EIGHT Grade 1 races, all 15 races over the weekend graded events, and €1.8 million in prize money. Yes, you guessed correctly, I am referring to the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.

It all kicks off in a fortnight’s time at the Foxrock venue and it received an appropriate send-off when five of the top six leading trainers at present in Ireland gathered at the track on Wednesday to officially launch the weekend.