Mullins ready to fire four darts in bid for first Cheltenham Gold Cup
ASK ANY trainer what race they would most like to win and you can be certain the majority would say the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Willie Mullins is no different, especially with six seconds in his career, and he is set to field four in his bid for a first success in jump racing’s blue riband event next month.
Kemboy, Bellshill, Al Boum Photo and Invitation Only are all set to represent Mullins and he is hopeful that he can finally land the coveted prize.
“It would be nice, obviously. We have as good a chance this year as any. You could make cases for all of them,” said Mullins.
As for so many other trainers, the unseasonably dry winter has been a real problem for the Cheltenham Festival’s all-time leading trainer.
“It’s been hugely frustrating,” he said. “We’ve got very few of our novice chasers out and it’s the same with the novice hurdlers, but I’d rather have that frustration than having them out injured.
“It’s disappointing, it’s been an extraordinary year. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Here are Mullins’ thoughts on his main contenders at the Festival.
LAURINA
Unibet Champion Hurdle 7/2
“Laurina is a very good mare. She needed it badly [her win at Punchestown yesterday], job done and hopefully we get a clear run from now to Cheltenham. We’re aiming for the Champion Hurdle, that’s our plan.”
BENIE DES DIEUX
OLBG Mares’ Hurdle 15/8
“She is in good form and goes for the Mares’ Hurdle. The ground is the reason why we haven’t got a run into her. She might have run at Gowran last week, but with the new flu jab rule, I got them all done.”
MIN
Betway Champion Chase 6/1 or Ryanair Chase 4/1
“Min has the option of the Champion Chase or the Ryanair, we’ll leave that decision until much nearer the time. He has done things well this year and he ran well behind Altior in the Champion Chase last year – I’ve been very pleased with Min this season.”
FOOTPAD
Betway Champion Chase 9/1 or Ryanair Chase 8/1
“Footpad has schooled very well lately and he looks more like the old Footpad from last year, so hopefully that is a good sign that he is starting to find his form. I want to get a few more gallops into him.”
UN DE SCEAUX
Ryanair Chase 10/1
“Un De Sceaux probably needs heavy ground even more so as he gets older, but the enthusiasm he has is still there and he is in particularly good form at the moment – probably in the best shape I’ve seen him in the last couple of weeks. He just seems to be coming right at the right time.”
PENHILL
Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle 5/1
“Penhill is coming along nicely. He is another one we hope we can get to Cheltenham, but we look at him every morning to make sure he looks good. He is going to have a few more searching bits of work between now and Cheltenham.”
FAUGHEEN
Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle 10/1
“He seems in good form and Ruby [Walsh] hadn’t stirred on him in the Christmas Hurdle last time out when he fell. I’m not sure what would have happened after that, but Ruby was very confident that he had not asked any questions at that stage.”
KEMBOY
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup 8/1
“Kemboy is in good form. His performance at Leopardstown over Christmas was very good and fast, good ground, which can come up on the fourth day of Cheltenham. Then he would have a very good chance. I think the further he goes, the better he is.”
BELLSHILL
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup 14/1
“Bellshill came out of Leopardstown well. He stays very well and he jumps very well too, which is probably his biggest asset and a huge plus for him. Cheltenham has not been the luckiest of tracks, but hopefully he could put that right this time.”
AL BOUM PHOTO
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup 14/1
“Al Boum Photo should be effective over the Gold Cup trip and he won well on at Tramore last time out. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”
INVITATION ONLY
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup 40/1
“Invitation Only will have to step up a bit on his form to get involved in a Gold Cup.”