Horse Racing tips: Our ultimate Dublin Racing Festival Cheat Sheet for Sunday at Leopardstown

BANNTOWN GIRL (each-way) returns having finished third in this contest last year to Party Central and Say Goodbye. She’s lightly raced, fitted with first-time cheek pieces and has a decent chance.

I’ve landed on Chacun Pour Soi’s half sister HISTORIQUE RECONCE. She’s going off a mark of 116 and she could be anything – as in pure quality or rubbish – so back with care!

GAOTH CHUILL (each-way) will be ridden by Denis O’Regan who was on her last time in a competitive novice handicap hurdle. She has a lovely light weight and she is a sporting bet in a deep race.

HISTORIQUE RECONCE and Liberty Dance appeal as the types to be well ahead of their respective marks and they can fight out the finish with preference for Willie Mullins’ Tramore scorer over Gordon Elliott’s hat-trick seeker.

I’ve landed on JAMES DU BERLAIS, even though it’s interesting that Paul Townend has picked Gaillard Du Mesnil over him. He could have loads of ability and he’s just been touched off in a couple of Grade 1s.

I’m taking a chance on JAMES DU BERLAIS for Willie Mullins. He’s the most interesting runner in here and he could be open to plenty of improvement. The ground won’t be an issue.

GAILLARD DU MESNIL finished second to Mighty Potter at Fairyhouse and then won at Leopardstown over Christmas. There’s not much between the two and I would rather take the value option.

The five-strong Willie Mullins battalion may have their work cut out against MIGHTY POTTER, whose emphatic Drinmore success represented one of the best performances from a novice chaser so far this season. 

I’d back SCEAU ROYAL in the Betting Without Blue Lord market. He should follow Blue Lord home but there aren’t too many major betting angles.

It’s very hard to be against BLUE LORD for Willie as I can’t make a case for the others.

BLUE LORD will be very hard to beat. The owner’s other runner Sceau Royal could pick up the pieces if they go too hard up front.

Willie Mullins is yet to taste defeat in the Dublin Chase and his BLUE LORD is strongly fancied to take this year’s renewal having established himself as a force to be reckoned with in this division over C&D just under 6 weeks ago.

MARS HARPER (each-way) is very interesting. He ran three times in November and December, finishing second twice and fourth last time out. He’s now rated 132 and is capable of going well in this after being highly tried.

I’m taking a chance on the outsider CHARLIE STOUT (each-way) for Shane Nolan. His form is good enough to be able to hit the frame.

CIEL DE NIEGE (each-way) was fancied last time but disappointed. He is top weight but is very capable and Kieran Callaghan takes 7lbs off his back.

MASKADA arrives in top form, making amends for her Fairyhouse exit with a career-best win at Limerick (beat a subsequent winner), and she remains one to keep on the right side of.

Maybe my heart is ruling my head but I’m going with HONEYSUCKLE and taking on State Man. People have written off Honeysuckle but the ground should be a bit better and she’s looking for her fourth win in this race.

I can see HONEYSUCKLE going off the favourite for this and I fancy her to beat State Man. This is a big test for her and it’ll be crucial in deciding what Henry de Bromhead does in terms of Cheltenham.

I feel a bit mean deserting Honeysuckle but STATE MAN is very much on the up. His jumping is getting slicker all the time and could be the biggest threat to Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle.

STATE MAN was most impressive when beating Vauban in the Matheson here over Christmas and can confirm his superiority over his stable-companion and land a fourth Grade 1 in a row.

I’m going to take a big chance on NO LOOKING BACK in the Betting Without Facile Vega market. He won at Thurles last March and again there and Limerick in December.

Facile Vega should win and it might be worth looking in the Betting Without market. IRISH POINT or Il Etait Temps could be the value picks but I’ll go with Gordon Elliott’s runner.

FACILE VEGA really has looked the part and is still unbeaten from four bumpers last season including the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. He’s made a solid start over timber with two wins so far and sets the standard.

Facile Vega is evidently a hugely exciting prospect but if there’s a fly in the ointment it could be in the shape of IRISH POINT, who has filled the runner-up position on both his outings in Grade 1 company over hurdles so far. Gordon Elliot’s charge can go one better on this occasion.

I’m chancing EFFERNOCK FIZZ (each-way) at a big price. He won at Ffos Las on October and he’s had a couple of solid second-place finishes at Tipperary and Cheltenham in the last few months.

Not strongest race and I can’t really see anything that will beat GAELIC WARRIOR. He bolted up at Tramore and Clonmel this season and I’d be disappointed if he’s not good enough to win.

ALL THOSE YEARS made a reasonable reappearance last time when fifth to Lucky Max at Cork and can come on for the run in what looked a perfect warm-up for this valuable prize.

This is ultra competitive but it’s still tough to ignore the claims of GAELIC WARRIOR who looks a Graded winner in the making so a mark in the mid-140s shouldn’t prove beyond him.

I’m taking a chance on ROCKSTOWN GIRL (each-way). She’s won one of her three runs when impressing at Roscommon in July. She then came third at Gowran Park and fourth at Leopardstown.

I have to pick a runner I’d go with ROCKSTOWN GIRL (each-way). Her fourth at Leopardstown in December looks solid form now so she could be worth chancing.

LILY DU BERLAIS won this race last year in an absolute belter of a finish. She has a 3lb penalty but she sets a very good standard.

FUN FUN FUN was mighty impressive at Sligo on debut and, with more to come, he’s preferred to Lily Du Berlais, who sets the current standard. Fancy Girl, a stablemate of the selection, is a danger to both.