The Dublin Racing Festival is here.

The most anticipated Irish racing weekend in some time takes place this weekend in Leopardstown. There are 7 Grade Ones taking place over two days of racing.

Some of the best horses from Ireland and England will take to the Foxrock track, creating some almighty head to head clashes.

This will be most of these horses’ last outing before the Cheltenham festival next month, so all racing will be competitive and all horses will be primed.

Get on lads https://t.co/fS5IqFm0Ml

— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) February 3, 2018

We give our verdict on some of today’s head to head clashes, creating a fourfold accumulator. Easily, another horse could bolt from the blue and take us all by surprise, but you have to make a call some way.

Yorkhill to beat Min

The verdict goes to Graham Wiley’s Yorkhill in the 1.45, second race on the card. One of the most talented horses in training, he struggled last time out at the Christmas Chase in Leopardstown.

Crucially, though, Willie Mullins has dropped his 8-year-old down in trip to 2m 1f. With massive scope for improvement, this could make all the difference, and with Paul Townend choosing him ahead of Min – It’s hard to argue with that, and the 5/4 price.

You can ignore all of that, because Min romped home, with Yorkhill very disappointing.

Footpad to beat Petit Mouchoir

Petit Mouchoir twice defeated Willie Mullins’ six-year-old in hurdling clashes last year. Footpad, however, has been on fire so far this year, and we expect him to turn the tables.

He jumps like a stag and hasn’t came off the bridle once in his two outing, winning both by 22 lengths.

He’s priced at 4/9.

Faugheen to beat Melon and Defi De Seuil

Faugheen the machine deserves the benefit of the doubt at 5/4. The doubt is there, but so undoubtedly is the class. Philip Hobbs’ Triumph Hurdle winner last year, Defi De Seuil, comes into this race in similar circumstances to Faugheen, on the back of a stinker, but he also has class and will put it up to Rich Ricci’s champion.

Faugheen’s stablemate Melon is also highly regarded, and didn’t lose much in defeat to My Tent Or Yours last time out.

We just can’t get away from Faugheen though.

Rhinestone to beat Blackbow and Rapid Escape

The last race on the card, today’s bumper is an absolute cracker. There are a string of highly rated young horses competing for the aptly named Goffs Future Stars Flat Race.

Joseph O’Brien’s Rhinestone gets the nod. The trainer got his day off to a flier when Towerhill took the first race on the card. That’s a good omen.

Willie Mullins’ Blackbow hasn’t put a foot wrong in his career to date. Part-owned by Tom Nugent, a man better known for his exploits on the Paddy Power Snapchat, this lad will take beating.

The money has come for Rapid Escape, and the outsider of the three, Rhinestone looks the value bet.

At 5/1, there’s huge value there.

That bet now comes out at 19/1 , with Yorkhill taken out.