Tag Archive for: Appreciate It

Mullins backing Facile Vega to make amends

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Willie Mullins is confident Facile Vega can prove he has more than enough speed for two miles in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday.

A son of Walk In The Park out of the brilliant racemare Quevega, the six-year-old has always been held in the highest esteem by the champion trainer and has largely lived up to his reputation on the track.

He was unbeaten in four bumpers, including Grade One wins at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals, and won his first starts over hurdles at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown.

But Facile Vega blotted his copyback when last of five finishers at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, a defeat Mullins put down to poor tactics, and while he was strongly fancied to bounce back to winning ways in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last month he proved no match for Marine Nationale.

The latter defeat in particular, and the fact Quevega did most of her winning over long distances including four successive victories in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown over three miles, has led some to question whether Facile Vega is now in need of a more searching test of stamina.

Mullins, though, has no fears about running his charge over the minimum trip.

“I’m not too worried about Facile Vega over two miles,” said the Closutton handler.

“I always thought Quevega had plenty of speed to win over two miles and I think she did earlier in her career in Punchestown, but we always went down the longer road with her because we had Hurricane Fly and Annie Power around that time.

“This fellow has plenty of speed. We saw that in Cheltenham, he was so fast down between the third-last and the second-last. He’s not short of speed. It’s just using it and it was just the way the race worked out in Cheltenham.”

Gordon Elliott has high hopes for Found A Fifty
Gordon Elliott has high hopes for Found A Fifty (Mike Egerton/PA)

Facile Vega is taken on by four rivals, including two stablemates in Diverge and Il Etait Temps, both of whom were not too far behind the hot favourite when third and fifth in the Supreme.

The field is completed by Oliver McKiernan’s outsider No Looking Back and and the Gordon Elliott-trained Found A Fifty, who failed to run up to expectations at Aintree less than a fortnight ago.

Elliott said: “Things just didn’t work out for Found A Fifty at Aintree. He’s a very talented animal and we didn’t see the best of him there and he’s one to be very excited about for the coming seasons.”

Mullins is also well represented in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, fielding four of the six runners for a Grade One contest run over an extended three miles.

Appreciate It returns to the Naas winner's enclosure
Appreciate It returns to the Naas winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

Stable jockey Paul Townend has seemingly sided with Appreciate It over the Cheveley Park Stud-owned pair of Classic Getaway (Danny Mullins) and Sir Gerhard (Patrick Mullins), while Daryl Jacob partners James Du Berlais for his retaining owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Appreciate It has been beaten in Grade Ones at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Fairyhouse since the turn of the year and Mullins appears more hopeful than confident that a hike in distance will do the trick.

He said: “Appreciate It disappointed me a little bit in Fairyhouse. It might be too much coming back again (16 days later), but we’ve nothing left to lose and we’ll just let him take his chance.

Sir Gerhard is a dual Cheltenham Festival winner
Sir Gerhard is a dual Cheltenham Festival winner (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He’s a fair sort, I think, on his day. You’d have thought going up to two and a half miles should be enough for him. Sometimes horses lose their form and he might be one of those. Maybe he wants a trip, but he won’t be going there fresh.

“It’s going to be a tough race. He’s one of the higher-rated horses in it, but a lot will depend on what he does.”

Sir Gerhard was just over four lengths in front of Appreciate It when second in the same WilllowWarm Gold Cup on Easter Sunday, while Classic Getaway has been off the track since making a successful chasing debut at at Gowran Park in November.

Naas Grade Three winner Journey With Me is a major contender for Henry de Bromhead, while Feronily also merits respect for Emmet Mullins.

Irish Arkle promises to be ‘most exciting race of the weekend’

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Patrick Mullins considers Appreciate It as the clear pick of five runners for his father Willie in a fascinating renewal of the Goffs Irish Arkle at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Un De Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016) and Footpad (2018) all claimed this Grade One prize en route to winning the Arkle at Cheltenham the following month, while last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Energumene (2021) also features on the roll of honour for the Mullins team.

The champion trainer appears intent on adding to his tally this weekend, with Appreciate It joined by a quartet of stablemates in Dysart Dynamo, El Fabiolo, Saint Roi and Flame Bearer.

“They’ve all had good wins over fences, so it will be interesting to see them all,” said Mullins senior.

“We were hoping to keep them apart, but they have to go for the prize-money. They’re all owned by different people and we’ll be happy if one of them can win.”

Appreciate It, who memorably landed the 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by 24 lengths, has bolted up over fences at Punchestown and Naas and is the choice of stable jockey Paul Townend.

Danny Mullins partners Dysart Dynamo, a 28-length winner over the course and distance on his chasing debut, while Daryl Jacob is aboard 19-length Fairyhouse scorer El Fabiolo for his retaining owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Dysart Dynamo on his way to winning at Leopardstown last month
Dysart Dynamo on his way to winning at Leopardstown last month (Donall Farmer/PA)

The fact that the Mark Walsh-ridden Saint Roi won a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas and is widely available to back at double-figure odds is clear evidence of the strength in depth Mullins has at his disposal. Flame Bearer, a dual Grade Two-winning hurdler and the mount of Brian Hayes, is an even bigger price.

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, is fascinated to see how the race plays out, but is very much in the Appreciate It camp at this stage.

He said: “The Irish Arkle is probably the most exciting race of the weekend, and that is saying something. It’s the most competitive novice chase I’ve seen for a long, long time.

“We’ve Appreciate It, Dysart Dynamo, Flame Bearer, El Fabiolo and Saint Roi and they all deserve to be there. It is more than likely going to be very hectic, but I’m a big, big fan of Appreciate It and while there are a lot of very, very good horses in the race, I just think he could be the best of them.

“Willie went to walk the track on Thursday and he was very happy with what he saw.

“It’ll be very exciting to watch, there’s sure to be lots of pace but I think that will suit Appreciate It all the more.”

The horse bookmakers feel is most likely to upset the Mullins brigade is Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge, who impressed in winning an Arkle trial at Cheltenham in November before finishing third in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

“It looks an outstanding novice chase – all the principals are there,” said O’Brien.

“Banbridge has earned his spot, I think, being a Grade Two winner this year. We’re looking forward to the race and hoping for a good run, too.

“Coming back in trip certainly won’t inconvenience him and I think nicer ground will help as well.”

Peter Fahey’s Visionarian and the Gordon Elliott-trained Fil Dor finished second and third respectively to Saint Roi last month and take him on again.

Fahey said: “He is going to have to improve, but the biggest thing with him – without wanting to put the mockers on him – is his jumping is so quick.

“He seems to be a quick and accurate jumper, which is a definite plus on his side. I think it will be run at a faster pace that it was at Christmas and fingers crossed he runs a big race.”

Fil Dor has won at Leopardstown before
Fil Dor has won at Leopardstown before (Niall Carson/PA)

Connections of Fil Dor are hoping the application of cheekpieces will help him raise his game.

Joey Logan, racing manager to owners Caldwell Construction Ltd, said: “The trip is possibly a bit sharp for him, but he’s in great form.

“He landed on the fence three out the last day and got a bad cut – it just didn’t work out for him.

“We’re putting cheekpieces on him to sharpen him up, so we’ll see how we go.

“It’s a very competitive race and we’ll know where we are afterwards, anyway.”

Appreciate It stakes Festival claim with stylish Naas verdict

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Appreciate It cemented his Cheltenham Festival claims with a routine victory on his second start over fences at Naas.

A 24-length winner of the 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park, the Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old was due to pursue a novice chase campaign last season before injury intervened. He ultimately only made it to the track once – finishing seventh in the Champion Hurdle.

The son of Jeremy looked the part on his belated fencing bow at Punchestown last month, though, and was a 1-9 favourite to follow up in the Rathmore Stud Irish EBF Novice Chase.

Those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns, with Paul Townend’s mount jumping soundly at the head of affairs throughout and passing the post with 21 lengths in hand over Gaelic Arc.

Paddy Power trimmed Appreciate It’s Arkle Trophy odds to 11-2 from 6-1, while he is 6-1 unchanged with the same firm for the longer Turners’ Novices’ Chase.

“The same as the last day, you’d love to get a lead on him. He’s idle in front and I was trying to teach him today, and win, without doing something silly,” said Townend.

“He showed me the last day that he’s there when I need him. It’s grand to get him out again and you’d have to be happy with everything he’s doing. Every day is experience for him.”

Mullins went on to complete a treble, with Champ Kiely carrying the Appreciate It colours of Michael Masterson to victory in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle in the hands of Danny Mullins before Hunters Yarn predictably outclassed his rivals in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle under Townend.

Hunters Yarn at Naas
Hunters Yarn at Naas (Gary Carson/PA)

The latter won twice in bumpers last season and improved from his third over hurdles at Punchestown on his latest outing to score by 13 lengths at cramped odds of 1-4.

Of Hunters Yarn, Townend added: “He got in underneath one or two (hurdles) but when I wanted him, and I was going on a stride up the straight, he was good and got better at it.

“If I had done that with him the first day he’d probably have won as well. He improved from his first run but I wasn’t happy with myself the first day.”

Telmesomethinggirl secured her first victory since scoring at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival with a determined display in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.

Four runners went to post for the two-mile-one-furlong contest, but it looked a match on paper and so it transpired, with 5-4 shot Telmesomethinggirl and 6-5 favourite Instit bossing proceedings.

The pair traded positions a few times during the course of the two-and-a-half-mile journey, with Instit the more assured in the jumping department for much of the way.

But a bad mistake from the latter when holding a narrow lead at the final obstacle opened the door for Henry de Bromhead’s Telmesomethinggirl and Rachael Blackmore and she went on to score by six lengths.

The other two runners, Choice Of Words and Pont Aval, failed to complete the course.

Telmesomethinggirl with connections at Naas
Telmesomethinggirl with connections at Naas (Gary Casron/PA)

“She didn’t jump with any kind of fluency at all, so we can definitely work on that,” said Blackmore.

“I thought turning in that I would definitely get there, but then I made a mess of the second-last. It’s a long way (home) after the last here as well and I knew if I got over the last, I’d have a chance.

“She’s got lots of ability, the way she jumped she wasn’t entitled to win. She has a lot of raw ability and hopefully we can improve her jumping.”

Cut The Rope made a successful debut for Paul Nolan in the concluding Fifty Stars Standing At Sunnyhill Stud (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race, ridden by 5lb claimer Eoin O’Brien.

James Nolan, assistant to his brother, said: “He’s a nice horse. We can’t take a whole lot of praise for this as we haven’t had him very long. We bought him off a gallop after Richard O’Brien recommended him to us.

“We made a mistake last year as Richard told us he’d win the bumper here with Impulsive Dancer and we didn’t act quickly enough. He won and Willie (Mullins) bought him. Thankfully we haven’t made the same mistake twice.

“He’s a lovely, relaxed horse. He showed a great attitude here today and is a real pro.

“Barry O’Neill would ride all our bumper horses, but part of the deal was that Eoin would keep the ride. He gave him a super ride and dictated everything in front.

“He’s a very likeable horse. We have no plans but he might go to Limerick for that Listed bumper.”