Prospects for the most valuable and significant weekend of racing in the run-up to the Cheltenham festival in March remained in the balance on Friday evening after both Leopardstown and Sandown called inspections for Saturday morning due to fears of overnight rain.

Leopardstown has had nearly 200mm of rain over the last two weeks ahead of the Dublin Racing Festival, which is due to stage eight Grade One races over the weekend. Paddy Graffin, Leopardstown’s clerk of the course, will inspect at 8am.

“We’ve had a look at a fresh line of the hurdle track right out beside the chase track,” Graffin said on Friday. “In my opinion, this line is currently fit to race despite 22mm of rain last night.

“However, we do have the potential for a further 10-20mm of rain. We would like to get a bit of luck with that, but it is currently fit to race.”

There are similar concerns at Sandown, which is due to stage a seven-race card including the Grade One Scilly Isles Novice Chase.

“There will be a precautionary inspection tomorrow morning at 7.30am,” Andrew Cooper, Sandown’s clerk of the course, said on X. “Both the hurdle and chase courses are currently raceable. There was 2mm of rain on Thursday night into Friday and we are due further rain from 4pm on Friday afternoon into Saturday morning.”

Galopin can land record fourth Irish Gold Cup

Galopin Des Champs was finally beaten in a Leopardstown chase at the eighth time of asking when only third behind Affordale Fury in the Savills Chase in December, but Willie Mullins’s gelding was making his seasonal debut and will be strongly fancied to register a record-equalling fourth win in the Irish Gold Cup on Saturday.

Galopin Des Champs (3.30) was also beaten first time up in 2023 and 2024 before taking a three-mile Grade One at Leopardstown on his next outing, and showed more than enough to suggest that his talent remains largely intact.

The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner should also appreciate Saturday’s sterner test on much softer ground, and can beat a top-class field to match Florida Pearl’s record of four wins in the race.

Sandown 12.55: Bollin Thou remains lightly raced for an eight-year-old and even a 13lb rise may not be enough to prevent him completing a four-timer.

Musselburgh 1.10: A closely matched field of juvenile hurdlers but Made U Blush won with something to spare last time and gets a 7lb sex allowance from most of her rivals.

Sandown 1.25: Gary & Josh Moore’s Rip Wheeler was badly hampered by an early faller last time and will outrun odds of around 6-1 if he returns to his highly promising form earlier in the season.

Musselburgh 1.43: Afadil bids to repeat his win in this race two years ago but is without a victory since and the hat-trick-seeking Williethebuilder has more substance to his recent form.

Musselburgh 2.20: Insurrection put up his two best performances over fences over track and trip and Freddie Keighley’s 7lb claim is a further point in his favour.

Sandown 2.02: The booking of Harry Cobden aboard Escapeandevade for only his seventh ride for Harry Derham is eye-catching, and the 10-year-old also has winning form on heavy ground.

Sandown 2.40: Gordon Elliott’s Kala Conti is much improved since switching from hurdles to chasing and saw off a Willie Mullins-trained odds-on shot with ease in a mares’ race at Cork in December. At around 9-4, she looks over-priced to complete a hat-trick.

Leopardstown 2.55: Romeo Coolio bids for a third Grade One of the campaign and it looks straightforward.

Sandown 3.10: The recent rain is just what Henri The Second’s connections would have wanted to see and last season’s runner-up can improve his excellent track record.

Sandown 3.42: Fortunate Man remains lightly raced over fences and put up a career-best on his return at Aintree.