going up in trip in time, and I suspect he’ll be better suited to these testing conditions more than most.
2:10 Leopardstown – Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Majborough 7/4 2pt WIN
One last chance is given to Majborough, who’s jumping fragilities will hopefully be combated by the first time cheek-pieces on testing ground ensuring a slower gallop. He failed to take the Hilly Way on seasonal debut at Cork having jumped left and in-fluently throughout, opening the door late on for Found A Fifty.
He jumped a touch better here next time out, and had he not been short of room in the closing stages he may have got up there behind Solness and Marine Nationale. He is reaching last chance saloon territory, but I’d be of the opinion he possess more raw talent than that pair and I’m hoping the cheekpieces can sharpen up his jumping and the way he lands after a fence, as he does have a tendency to land sluggishly.
He landed the Irish Arkle in impressive fashion at this meeting last season and was an unfortunate loser in the Arkle, but he evidently has the engine required to stamp his authority at this level and Willie Mullins has dominated this race, with his sole defeat in the contest coming with Gaelic Warrior last season who was nowhere near at his best.
2:45 Leopardstown – O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (5yo+) – Kim Roque 11/2 1pt WIN
Joseph O’Brien’s Kim Roque looks to have been well placed to get off the mark over fences for new connections having not won since his chase debut in Dieppe last May. He caught the eye with a strong finishing second at Cheltenham on yard debut in November splitting a pair who were prominent throughout. The third has since beaten the 152 rated Lucky Place in a match race, and the winner was 2nd at Aintree next time out prior to an eye-catching fourth back at Cheltenham.
Kim Roque was then a staying on fourth in the December Gold Cup in a race where the winner was given a soft lead throughout. The second has since landed a class two handicap at Ascot, the third was beaten a head next time out at Cheltenham and the sixth took the Peter Marsh handicap next time out.
Kim Roque carries just 10-2 here, the return to deep conditions will be in his favour and granted a clear round it’ll be incredibly difficult not to envisage him being on the premises late on off a mark than continues to look more than workable.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Best Bets – Dublin Racing Festival Day 2
12:40 Leopardstown – Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+) – Adrienne 8/1 1pt EW 5 places
1:40 Leopardstown – Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) – King Rasko Grey 11/4 1pt WIN
2:10 Leopardstown – Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Majborough 7/4 2pt WIN
2:45 Leopardstown – O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (5yo+) – Kim Roque 11/2 1pt WIN
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets on day 2 of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on Sunday 1 February.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s Leopardstown Day 2 of the Dublin Racing Festival tips were published at 2.40pm 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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