'He can win here and follow up at the Cheltenham Festival' - your Dublin Racing Festival questions answered

The Dublin Racing Festival takes centre stage at Leopardstown this weekend and a number of top-quality stars are set to be in action. It promises to be an unmissable two days, with eight Grade 1 races in the space of 48 hours at the track. Our resident Punting Club judges Liam Headd, Matt Rennie and Charlie Huggins are on hand to discuss hot topics and their best weekend wagers . . .

Get £50 in free bets with Betfair for the Dublin Racing Festival

What are your thoughts on Highwind in the juvenile hurdle (1.50)? Could this horse be the surprise package? Martin Cox

Liam Headd Although Highwind showed plenty of greenness on his hurdling debut at Punchestown, I was quite impressed with the way he quickened to the line after the last. There is obviously improvement to come and he could be quite exciting when he gains more jumping experience, but this is a super competitive race and I'd be favouring some of the more supported juveniles. It was hard not to enjoy Storm Heart's wide-margin success last time out, so there's no surprise to see him head the market. The form of that Punchestown race was franked when the third won next time out. At a bigger price, Kala Conti is one to consider given she won a Grade 2 over course and distance and appears to go on any ground.

Matt Rennie Highwind must have some engine to win like he did on his debut at Punchestown despite so many errors, Martin, but I think this'll be too much too soon and he's more a work in progress. I'm siding with Karges. She ran a fine race in a course-and-distance Grade 2 on her Irish debut and she reminds me a lot of last year's winner Gala Marceau.

Highwind: one of six runners for Willie Mullins in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdleCredit: Patrick McCann

Charlie Huggins If taking jockey bookings literally then Storm Heart, Kargese and Bunting are ahead of Highwind in the Closutton pecking order, while the JP McManus-owned Majborough, who Mark Walsh will ride on the four-year-old's first start for Willie Mullins, is shorter in the betting than Highwind. Rachael Blackmore is a terrific deputy but on the formlines of Highwind's successful hurdling debut at Punchestown, I'd be siding with Intellotto each-way at a similar price. Highwind beat Pigeon House by two and three-quarters lengths last month whereas Intellotto beat that runner-up by 12 and half lengths at Leopardstown in December. Intellotto's trainer Joseph O'Brien will have got a good indication of the form as his Lark In The Mornin got nine lengths closer to Highwind at Punchestown than he did to his stablemate at Leopardstown. Therefore, Intellotto recording back-to-back victories over this track and trip would be less of a surprise than Highwind winning.

Is Marine Nationale the banker of the meeting? If not, who is? Naweed Malik

Liam The talk of a potential clash between Marine Nationale and Gaelic Warrior was quickly put to bed on Thursday by Willie Mullins when the latter was declared for the Grade 1 novice chase on Sunday rather than the Irish Arkle. That news obviously made Marine Nationale's task of extending his unbeaten record to seven much easier, but I still wouldn't bet on him being the banker of the meeting. Facile Vega suffered a shock defeat over Christmas and you'd expect him to bounce bank and give a better showing of himself, meaning my banker of the festival is elsewhere. I'm solely looking at El Fabiolo in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase. He missed the Clarence House for this and he made a superb reappearance when landing the Hilly Way at Cork. In a small field, he's definitely the one to beat.

Matt Marine Nationale is absolutely banker material and for Cheltenham too, Naweed. I love everything about him. He's got a great cruising speed, jumps with aplomb, has a lethal turn of foot and is so uncomplicated. The latter certainly cannot be applied to Facile Vega, who Marine Nationale thumped in the Supreme.

Marine Nationale: successful over the same course and distance as the Irish Arkle on his chasing debutCredit: CAROLINE NORRIS

Charlie I have to agree with Matt that Marine Nationale will win here and follow it up with a second Cheltenham Festival success in the Arkle. Even if Gaelic Warrior had lined up over this 2m1f trip, I would have been extremely confident in Marine Nationale extending his unbeaten record to seven. Barry Connell has made no secret of how highly he rates his classy stable star, who made a superb chasing debut over this track and trip in December. Put him in a Grade 1 treble with El Fabiolo and State Man.

Which horse, if any, might upset Galopin Des Champs, El Fabiolo and State Man? William Mackenzie

Liam As mentioned above, I just can't see how El Fabiolo gets beaten at Leopardstown. He ran close to a career-best at Cork last time out and there's a reason why Willie Mullins opted for this race rather than the rearranged Clarence House Chase. Stablemate Dinoblue is his chief threat, but she has a lot to find on official ratings and I'm not so sure she'll get close. Fastorslow got the better of Galopin Des Champs over three miles in the Punchestown Gold Cup last season and upheld that form in the John Durkan. However, Galopin Des Champs bounced back brilliantly last time and I can't see him getting beaten by Fastorslow here again. Although State Man is the shortest-priced out of the three mentioned, he'd be the one I'd avoid. A clean round of jumping from Impaire Et Passe could see him challenge his stablemate again given he stayed on well when losing out in the Matheson Hurdle.

Matt I highly suspect all three are bombproof, but keep tabs on Gentleman De Mee in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (2.10). He's a multiple Grade 1 winner who usually comes to life at this time of year, as three of his five career wins have come in February. His return in a course and distance Grade 1 at Christmas was sufficient and while he's got 7lb to find with El Fabiolo, he hammered 1-4 favourite Blue Lord in a boilover last year.

Charlie It should not really be classed as an upset considering Fastorslow has already beaten Galopin Des Champs on his last two starts but I'm expecting Martin Brassil's eight-year-old to make the Irish Gold Cup a more enjoyable watch than a four-runner field may initially suggest. Fastorslow is 3-1 to confirm the form of his Punchestown Gold Cup and John Durkan victories over Galopin Des Champs who, although undeniably impressive when bouncing back to form with a wide-margin win in the Savills Chase, would be the favourite I would take on out of the three. El Fabiolo and State Man have much more straightforward tasks and should back up their wins at this meeting last year.

With Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins having such a strong hand at the meeting, are there any races in particular in which you think jockey bookings are important to consider? William Abey

Liam With it being such a prestigious meeting, and one of the last big pointers before Cheltenham, the usual main players will have their regular riders on board. Given that Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins will have plenty of runners, they're likely to use some names they perhaps wouldn't often lean on as much throughout the season. Brian Hayes has a record of 5-31 for Mullins this season and has four rides for the champion trainer on Saturday, three of which come in Grade 1s. Hayes gets the leg-up on Sharjah in the Arkle, with both Paul Townend and Danny Mullins engaged in the race. The 11-year-old is a massive price, but has experience on his side and you have to go back to July 2020 for when he finished outside the first four in a race.

Matt It's more of a Willie Mullins monopoly at this stage! The only race in which it seems notable is the Spring Juvenile Hurdle (1.50) on Saturday. Mullins fields six unexposed hurdlers and Paul Townend, his number-one rider is on Storm Heart and number two Danny Mullins is on Kargese. On jockey bookings alone, Brian Hayes being aboard Bunting suggests he's not the most favoured, while Rachael Blackmore and Michael O'Sullivan, the riders of Highbank and Ethical Diamond, have had only 17 rides combined for him in Ireland this season.

Charlie As Matt says, the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle in which Willie Mullins has six of the 11 runners is the obvious race in which jockey bookings could have a bearing on your punting. Mullins also has four of the six runners in Saturday's opening 2m6½f Grade 1 novice hurdle (1.20) and the fact Paul Townend has gone for Predators Gold over unbeaten hurdlers Loughglynn and I Will Be Baie could be telling. Predators Gold is the only Willie Mullins-trained horse entered in all three Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 novice hurdles and how he performs here could have a significant sway on his March target. Danny Gilligan has already won the Galway Plate and Troytown this season for Gordon Elliott so the 5lb claimer's mounts in the handicaps are worth a second look.

Ballyburn looked like a machine at Christmas the way he quickened away, is he banker material? Lee Wainwright

Liam Ballyburn was a serious performer over Christmas, but with this being a Grade 1 he's obviously going to face tougher opposition. For that reason, I don't see him being banker material. He's made a fine start to life over hurdles, but Farren Glory was 2-2 this season before falling in the Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree. He was travelling well that day and would have laid down a strong challenge to the winner, so I expect him to return to his best here.

Matt No. As good as he may be, I think this is the wrong trip for him and he's a far better horse over intermediate trips. Maybe connections are using this as a fact-finding mission to see if he can take advantage of an open-looking Supreme division? But I fancy Farren Glory regardless. I'm certain he'd have won the Formby at Aintree had he not fallen and he sets the form standard. Wille Mullins' hotpot in this race, Facile Vega, boiled over last year too!

Ballyburn: ran out a 25-length winner at Leopardstown in DecemberCredit: Patrick McCann

Charlie I would not class Ballyburn as banker material as I think he takes on some strong opposition including Farren Glory. I was initially sceptical about the form of the Royal Bond but King Of Kingsfield, a length and a half second to Farren Glory, beat subsequent winner Mirazur West by six lengths on his next start. Farren Glory was unlucky not to make it back-to-back Grade 1 victories when falling at the second-last at Aintree on Boxing Day. If over that mishap, I expect him to give Ballyburn a proper race as the favourite has already shown that he is not unbeatable at this 2m trip, having finished runner-up to Firefox, who disappointed on his next start, on his hurdling debut.

Hi Punting Club, could I have an each-way lucky 15 please for the meeting? Nathan Briggs

Liam Foxy Girl (12.40 Sunday) and Slade Steel (1.40 Sunday) can both go well for Rachael Blackmore, while I fancy Zenta in the Listed 2m handicap hurdle (3.50 Sunday) as I think the return to smaller obstacles will suit her. She has solid form over hurdles, with three wins from four starts, and was a well-placed third in last season's Triumph Hurdle. Baby Kate looks to have some promise in the Grade 2 bumper (4.25 Sunday) and I think she'll run into the places.

Matt Jetara in the opening 2m6½ Grade 1 novice hurdle on Saturday (1.20), Kargese in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle (1.50), and then on Sunday Gentleman De Mee in the Dublin Chase (2.10) and Magical Zoe in the Listed 2m handicap hurdle (3.50). Best of luck!

Charlie Sequestered has contested races won by leading Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle hope High Class Hero on two of his last four starts, winning a Galway novice and finishing sixth in a Cheltenham Grade 2 on the others. Captain Teague went on to land the Grade 1 Challow after finishing runner-up in that Cheltenham event and Sequestered looks a huge price ahead of his handicap debut (3.00 Saturday) off a mark of 129 with Jack Gilligan taking 7lb off the six-year-old. He can go in the Lucky 15 with Intellotto (1.50 Saturday), Farren Glory (1.40 Sunday) and Aurora Vega (4.25 Sunday).

Get £50 in free bets with Betfair on horse racing multiples

Betfair are offering £50 in free bets for the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown this weekend.

You can follow these simple steps outlined below to grab £50 in free bets to place on multiples on the big races. It's fast, secure and straightforward.

1. Head over to Betfair through this link and click the 'Get Started' button
2. Create your username and password
3. Place a minimum £10 bet on horse racing at odds of minimum EVS (2.0)
4. £50 of free bet tokens for use on horse racing multiples will added to your balance

Betfair betting sign-up offer: the key terms and conditions

It's worth taking a few minutes to read through the terms and conditions associated with the new player promotion before signing up. Doing so will help you get a better grasp of the details of the Dublin Racing Festival betting offer and what's expected of you as a new player.

• New customer offer
• Place a minimum £10 bet on horse racing at odds of minimum EVS (2.0) and get £50 in free bets
• Rewards valid for 30 days and can be used on horse racing multiples only
• Only deposits via cards will qualify
• T&Cs apply
• Please gamble responsibly

Read these next:

Dublin Racing Festival day one acca: the 25-1 five-leg accumulator featuring the hot favourites 

One trainer, one jockey, one horse and one race to watch at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown 

'The market suggests he is the chosen one' - why this horse can win at the Dublin Racing Festival this weekend 

Five years of profit in a row for Ante-Post Pricewise - subscribe to Members' Club now with 50% off for Tom Segal's Cheltenham tips! 

Do you want £700+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.

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.