Jumping giants adorn Willie Mullins’ record-breaking CV

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Willie Mullins has trained some of the modern greats of National Hunt racing. After reaching the 4,000-winner mark worldwide, we pick out 10 of his best equine stars…

1) Florida Pearl

Florida Pearl was Willie Mullins' first champion
Florida Pearl was Willie Mullins’ first champion (Chris Bacon/PA)

It is difficult to nominate Florida Pearl’s finest hour. Perhaps his fourth win in the Irish Hennessy (now Irish Gold Cup) as a 12-year-old, maybe his King George success over triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate or even when he justified all the hype as the Irish Banker in 1998 in the Royal & SunAlliance Novice Chase, having missed out hurdling altogether. One thing that is for sure is that he was Mullins’ first real top-class campaigner and it took a while before he would get another. The fact he won the Cheltenham Bumper at five and was still winning at the highest level seven years later was testament to his durability and Mullins’ skill.

2) Hurricane Fly

Hurricane Fly regaining the Champion Hurdle in 2013
Hurricane Fly regaining the Champion Hurdle in 2013 (David Davies/PA)

The list of multiple champions at Cheltenham runs long, Mullins himself has trained a few. However, those that win a championship race, lose the crown only to win it back are held in the highest esteem – think Kauto Star for example, and Hurricane Fly is on that elite list. Injury prevented him from running at Cheltenham until the third attempt, and he landed the odds in fine style in 2011. But when beaten the following year by Rock On Ruby, his reign looked like being short given he would be nine when trying to get his title back. But with nothing holding him back he won three Grade Ones in Ireland before turning up cherry-ripe in March where he was roared up the hill to become the first since Sir Ken in 1975 to regain the crown. While a further seven Grade Ones were won at home, he ran in the Champion Hurdle twice more when quicker ground than ideal and his advancing years saw him finish only fourth and third respectively.

3) Quevega

Quevega won the same race at Cheltenham six times
Quevega won the same race at Cheltenham six times (David Davies/PA)

It is fair to say the career of Quevega divides opinion. There are those who feel to win the same race at the Cheltenham Festival on six occasions, the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, is a feat that should be lauded from the rooftops. However, there are also folk who believe the way she was campaigned, making her seasonal debut in the race for the last five years, possibly denied racing fans the opportunity to celebrate her brilliance. That such a brilliant mare was kept in training until a 10-year-old was laudable, that she ran only 18 times for Mullins, four of those in the first six months, possibly not. Another argument which raged for years, not of Mullins’ doing, was the dilution of the Cheltenham Festival prevented her from running in either a Champion Hurdle or the Stayers’. We know she would have been competitive as she won the Punchestown version of the Stayers’ four times, beating the boys.

4 Faugheen

Faugheen lost just once in his first four seasons with Mullins
Faugheen lost just once in his first four seasons with Mullins (David Davies/PA)

Nicknamed ‘Faugheen the Machine’, for a long time it was difficult to see quite how he would even be beaten for his first three seasons. On his debut for Mullins he won a bumper for 22 lengths, beating Josses Hill, who went on to be a very good horse for Nicky Henderson. As a novice hurdler he was imperious, winning all five, including what is now the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Surprisingly kept over hurdles the following season, despite Mullins repeatedly saying he wanted to see how he would fare over fences, he won the Champion Hurdle and followed up at Punchestown. The next campaign saw him suffer his first defeat, at the hands of stable companion Nichols Canyon, no mug and a Festival winner in his own right but nevertheless a huge shock. He returned to winning ways in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle and won the Irish Champion Hurdle but then the wheels fell off and he was off the track for 665 days. Despite the absence and the fact he was turning 10 in a month, he was a long odds-on favourite for his return in the Morgiana and duly bolted up but he was pulled up next time out and never quite recaptured the glory days, despite winning  Grade Ones as a novice chaser at the age of 12.

5 Un De Sceaux

Un De Sceaux transformed from a tearaway to a top-class chaser
Un De Sceaux transformed from a tearaway to a top-class chaser (Niall Carson/PA)

An absolute winning machine and certainly not a ride for the faint-hearted in his early days, he garnered a huge support by the end of his career. His front-running, bold-jumping style made him hugely popular and the fact he ran in England almost as much as Ireland meant the blue and orange scarves were seen all over. Incredibly, in races he completed when trained by Mullins, he was only out of the first two twice out of 30. Considering most of his career was spent in Grade One company, it speaks volumes for his ability first and foremost, but also his constitution. Given those unplaced efforts were in France over three miles and in the Ryanair Chase on ground quicker than ideal, he even had excuses. He did win the Ryanair, and also the Arkle while he also won the Clarence House three times and the Tingle Creek.

6 Douvan

Trainer Willie Mullins with Douvan
Trainer Willie Mullins with Douvan (PA)

Whenever you hear the name Douvan you cannot help but think what might have been. From winning a Gowran novice hurdle in November 2014, he did not taste defeat until the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March 2017. In the intervening 13 races he looked unbeatable but several errors in the Champion Chase contributed to him returning lame. Not seen again until the corresponding race 12 months later he was still travelling strongly when taking a crashing fall four out. He did make Punchestown a month later when beaten by Un De Sceaux but was then off for another 569 days before winning the Clonmel Oil Chase only to never be seen again. One pointer to just how good he was is Sizing John. Having finished second to Douvan five times he stepped up in trip and subsequently won the Gold Cup.

7 Annie Power

Annie Power won a Champion Hurdle but is well known for another reason
Annie Power won a Champion Hurdle but is well known for another reason (Mike Egerton/PA)

It seems very harsh but it is probably true that Annie Power’s place in history will arguably be remembered more for her falling at the final flight with the Mares’ Hurdle at her mercy than for winning the Champion Hurdle 12 months later. She formed part of a hugely popular Mullins accumulator on the first day in 2015 and when the first three – Douvan, Un De Sceaux and Faugheen – all breezed in, the bookies were fearing a day of Frankie Dettori proportions. With the race in the bag approaching the last she took off a stride too soon, hitting the flight halfway up and coming down. Incredibly Mullins still won the race with Glens Melody. The following year she was a tremendously impressive winner of the Champion Hurdle and followed up at Aintree proving without doubt that in 2016 she was the best hurdler around.

8 Vautour

Vautour was exceptional in his short career
Vautour was exceptional in his short career (David Davies/PA)

Another who was not around long enough, in 14 races for Mullins he won 10, was second three times and fell once. A stunning winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2014 when Ruby Walsh said it felt like he was going around on wheels, he went chasing the following season. Surprisingly beaten at Leopardstown over Christmas when clearly not right, following a confidence booster he was sent off favourite for the Arkle and did not disappoint. Agonisingly beaten by Cue Card in the King George the season after, when he was caught on the line, controversy then ensued when owner Rich Ricci stated in the lead up to the Festival he would run in the Gold Cup only for him to ultimately line up in the Ryanair – and win by six lengths. Beaten when dropped to two miles at Punchestown, having fallen at Aintree, he tragically died in a freak accident at home later that year.

9 Allaho

Allaho strolls to victory at Punchestown
Allaho strolls to victory at Punchestown (Brian Lawless/PA)

It may have taken a while to unlock the key to Allaho but when Mullins finally did, boy has he unleashed a monster. His two victories in the Ryanair Chase have come through accurate jumping at a relentless pace which soon sends his rivals into submission, a complete contrast to the way in which Un De Sceaux won the same race, with Ruby Walsh attempting to nurse him home. As he got older, Allaho also stayed three miles comfortably, as he showed when beating dual King George winner Clan Des Obeaux by 14 lengths at Punchestown.

10 Al Boum Photo

Al Boum Photo (far side) winning his second Gold Cup
Al Boum Photo (far side) winning his second Gold Cup (Jacob King/PA)

Despite a decade of dominance at the Cheltenham Festival, one race was a glaring omission on Mullins’ CV. The biggest of them all, the Gold Cup. Mullins had finished second no less than six times with the likes of Florida Pearl and Djakadam before, in 2019, a rather unheralded 12-1 shot finally scratched the itch. And then, to prove it was no fluke, Al Boum Photo went and repeated the dose 12 months later. By accident rather than design, for the first of his wins Al Boum Photo had only had one previous run, so Mullins did the same thing the next year, and the year after that so that between January 2019 and March 2021 Al Boum Photo only ran seven times which rather irked some of the sports followers but all Mullins would need to say is look at the results. In that period he lost twice, at Punchestown after his first Gold Cup and when trying to emulate Best Mate by winning a third at Cheltenham.

Magical Mullins reaches 4,000 career winners at Fairyhouse

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Willie Mullins reached 4,000 career winners when Bronn dug deep to take the Soil.ie Working With Fairyhouse Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse.

The master of Closutton – who began training in 1988 having served as assistant to both his father Paddy and to Jim Bolger – has become one of the most dominant names in National Hunt racing and is a 16-time champion trainer in his native Ireland.

The most successful handler at the Cheltenham Festival with a record 88 winners at the Prestbury Park showpiece, Mullins, 66, sent out his first winner at Thurles in 1988 and has won most of the major prizes both on home soil and in the UK during his 30-plus year career in the training ranks.

All smiles from Daryl Jacob following the landmark victory of Bronn
All smiles from Daryl Jacob following the landmark victory of Bronn (PA)

A winner of the Grand National with Hedgehunter in 2005, Energumene ensured he had a clean sweep of all of the championship races at the Festival when landing the Champion Chase in 2022.

His first Festival winner came when Tourist Attraction won the 1995 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and he has gone on to win the Cheltenham opener a further six times, while his name will always be synonymous with the Champion Bumper, a race he has trained the winner of on a remarkable occasions.

Other notable names to pass through Closutton include dual Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo, two-time Champion Hurdle hero Hurricane Fly, Faugheen, Florida Pearl and the all-conquering Quevega – the six-time Mares’ Hurdle winner.

Sent off the 2-9 favourite, the Daryl Jacob-ridden Bronn was given a scare by Grandero Bello but got there with a neck to spare.

“It was great to be a very small part of history,” said Jacob.

“No words can really describe how good a man Willie is and what he has achieved. To be a small part of that history is fantastic.”

On the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned winner he added: “He doesn’t do a whole lot in front and was looking around an awful lot.

“I thought I had him beaten comfortably going to the last, but he started pulling up a bit from the back of the last with me. He’s toughed it out well. There is more room for improvement with his jumping, he’s getting better.”

Comfort Zone edges Scriptwriter in informative Triumph trial

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Comfort Zone further highlighted Ireland’s dominance in the juvenile hurdle division when landing a telling blow in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.

Joseph O’Brien’s youngster made a successful raid to British shores when taking the Finale Juvenile Hurdle over Christmas and added a second successive Grade Two prize when downing Milton Harris’ Scriptwriter – who headed into the Cheltenham feature as one of the home team’s best Triumph Hurdle hopes.

Scriptwriter looked to be travelling beautifully as Paddy Brennan charted a typically wide course round Prestbury Park, but the 2-1 favourite Comfort Zone was smuggled into contention by Jonjo O’Neill Jr and having jumped the last level pulled out more on the run to the line to prevail by half a length.

The winner was cut to 10-1 from 14-1 by Betfair for the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival, while he is 7-1 from 8s for the Boodles Fred Winter.

O’Neill said: “Scriptwriter is probably the best gauge-stick in England anyway, so I was happy with the performance.

“Scriptwriter was a non-runner on the day at Chepstow, so I suppose that performance was a bit better – you’d never have known. But I think the track probably suited him and maybe riding him like that was a bit more sensible.”

Asked about plans, he replied: “Leave it to the trainer and connections, they know more than me and what else they have in the races and stuff.

“I think he definitely deserves his chance in whatever race. I wouldn’t mind riding him, anyway. His hurdling was grand, a couple he got in a little bit short but I had him right down the inside and wanted to settle him, so I couldn’t be looking for loads of light.

“The ground is quite dead and he might be better on better ground, but he handles soft at Chepstow, so I’d say he is pretty versatile.”

Winning rider Jonjo O'Neill Jr
Winning rider Jonjo O’Neill Jr (David Davies/PA)

Of Scriptwriter, Milton Harris: “It is just frustrating. Look, they are good horses. We just didn’t get the rub of the green.

“It wasn’t the ground. He just got to the front miles too soon. He is a horse who has come from Ballydoyle, where he has been a lead horse for Derby horses and he has been taught to lead horses, get headed, and that’s him, so you have got to hit it late and he has just travelled too well into the race.

“I was not impressed with finishing second. He is a good horse and we’ll be back and take on the winner.

“He just got there too soon. Paddy is spitting feathers as he got there too soon and is blaming himself. We should have hit the front in the last 50 yards and he would have won – he knows that.”

He added: “We don’t want to be poor losers, but it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest taking on the winner again.

“We will come back to fight another day and take the winner on in March.”

Syd Hosie’s Rock My Way also stated his claims for the Festival when a taking winner of the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

Rock My Way ridden by Tom Scudamore (left) before winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Classic Novices’ Hurdle) during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Rock My Way ridden by Tom Scudamore (left) before winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Classic Novices’ Hurdle) during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

Second to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Weveallbeencaught on his rules debut over the track and trip on New Year’s Day, he built on that performance to record a length and a half success in the hands of Tom Scudamore.

The 13-2 winner was shortened to 16-1 from 50-1 for both the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett – but Rock My Way’s owner-trainer appears to be favouring a step up in trip which brings the latter of those two races into the equation.

“How good is Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse? We are going to find out as he is going to Ireland next week,” said Hosie.

“I would be excited for that, actually. Tom (Scudamore) said maybe step him up in trip as he wanted a bit more of a lead and got to the front a bit early enough, actually and he had a look around.

“Last time, we didn’t have a clue as we bought him out of a point-to-point field. This time, I thought if we could get him in the top three, I wouldn’t look stupid making entries for the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett, so I’m glad about that.

“We’ll get him home and if all is safe and sound, we’ll make a plan. We’ve had a Cheltenham Saturday hunter chase winner and to me that was the pinnacle, but today, this means a lot. It is nice to do it on a Saturday on Trials Day. I used to come to Trials Day with my mates and we’d be in the bottom bar, there.”

All good to go at Cheltenham

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This afternoon’s Trials day meeting at Cheltenham will go ahead as planned after the course passed a morning inspection.

Temperatures did not dip below freezing overnight meaning clerk of the course Jon Pullin was able to give the green light before the scheduled 7.30am precautionary check.

An initial inspection was called on Thursday for midday on Friday, placing the meeting in some doubt, but a milder night than forecast on Thursday enabled the thaw to continue.

It promises to be an informative afternoon at Prestbury Park with Protektorat, Noble Yeats and others in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase, Paisley Park in the Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle and Edwardstone and Energumene in the rearranged Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase.

The going is soft, good to soft in places on the chase and hurdle courses and good to soft, soft in places on the cross country track.

Naval powers into Classic picture with Meydan victory

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Naval Power led home a Charlie Appleby one-two-three in the Jumeirah Classic as he kicked off his three-year-old campaign at Meydan.

The Moulton Paddocks handler dominated the top of the market in the nine-furlong Listed event and it was the Mickael Barzalona-ridden One Nation who set the fractions and looked at one stage to have slipped the field before he was hunted down by the 1-2 favourite close home.

Highbank picked up the bronze medal to complete a clean sweep of the podium for owners Godolphin and the Newmarket trainer, who was winning the race for the fifth time in six years.

The victory was the perfect way for Naval Power to get back on track following a disappointing showing in the Dewhurst in his final start at two.

“It’s quite testing conditions out there tonight, so you’re never quite sure how it will go – especially with these three-year-olds,” said winning rider William Buick.

“But it was a competitive race and the second and third set a good standard, so I was really pleased with him there. I do think he is better on slightly better ground as well.”

The Teofilo colt will now head back home where he will take in a 2000 Guineas trial before a possible tilt at the opening classic of the season – for which he was cut to 16-1 from 25s with Coral.

Buick gave his nod of approval to both the plan and the horse’s Classic credentials post race.

Betfair Sprint Cup Day – Haydock Park – Saturday September 3rd
William Buick after winning the Betfair Daily Tips on betting.betfair Ascendant Stakes with horse Naval Power at Haydock Park racecourse. Picture date: Saturday September 3, 2022.

He added: “It’s a tested and proven route and he’s definitely of that calibre.”

Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj (9-4) just held on in an all-Godolphin finish to the Jumeirah Fillies Classic.

The Duchess of Cambridge Stakes winner, who was last seen finishing third in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes, was always to the fore in her first attempt at seven furlongs and showed real toughness to hold off 8-11 favourite Dream Of Love – who having been anchored at the back of the field rounding the home bend, flew up the Meydan straight to be denied by just short head.

The winner will now be upped to a mile for her next start in the Jumeirah Fillies Guineas on February 24.

“She ran well,” said Bin Suroor. “It was a first start for her on softer ground and there was a question mark before she ran, but we gave her the chance.

“I said to the jockey ‘just keep her handy if you can’ and next time we will have to go up to a mile for the Jumeirah Guineas. So far she has done well and she will improve from this race.

“She’s a good filly but she’s tiny, like I said last year. Since she has come to Dubai she has grown a little bit, but she still needs time. She started over six furlongs, now she has won over seven and next we will try a mile and we will see. She is a nice filly, a tough filly and she always tries hard.”

There was a rare winner in Dubai for Gordon Elliott when Coachello (20-1) struck in the Listed Dubai Stakes over six furlongs, while in the evening’s feature race on the dirt, former Roger Varian inmate Prince Eiji scooped Group Three honours for Doug Watson and rider Sam Hitchcott in the Firebreak Stakes.

Greyval strikes Doncaster Listed gold

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Greyval executed a long-held plan when turning the tables on the favourite Arclight in the Sky Bet Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster.

Fergal O’Brien’s daughter of The Grey Gatsby, a €36,000 buy from France, had finished second behind Arclight on her debut over course and distance in December, leaving her with a length and three-quarters to find.

Since then the favourite had enjoyed a procession around Kempton while Greyval (11-4) had been fine-tuned at home, and it clearly paid off.

There was all to play for on the run to the second last when Paddy Brennan, in search of better ground, took an acute inside course before he swerved back on the track proper.

That caused a concertina effect, as Nico De Boinville brought Arclight to challenge from the other side of the track. Caught in the middle was Jessica Harrington’s Komedy Kicks, who ended up falling and bringing down Inspiratrice.

Thankfully all horses and jockeys walked away uninjured as Greyval ran out a two-length winner, but Brennan picked up a six-day ban (February 10-15 inclusive) for the manoeuvre.

“She came from France and I thought it was going to be a disaster as Nick (Brown, syndicate manager) kept talking her up!” said O’Brien.

Greyval had lots of owners on course to cheer her home
Greyval had lots of owners on course to cheer her home (Nick Robson/PA)

“She’s been lovely, was second the last day and Paddy gave her a great ride.

“She’s in the Triumph and it might be hard to talk them out of not going there, we’ll speak to everyone and see.”

Brown said: “We had the third in this race two years ago and when we got her, I knew this was the race I wanted to run her in.

“We put her in the Triumph because if she won and got a quote, we’d look silly not being in, but I don’t like social runners, so I doubt it. There is the mares’ option there (Cheltenham) though, and that might be better.”

Peter Niven has always thought the world of Malystic and the nine-year-old is now beginning to repay that faith.

Carrying top weight in the £50,000 Sky Bet-sponsored two-mile handicap chase, the Danny McMenamin-ridden 12-1 shot saw off the challenge of Before Midnight before the favourite Saint Segal lunged late, going down by half a length.

Home bred, his dam is a half-sister to Niven’s last top-class horse, Clever Cookie.

“He’s always been a proper horse but last year was a disaster, his first year out of novices, so he never got any experience,” said Niven.

“He didn’t even get to finish his hurdle year because of Covid, so he’s very inexperienced, he also picked up a nasty infection last season.

“He’ll be close to 150 (official rating) after that. The only conditions race for him coming up is the Game Spirit (Newbury, February 5), but that’s a bit soon. Maybe if some of those at Cheltenham tomorrow don’t go, we’ll have a look.”

Looking to the future, he added: “Other than that, there’s the Red Rum at Aintree. I’m not keen on Cheltenham because he didn’t like the razzmatazz when he last went, but then the Red Rum is National day. Maybe the Celebration Chase at Sandown, which might suit him.”

Parramount (1-2 favourite), a half-brother to Becher Chase winner Snow Leopardess, had little trouble in landing the odds in the Sky Bet UKs No.1 Betting App Novices’ Hurdle.

Charlie Longsdon’s seven-year-old was ridden to victory by 7lb conditional Bradley Roberts, who guided him to a 21-length success under a penalty.

Paramount and Bradley Roberts return
Paramount and Bradley Roberts return (Nick Robson/PA)

Longsdon said: “It’s nice after a freeze-up that they have come back in good form.

“Bradley rides all right, doesn’t he? He apologised for looking around so much, but it was a hard race to ride with one going off a hundred miles an hour, and then the others were 10 lengths behind ours, so he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“He’s EBF qualified, so the Final at Sandown will be his aim. I’ll run him in a handicap somewhere before then. He’s 115 now, so who knows what the handicapper will do?”

Lucy Wadham struck for the second time in two days as Will Sting (9-1) came home a clear-cut winner of the Betting Better With Sky Bet Novices’ Handicap Chase under Tom Cannon.

“It’s been a quiet couple of weeks for me, so it’s nice to get a winner before Edwardstone tomorrow,” said Cannon, who will partner Alan King’s Arkle winner in the feature race at Cheltenham, the Grade One Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase.

Storminhome with winning connections
Storminhome with winning connections (Nick Robson/PA)

Ben Pauling continued his good recent form when Storminhome (11-8 favourite) opened his account at the third time of asking in the Sky Bet EBF “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle.

“He’s got some fancy entries (at Cheltenham), whether he takes them up I don’t know, but he’s a lovely horse for the future,” said Pauling.

Big guns poised for belated Clarence House clash

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Alan King insists Saturday’s Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase is “not the be-all and end-all” for Edwardstone as he prepares for a mouthwatering clash with Energumene at Cheltenham.

Last season’s Arkle winner made a winning return to action in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, before unseating Tom Cannon early on in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas.

Plans to give the second-season chaser more experience have been scuppered this term by ground which has either been too quick or frozen.

King is therefore grateful the Clarence House has been rescheduled from last weekend’s abandoned fixture at Ascot.

He said: “We are very appreciative that we rescheduled and we badly need to get him out, you know?

“He has been simmering away for some time. We are happy with him, but tomorrow is not the be-all and end-all. We just need to get a run into him.”

Of his Kempton mistake, King added: “He wouldn’t be the first good horse to unseat, so it happens occasionally.

“Edwardstone’s preparation has gone well, but we do need to get a run into him.”

Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Energumene has been beaten just once in nine previous starts over fences, with that defeat coming at the hands of Shishkin in this race last season.

Energumene returns to the scene of his Champion Chase success
Energumene returns to the scene of his Champion Chase success (Mike Egerton/PA)

The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old was last seen sauntering to a 15-length success in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork in December – a race he also won en-route to the Clarence House last season.

Energumene’s rider Paul Townend has suggested his main market rival has a few questions to answer following his Kempton faux-pas, saying in his Ladbrokes blog: “I am delighted that the Clarence House Chase was rescheduled at Cheltenham.

“It is a bigger field but Energumene is still the one you would want to ride in the race. He is the reigning champion chaser. His run at Cork in the Hilly Way Chase was a nice introduction for the season.

“He didn’t do anything flashy, just did what he needed to. This will be a bigger test as he takes on Edwardstone.

“Edwardstone is exciting but comes here off the back of an unseat which isn’t ideal, especially when you are taking on a horse like ours. Reports say he is jumping well, but in top-class races like this, you can’t come with any excuses.”

While only six runners will line up for the Grade One contest, there should be plenty of pace in the race courtesy of the Gary Moore-trained Editeur Du Gite, who was the beneficiary of Edwardstone’s blunder at Kempton, landing that two-mile contest by 13 lengths.

Moore knows the nine-year-old will have to be at the top of his game to trouble the big two, however.

He said: “He has got to reproduce something like he did at Kempton to be competitive in this race.

Editeur Du Gite will set a good gallop under Niall Houlihan
Editeur Du Gite will set a good gallop under Niall Houlihan (Nigel French/PA)

“He is entitled to be there, so hopefully he can build on what he did last time, because he will need to.

“He likes to go forward and that will be the plan again.

“The time was fairly good at Kempton, given the ground was soft. He jumped slightly left-handed last time, so going back that way round should benefit him a bit perhaps.”

Amarillo Sky has won his two starts this term for Joe Tizzard, both coming in handicaps.

Amarillo Sky will bid for a hat-trick after two handicap wins
Amarillo Sky will bid for a hat-trick after two handicap wins (John Walton/PA)

He was due to be the only horse to take on Edwardstone and Energumene at Ascot and Tizzard feels that with more runners and less prize money up for grabs this weekend, it was an opportunity missed.

“Amarillo Sky was all set to run at Ascot last weekend. We would have been one of just three runners in a race worth £175,000 there, whereas this is worth £90,000 and there are six running, so it is a less attractive proposition,” he said in his Coral blog.

“We could have gone to Sandown next weekend instead, but the owner is keen to run, which is fair enough, and we will find out where we stand with the big guns by running here.

“His future is probably in handicaps, but I can still see him finishing third or fourth here. We shouldn’t lose anything by running, and he does run well at the track, but it’s still a bit disappointing we didn’t get to run at Ascot as planned, but these things happen.”

Noble Yeats aiming to underline Gold Cup claims in Cotswold trial

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Robert Waley-Cohen is excited to see whether Noble Yeats can cement his Gold Cup claims with a bold showing in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The eight-year-old provided the Waley-Cohen family with a day they will never forget at Aintree last spring when claiming Grand National glory under the owner’s amateur jockey son Sam, on what proved to be his final ride before retiring from the saddle.

Emmet Mullins’ charge was pulled up on his return to action at Auteuil in October, but bounced back with victory at Wexford a couple of weeks later before throwing his hat into the Gold Cup ring with a seriously impressive display in Aintree’s Many Clouds Chase the following month.

The Waley-Cohens have already tasted Gold Cup success, with Long Run memorably seeing off Denman and Kauto Star in 2011, and Noble Yeats is a best priced 7-1 to become only the third horse to win the blue riband and the Grand National after L’Escargot and Golden Miller.

But while Waley-Cohen is hopeful his charge can make his presence felt in a fascinating clash with last year’s Gold Cup third Protektorat – winner of the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November – he warns the result is not the be-all and end-all, with the big day still seven weeks away.

“It’s a very hot race. There’s six very good horses in it and obviously Protektorat has done brilliantly, finishing third in a Gold Cup and winning the Betfair Chase,” said Waley-Cohen.

“It will be very interesting and I think it will be good for Noble Yeats to get some more experience of the course.

“But as we keep reminding ourselves, the Cotswold Chase is a furlong shorter than the Gold Cup and I’m not sure I would read too much into the result. This is not the Gold Cup and whatever happens, we’ve still got to meet the likes of A Plus Tard and Galopin Des Champs.”

While doing his best to dampen expectations, Waley-Cohen reports Noble Yeats to have travelled over from Ireland in rude health.

He added: “I don’t want to put anyone off and say we haven’t got him ready, because he certainly is ready. He’s ready to do himself justice, but I hope there’ll be a fraction to work on.

“Trainers like to have their horses super sharp for the big day, but that is not to say they can’t win earlier in the season, of course.

“Protektorat appears to be the best of the British, although given that Noble Yeats spent the entire summer here and I own him, I must admit it’s hard to think of him as Irish, even though he’s Irish bred and Irish trained!

“He’s spent a couple of days with us this week after travelling over and he seems in very happy form.”

Dan Skelton is excited to see Protektorat back on the racecourse, having elected to keep his powder dry since his brilliant Haydock success in November.

Harry Skelton celebrates winning the Betfair Chase with Protektorat
Harry Skelton celebrates winning the Betfair Chase with Protektorat (Nigel French/PA)

He said: “Everything has been really good since Haydock and I’m very happy with him. He looks fantastic and we always wanted to come here after his last run.

“For a few days after Haydock he was a bit quiet but he came out of it sound and healthy, so there was never any issue on that part. Since then we have slowly built him back up and he is fresh and well.

“He has not been for any away days but he is flying around the place and I’d like to think even though Noble Yeats is coming over, he can run well. It should be a good race and I think you should hopefully see something very positive.”

Frodon won the Cotswold Chase four years ago for Paul Nicholls and returns for another tilt after the cold snap scuppered an intended appearance at Taunton last weekend.

The popular veteran is three years older than each of his rivals at the age of 11, but his trainer expects him to run his usual solid race.

“Frodon is fresh and well and he will run a good race, but he might be vulnerable to some of those younger legs again,” said Nicholls.

“It was a shame the Portman Cup at Taunton was called off last week, but he likes Cheltenham and especially the New Course so you just never know.

“He looks as well as I’ve seen him look. He schooled on Monday and he worked great.

“He has an outside chance of winning, but he could run well and get placed.”

Sounds Russian in action at Southwell
Sounds Russian in action at Southwell (Mike Egerton/PA)(

Sounds Russian was fourth behind Noble Yeats at Aintree in the autumn and has since pushed Into Overdrive close in the Rowland Meyrick.

Trainer Ruth Jefferson expects to have a clearer idea of what the future holds for her stable star after Saturday’s race.

She said: “Saturday will tell us where we go with him. He’s got a Gold Cup entry and he will have a handicap entry somewhere.

“He’s grand and doesn’t take a lot of training – he is quite straightforward. We’ve been pleased with him since Wetherby.”

The Lucinda Russell-trained Ahoy Senor was just ahead of Sounds Russian when third in the Many Clouds Chase, but that promising effort is sandwiched by disappointing runs in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and the King George at Kempton.

Ahoy Senor needs to bounce back to form
Ahoy Senor needs to bounce back to form (Tim Goode/PA)

Russell is keeping her fingers crossed the eight-year-old can re-establish himself as a force to be reckoned with, saying: “He was a freak as a hurdler and a freak as a novice chaser and he did extremely well as a novice chaser.

“But he was running on pure ability, whereas this year he has had to knuckle down and learn how to really race properly.

“He can’t just boss fields like before in the company he’s been running in and I’d like to think with that bit of confidence he has got from the runs he has had this season, he could build on that and if he does build on that, we might create a monster again.”

The field is completed by Nicky Henderson’s outsider Dusart, who returns to the larger obstacles after finishing sixth over hurdles on his seasonal debut at Cheltenham last month.

Jeremys Flame too hot for Huntingdon rivals

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Jeremys Flame made some decent rivals look ordinary as she readily landed the Pertemps Lady Protectress Mares’ Chase at Huntington.

Gavin Cromwell’s nine-year-old had won a Grade Three over fences in November, but had been found out in top-class company when dropped in trip at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Back up to two and a half miles, Keith Donoghue sat at the back of the six-runner field on Jeremys Flame (3-1) before cruising up on the turn for home to challenge Zambella, who had made a mistake that halted momentum down the back straight.

Yet that would have made little difference to the result, as the winner sauntered to a six-and-a-half-length victory.

Cromwell said: “It was a lovely performance. It was good. We were back to two miles the last day at Grade One level and we thought we’d have to jump off handy.

“We thought at that level we mightn’t be able to travel with them, but as it turned out, she kind of raced a little bit too aggressively and paid the price for it in the end.

“She is entered in a handicap hurdle next week, but won’t go there. We’ll probably just go straight to Cheltenham for her.”

Paddy Power cut Jeremys Flame to 12-1 from 20s for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham on March 14, with Coral more impressed, offering 10-1.

Imperial Bede (8-1) stepped up on his Leicester hurdling debut to put 13 rivals to the sword in the Pertemps Network Maiden Hurdle under Jonjo O’Neill Jr, who was riding for his father.

The winning jockey said: “He settled better today as they went a proper gallop. He was a bit off his feet to start with and he blundered the first, but after that he worked his way into the race.

“I think he will want further than two miles in time, but he is a bit keen at the moment and is still a work in progress.”

Spotty Dog (12-1) travelled well and got off the mark over fences at the sixth time of asking under Liam Harrison in the Pertemps Network Novices’ Handicap, having taken advantage of a mistake by Furkash at the last.

He was the first winner of the season for trainer Michael Hawker, who also owns and bred the winner.

He said: “That is my first homebred winner. He has had 14 goes before, but I thought he would win today as he has come right all of a sudden.

“It is my first visit to Huntingdon, so I might have to come back now. This is quite a moment and I might have one or two later on. We will be going to the Neeld Arms in Grittleton and the drinks will be on me.”

Itchy Feet sparkled back over hurdles
Itchy Feet sparkled back over hurdles (Steven Paston/PA)

Olly Murphy’s string is in good heart at present and Itchy Feet (20-1) showed plenty of determination to take the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle under Sean Bowen.

His last success came in the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown in February 2020 and he was having his first run over hurdles since contesting the Grade Two Rendlehsam at Haydock just under two years ago.

Murphy said: “That was brilliant. He is obviously a horse that means a lot to me and he was just a happier horse back over hurdles today.

“I’m absolutely chuffed. He gave me one of my biggest days when I started training five years ago when winning the Scilly Isles at Sandown Park in 2020.

“To see him do that and jump and travel with the same enthusiasm as back when he was a good horse was brilliant. I’m absolutely over the moon.

“We might give the team out at day at Cheltenham now in the Pertemps Final. He has got a big engine and will go up in the weights whatever.”

De Boinville expecting Epantante to bloom in Yorkshire Rose

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Nico de Boinville is confident Epatante can make the most of what appears a gilt-edged opportunity in the Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday.

Nicky Henderson’s stable jockey has actually only ridden the yard’s star mare once before – steering her to victory in the 2021 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Aidan Coleman has been ever present in the saddle since then, but as he is at Cheltenham to partner veteran stayer Paisley Park in the Cleeve Hurdle, De Boinville again gets the call on Town Moor.

Epatante has won six times at Grade One level in all, with two Christmas Hurdles, two Fighting Fifths, an Aintree Hurdle and a Champion Hurdle featuring on her CV.

The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old has proved no match for fellow Seven Barrows inmate Constitution Hill in either the Fighting Fifth or the Christmas Hurdle so far this season, but with her esteemed stable companion not in opposition this weekend, she should take all the beating.

“She doesn’t have a certain Constitution Hill to contend with here, so you have to be more than hopeful she can get back to winning ways,” De Boinville said in his Unibet blog.

“We all know her Grade One class and the scary thing is that she probably hasn’t been that far off her very best when chasing home her stablemate at Newcastle and Kempton this season.

“This is clearly a significant drop in grade for her, for all she carries a 6lb penalty.”

The biggest threat to Epatante appears to be Lucy Wadham’s admirable mare Martello Sky.

Martello Sky in action at Cheltenham
Martello Sky in action at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

The grey has found one too good in each of her three previous outings this season, most recently chasing home Love Envoi at Sandown, and is fitted with cheek pieces for the first time on Saturday.

Wadham said: “Epatante has won six Grade Ones and is only giving us 2lb, so obviously it’s going to be to be pretty tough and we’re probably playing for second place.

“As always she’ll be doing her best, she’s ready to run and we’ll give it a go, but we’re not expecting to beat the favourite that’s for sure.

“She’s coming back to two miles and, funnily enough, all her sisters wore some sort of headgear. She’s certainly not ungenuine, but I think she will need to be sharper on Saturday, so hopefully the cheek pieces will help.”

The first of three Grade Twos on the card is the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices’ Chase, in which Harry Fry’s Boothill bids to follow up victory in the Wayward Lad at Kempton.

The highest-rated horse in the field, though, is Ann Hamilton’s stable star Tommy’s Oscar, who won on his chasing debut at Carlisle in the autumn and has since finished second twice over fences.

The eight-year-old is significantly better off at the weights with Donald McCain’s Since Day One, who is again in opposition having beaten him in a novice handicap at Newcastle last month, but connections are more hopeful than confident about his chances this weekend.

“At the weights you’d say he’s got to win it, but I don’t know,” said owner Ian Hamilton.

“He was obviously well beaten in the Fighting Fifth and then he was giving a stone and a half to Donald’s horse last time,” said owner Ian Hamilton..

“Our horses aren’t quite firing, so I wouldn’t have £1,000 on him anyway. But it will be better ground at Doncaster which will help. Hopefully he can do it.”

Stay Away Fay is the likely favourite for the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle.

A £305,000 purchase after winning a point-to-point, the Shantou gelding made a successful debut for Paul Nicholls in a two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdle at Newbury in November and is immediately stepped up to three miles.

Nicholls told Betfair: “He’s an interesting prospect who did well over the summer before winning in pleasing fashion at Newbury on his debut for us over hurdles two months ago.

“He is a lot sharper now, stays well, wants good ground and I’ve had this race in mind for him since Newbury.”

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies saddles Idalko Bihoue at Doncaster
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies saddles Idalko Bihoue at Doncaster (David Davies/PA)

McCain’s Maximilian steps back up in distance after suffering his first defeat in five starts in the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown last month, while Grand Soir has won his last three races for Irish trainer John McConnell.

Idalko Bihoue, another expensive purchase from the Irish point field, is also worthy of consideration after finishing a creditable third in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve.

“It was a very good run in the Challow. He’s going up in distance a little bit and I’d hope he’ll run really well,” trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies told Sky Sports Racing.

“We were looking for three miles, there are very few three-mile races around and it’s good prize-money.

“He’s definitely a stayer.”