2025 Leopardstown Saturday Preview

We missed the target with our Friday selections. Fortuna Ligna could only manage sixth and unfortunately, Lucid Dreams was pulled up sharply after suffering a bad injury, thoughts go to his connections. I was delighted to see Soul Icon win, hopefully some of you backed him. It can sometimes be worth reading the preview, even if it’s a no bet race. There’s another top quality day of racing ahead of us tomorrow (or today depending on when you read this), check out my 2025 Leopardstown Saturday preview below.

12.50 Leopardstown – South Dubin Handicap (80-116)

We have had a couple of near misses in this race in years gone by with Youngnedofthehill finishing second at massive odds and Music Of Tara really should have won for us in 2022. This year, I am going to take a chance on Jolie Jewel for Galway trainer Brian McMahon with Jake Coen taking off 3lb.

This 5yo daughter of Spider Flight has been learning her trade in handicaps since winning a 19f Cork maiden hurdle in May. Handed a mark of 111 for that shock win, she ran ok in her first two handicaps, finishing fifth at Galway over 16.5f and Ballinrobe over 22f, both on nice ground.

There was a blip when she struggled at Gowran in October but she ran a very nice race on her latest start in this sphere at Navan. She ran on really well for third behind the runaway winner Slane Hill and she had Big Chou (hacked up in a novice next start), In For The Night (second at Fairyhouse next time), One Night Standard (second at Down Royal on Thursday) and Slim Marvel (second at Fairyhouse next start) well behind her.

That form looks alright to me, she has picked up experience in big, competitive fields and she will be suited by a strongly run race, which this will hopefully be. At odds of 40/1, Jolie Jewel is the each way selection.

2025 Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Jolie Jewel e/w @ 40/1 (6 places) NB

2.00 Leopardstown – Savills Hurdle (Grade 1)

Hewick runs here instead of the King George, a baffling decision in my opinion. Why you wouldn’t try to defend your title, especially when the conditions were perfect, is beyond me. If he goes and wins this the decision will probably be seen as being vindicated but at the end of the day, the King George is the race I’d rather win.

Home By The Lee won this in 2022 and heads the betting. He’s a horse I like but he is no banker to back that last win at Navan up. Bob Olinger often flatters to deceive and he didn’t get home when running in this race in 2022. Asterion Forlonge is Asterion Forlonge and Noble Yeats will surely need this run.

Can Rocky Land A Blow?

Sandor Clegane is a very frustrating horse who hasn’t won as many races as his ability deserves. Beacon Edge is nearly an 11yo and that leaves us with Rocky’s Diamond. Trained by Declan Queally, this horse is rated 130 so theoretically, he has no chance. However, he has only run four times, winning twice, and the 4yo showed a good attitude to score on his handicap debut at Gowran (3m, good) in October.

Shane Fitzgerald rides and he was on board for his maiden hurdle win at Limerick in April and he also rode Mozzies Sister to finish second for the yard in a Grade 2 at Limerick on Thursday. This is a very speculative bet, so don’t have the house on, but given the opposition, Rocky’s Diamond is worth chancing each way for small stakes at odds of 33/1.

2025 Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Rocky’s Diamond e/w @ 33/1

2.35 Leopardstown – Savills Chase (Grade 1)

The big one. Galopin Des Champs is the defending champion and he’s favourite to win it again. However, Willie Mullins has had something like two winners from 47 runners so far this weekend so that has to rate as a massive concern for those considering backing this fella at short odds. The same sentiment applies to the second fav, the John Durkan winner Fact To File.

That could leave the door open for Inothewayurthinkin but he ran an extremely poor race behind the aforementioned horses at Punchestown. The one I am taking a chance on is the Mouse Morris trained Gentlemansgame.

I obviously rate this horse as I put him up for the Gold Cup last year and we also backed him at Aintree. He failed to deliver but he then ran a cracker in the Punchestown Gold Cup where he finished just over 3l behind Galopin Des Champs.

My main angle with this horse is the fact he beat I Am Maximus, another friend of the blog, by 8l on his seasonal reappearance at this meeting back in 2022. His crowning moment came last year when he won the Charlie Hall at Wetherby, beating Bravemansgame by almost 2l. Given the form of the Mullins’ yard, I think he is worth chancing each way at odds of 33/1.

2025 Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Gentlemansgame e/w @ 33/1

3.05 Leopardstown – Pertemps Qualifier Handicap Hurdle (145 = 11st 12)

I’m starting to hate these races but the thoughts of a big priced winner keep me coming back for more. The top four finishers qualify for the final at Cheltenham in March (changed from the top six), so those horses that are usually ridden to finish sixth, have to try just a little bit harder.

Usually, when analysing these races I look at the bigger picture. Who wants to qualify but needs to protect their mark? Who needs a win and a rise in the weights to get a run? That approach hasn’t been working so this time, I’m going to just look at the race as I would a normal handicap.

Luckily, I don’t have to look too far for a bet in this race. We backed Toor Khov at big odds when he finished in midfield at Cork in December. I thought he was well treated and he proved me right by running a huge race on his next start upped to 3m1f at Navan a week later, again at big odds.

The bookies have dismissed his chances but with Ethan O’Sullivan’s claim he is effectively 4lb lower than he was at Navan and I think this slightly sounder surface is going to suit him better. When he won his maiden at Tipperary, beating the now 134 rated Grade 3 winner Pray Tell, it was good to yielding. Off an effective mark of 110, Toor Khov is the e/w selection.

2025 Leopardstown Saturday Tip: Toor Khov e/w @ 22/1 (6 places) NAP

-DaveStevos