Which star names remain in contention to run at the Dublin Racing Festival?

The powerhouses of Irish racing seem set to light up this weekend's Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown following a forfeit stage on Tuesday morning that left star names Galopin Des Champs, State Man, Honeysuckle and Facile Vega in contention to run.

Among the most anticipated dates in the jumps calendar, the Dublin Racing Festival starts on Saturday, when Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs is due to appear in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.05).

His rivals will not, however, include last year's winner Conflated, who impressed in the Savills Chase recently.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "You've got to be over the moon with any race you sponsor that has the Gold Cup favourite in it as it attracts so much interest and let's not forget Galopin Des Champs' stable companion Stattler, who is joint third-favourite for the Cheltenham feature, has also been left in. It should be a marvellous race."

Honeysuckle: will bid to bounce back from a shock defeat in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle in Sunday's Irish ChampionCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Willie Mullins, who trains Galopin Des Champs and Stattler, may have the key to two other Grade 1s on Saturday's card in Appreciate It and Lossiemouth, who head the betting for the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase (2.30) and Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle (1.55).

British raider Weveallbeencaught also remains on course and features among the possibles for the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors 50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff Nov Hurdle (1.20), the first race of the meeting.

Sunday's action also promises to get pulses going and State Man's mouthwatering clash with dual Champion Hurdle heroine Honeysuckle in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle (3.10) headlines the bill.

Blue Lord, a high-class Mullins stablemate of State Man's, was one of five left in Sunday's Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (2.10), while Facile Vega, another of the trainer's big guns and red-hot favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, tops the market for the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (3.40).

Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.05 Saturday)

Any Second Now
Franco De Port
Fury Road
Galopin Des Champs
Kemboy
Stattler
The Big Dog

Paddy Power: 1-3 Galopin Des Champs, 7-2 Stattler, 8 Kemboy, 14 Fury Road, 20 Any Second Now, 25 The Big Dog, 40 Franco De Port

Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle (3.10 Sunday)

Pied Piper
State Man
Takarengo
Vauban
Zanahiyr
Honeysuckle

Bet365: 10-11 State Man, 15-8 Honeysuckle, 10-3 Vauban, 25 Pied Piper, 33 Zanahiyr, 200 Takarengo

Dublin Racing Festival offers

• bet365 have a new customer offer available. Sign up here.
• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers, and all you need is an account. Sign up here.
• Sky Bet are offering new customers free bets when they sign up. You can get them, along with money-back specials and extra places, here.
• Betfair have lots of offers, extra places and money-back offers. Sign up for a new account here.
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets here and benefit from their money-back offers here.
• To get a free bet from Ladbrokes today, simply sign up to a new account here.
• Don't have a Coral account? They have an offer for new customers here.
• If you're a new customer, Tote will give you a free bet. Sign up here to claim.
• Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.

Read these next:

Leopardstown confident of suitable ground for next weekend's Dublin Racing Festival 

Unbeaten Gerri Colombe among entries for Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown 

Members' Club special offer: get exclusive tips and insight FREE for one month 

New Upping The Ante star Johnny Dineen joins the Racing Post roster for a weekly Saturday column throughout the jumps season. He'll offer a guide to the weekend action, highlight the key horses and races to watch and share his punting wisdom. Read it every Saturday in the Racing Post or online from 4pm every Friday, exclusively for Members' Club subscribers. Sign up to Members' Club here for more top jumps season insight.