Confirmed runners and riders for day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown - plus a big-race tip and free bet

The much-anticipated showdown between the unbeaten Supreme Novices' Hurdle star Marine Nationale and classy dual Grade 1 winner Gaelic Warrior will not take place at the Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday after the latter was not among the six declarations for the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase (2.25).

Instead, Marine Nationale's primary challenger will be Found A Fifty, who landed the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase in December. Facile Vega, who has been sent off favourite for all of his 11 starts, including that contest and last year's Supreme, was among three declared for Willie Mullins.

The Closutton trainer has won the race for the last three years with Energumene, Blue Lord and El Fabiolo and has also declared Il Etait Temps, who chased home Gaelic Warrior at Limerick last time, and the veteran Sharjah.

• 'Horses change. Plans change' - Willie Mullins explains Gaelic Warrior's Dublin Racing Festival switch-up 

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The dual winner Senecia completes the six-runner field, with American Mike the only other horse not to be declared.

Marine Nationale has yet to be beaten in six starts and will bid to enhance his credentials for the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is already the 4-6 favourite having made a flawless chasing debut over the Irish Arkle course and distance in December.

Gaelic Warrior still holds an entry in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase (1.10) over 2m5f on Sunday, when he could face his two highly talented stablemates Fact To File and Grangeclare West.

Galopin Des Champs: faces three rivals in his bid for back-to-back wins in the Paddy Power Irish Gold CupCredit: CAROLINE NORRIS

The theme of small Grade 1 fields continues elsewhere on the card as last year's Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs will face just three others in his bid for back-to-back wins in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.35).

However, among them is Fastorslow, who has beaten him on the last two occasions they have met in the Punchestown Gold Cup and John Durkan Chase. The 2022 winner Conflated will bid to retain his crown, with the Irish Grand National hero I Am Maximus also set to line up.

Coko Beach, the only other horse engaged after the forfeit stage, was not declared. The connections of Gerri Colombe and Gentlemansgame had already made their intentions clear to swerve the race, and will both instead head straight to the Gold Cup at the festival.

The mare Jetara will bid for Grade 1 honours against the geldings in the curtain-raising Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (1.20). She was the dominant winner of a Grade 3 at the track when she was last seen and will be partnered by Rachael Blackmore for the first time.

Mullins, who has won six of the last ten runnings of the race, will bid to get the meeting off to a flyer with Future Champions Novice Hurdle runner-up Predators Gold. He also fields the Grade 2 winner Loughglynn – who will renew rivalry with Stellar Story – I Will Be Baie and Dancing City.

Quai De Bourbon, Largy Hill and Search For Glory were taken out of the race.

A field of 11 will go to post for the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle (1.50), headlined by Triumph Hurdle second favourite Storm Heart, who made a deeply impressive Irish debut when winning by 22 lengths at Fairyhouse in December.

Mullins fields him and five others, Majborough, Kargese, Highwind, Bunting and Ethical Diamond, in a bid to make it a third success in three years after wins with Vauban and Gala Marceau.

The Grade 2 winner Kala Conti is Gordon Elliott's sole challenger, while connections of the Joseph O'Brien-trained Intellotto will be hoping he can build on his winning debut over the same course and distance. Open To Question is the other winner set to line up.

Ose Partir and Kimy complete the 11-runner field, with the Mullins-trained Salvator Mundi and Karafon taken out of the contest.

Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle confirmed runners and riders

Dancing City Danny Mullins
I Will Be Baie Brian Hayes
Loughglynn Patrick Mullins
Predators Gold Paul Townend
Stellar Story Jack Kennedy
Jetara Rachael Blackmore

McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle confirmed runners and riders

Bunting Brian Hayes
Ethical Diamond Michael O'Sullivan
Highwind Rachael Blackmore
Intellotto Daryl Jacob
Majborough Mark Walsh
Open To Question Sean Flanagan
Ose Partir JJ Slevin
Storm Heart Paul Townend
Kala Conti Jack Kennedy
Kargese Danny Mullins
Kimy Jack Foley

Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase confirmed runners and riders

Facile Vega Paul Townend
Found A Fifty Jack Kennedy
Il Etait Temps Danny Mullins
Marine Nationale Michael O'Sullivan
Senecia Phillip Enright
Sharjah Brian Hayes

Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup confirmed runners and riders

Conflated Jack Kennedy
Fastorslow JJ Slevin
Galopin Des Champs Paul Townend
I Am Maximus Jody McGarvey

Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup betting tip and 1-2-3 prediction

By James Hill, tipster

1 Fastorslow
2 Galopin Des Champs
3 Conflated

If Galopin Des Champs repeats his Savills performance he wins. However, he was nothing like as impressive in this race last year and Willie Mullins will definitely have one eye on the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Against him you have in Fastorslow a rival who comes here fresh and who is 2-1 up from their previous meetings. It will depend what the ground is like, but I just think given the prices you have to have a go at Martin Brassil's eight-year-old. He's done nothing wrong.

Galopin Des Champs15:35 Leopardstown

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

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Paddy Power betting sign-up offer: terms and conditions

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