14 entries have been made for the 2025 edition of the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday 1st February. The 3m contest is run at Leopardstown and has been won for the last two years at strong odds-on prices by Galopin Des Champs, who is unsurprisingly entered in an attempt for the hat-trick. He would be the first horse to win three in a row since Florida Pearl in 2001.
HIs trainer Willie Mullins is responsible for six of the prospective runners in all. Fact To File is the most notable otherwise, with the eight-year-old in line to seek revenge for his Savills Chase turnover at Christmas. The John Durkan winner could be joined by Tramore’s New Year’s Day Chase winner Embassy Gardens, last year’s Grand National hero I Am Maximus, as well as fellow Savills Chase runners Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner.
Having missed the Christmas period, the race could see the return of Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe. He was disappointing on his reappearance at Down Royal, but retains a very strong strike rate and could be revitalised by a break. Gordon Elliott has also entered veteran stablemate Conflated, who won this race in 2022.
The other six horses are split between six stables; former King George winner Hewick could return to fences after racing in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown last time out. Meanwhile, Monty’s Star will look to leave his return at Tramore behind him and stake his Cheltenham credentials in the process.
Gavin Cromwell has been coy on the future prospects of Inothewayurthinkin, but the seven-year-old has been granted an entry here. He was narrowly behind Gentlemansgame in the Savills Chase, with Mouse Morris’ grey looking to back up that sterling career best.
The final pair will likely be big prices, with Senecia a 200/1 third in Grade 2 company last time out, while Noel Meade’s Affordale Fury was not seen in 2024; a Grade 1 runner-up as a novice hurdler, he has had just two runs over fences so far.
2025 Irish Gold Cup Entries
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Affordale Fury | Noel Meade |
| 2 | Conflated | Gordon Elliott |
| 3 | Embassy Gardens | Willie Mullins |
| 4 | Fact To File | Willie Mullins |
| 5 | Galopin Des Champs | Willie Mullins |
| 6 | Gentlemansgame | Mouse Morris |
| 7 | Gerri Colombe | Gordon Elliott |
| 8 | Grangeclare West | Willie Mullins |
| 9 | Hewick | Tara Lee Cogan |
| 10 | I Am Maximus | Willie Mullins |
| 11 | Inothewayurthinkin | Gavin Cromwell |
| 12 | Minella Cocooner | Willie Mullins |
| 13 | Monty’s Star | Henry De Bromhead |
| 14 | Senecia | Vincent Laurence Halley |
2025 Irish Champion Hurdle Runners: State Man And Brighterdaysahead Top Possible Field Of 12 For Leopardstown Race At Dublin Racing Festival
State Man and Brighterdaysahead could clash in the 2025 Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival on Sunday 2nd February, as the pair feature among 12 horses entered for the Grade 1 prize. Holding six of the 12 entries, Willie Mullins will be eager to see State Man return…
Thu 09 Jan 2025