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Officials remain optimistic Leopardstown will be able to stage the Dublin Racing Festival in the aftermath of Storm Chandra. Pictures show how more than six inches of rain in the last 12 days has left the venue flooded in places, with standing water on the track.

A statement from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board said: "Following 58mm of rain in the last 24hrs (165mm/six inches in last 12 days), parts of the track at @LeopardstownRC (Saturday and Sunday) are now waterlogged. "Heaviest rain has now passed according to forecast. Breezy with possibility of light showers today and tomorrow.

"Mainly dry early Thursday with rain developing Thursday night and then turning mainly dry thereafter into the weekend."

Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs is due to be among the stars on show in the Grade One Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup on Saturday, along with Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Final Demand, who holds an entry in Sunday's top level Ladbrokes Novice Chase.

Mullins, winner of 54 races during eight years of the DRF with his horses, will be hoping the track is raceable by the weekend, as he traditionally uses the meeting to finalise his Cheltenham Festival squad.

His big rival Gordon Elliott also has some leading lights, including Romeo Coolio, who has options at 2m 1f and 2m 5f, but is expected to meet the Mullins-saddled Kopek Des Bordes at the shorter distance.

Barry Connell's champion chaser Marine Nationale could also run at the two-day meeting, which is worth €2 million.

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Leopardstown's new chief executive Mark Clayton believes the groundstaff team will win the battle with the elements, as the stormy weather plays havoc with the UK fixture list.

"I joked with the team when I first met them that I had been to the track numerous times over the last year and not seen any rain!" he said.

"Well in the last 12 days it has been torrential. We have no contingencies planned as given the forecast, it gives us complete optimism we will be racing."