Tag Archive for: Dublin Racing Festival

No time for complacency in burgeoning career of Danny Mullins

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Danny Mullins will not be resting on his laurels as he bids to build on the momentum of a memorable campaign on home soil by playing a major part at the Cheltenham Festival.

Although a nephew of the most successful trainer in Cheltenham Festival history in Willie Mullins, the 30-year-old is well aware the family connection does not guarantee him rides for the sport’s dominant yard.

But through a combination of hard work and no little ability, Mullins has become a valuable cog in the Closutton machine and has already enjoyed his best ever-season in Ireland numbers-wise, having brought up his half-century at the Dublin Racing Festival.

It proved to be quite a weekend at Leopardstown for the rider as he also claimed a Grade One treble. But there is no chance of the teetotal jockey revelling in his success.

Danny Mullins after winning aboard Gala Marceau at the Dublin Racing Festival
Danny Mullins after winning aboard Gala Marceau at the Dublin Racing Festival (Donall Farmer/PA)

“I’m having a good season, but that is down to the good horses I’m riding. The people around me do all the hard work and I just have to point and get the job done on the day,” said the modest rider.

“I went to Leopardstown with 11 rides and picked up a spare, so I had 12 rides in the end, which is any jockey’s dream. To be able to convert some of them to winners makes it extra special.”

When put to him he was enjoying his best season, he added: “Numbers-wise maybe, but I’ve only ridden four Grade One winners and I rode five last year, so we’ll have to keep going at that!”

Mullins has enjoyed two previous victories at the Cheltenham Festival, with both wins coming aboard the Gavin Cromwell-trained Flooring Porter in the Stayers’ Hurdle.

The jockey rightly earned the plaudits after a masterful front-running ride two years ago, while Flooring Porter once again dominated from the front to successfully defend his crown – sparking scenes of wild celebration in the Prestbury Park winner’s enclosure.

The eight-year-old has been beaten twice this season and suffered a post-Christmas setback, although he is reportedly on course for the Cotswolds and the hat-trick bid.

“Flooring Porter is a very good horse. Things happened as I expected on the day when he won in Cheltenham the first time, but you can’t do that without the horse,” he said.

“Fingers crossed, he’ll make it to Cheltenham. There is no better than Gavin Cromwell – when he has got the ammunition he is well able to hit the target. While I’m lucky to be part of Willie’s team, it’s fantastic to riding winners for Gavin as well as he is definitely an up-and-coming trainer in Ireland.

“Home By The Lee has pitched himself into the Stayers’ Hurdle picture this year and Teahupoo has been very good in what he’s achieved so far, but that is what Cheltenham is about – the best horses taking each other on in a proper championship race.”

The jockey’s three top-level successes at the Dublin Racing Festival came aboard Gala Marceau, Gentleman De Mee and Il Etait Temps, all of whom were down the Mullins pecking order going into their respective races but all of whom the rider would love to be reunited with at Cheltenham.

Gala Marceau in action at Leopardstown
Gala Marceau in action at Leopardstown (Donall Farmer/PA)

Gala Marceau reversed Christmas form with stablemate Lossiemouth in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle – and while the latter was widely considered an unlucky loser after encountering trouble in running, Mullins feels it would be dangerous to dismiss his mount should they meet again in the Triumph Hurdle.

He said: “Gala Marceau was very good. She travelled behind Lossiemouth at Christmas and Lossiemouth was an impressive winner that day, but who knows what would have happened the last day if Paul (Townend) had got a clean run through? My horse wasn’t stopping at the line and Paul never got onto my tail.

“I’d be happy to take her on again. We won this battle but the war is still on.”

Mullins was the beneficiary of an injury suffered by Mark Walsh when getting a late call-up to partner Gentleman De Mee, who upset odds-on stablemate in Blue Lord in Leopardstown’s Dublin Chase and is now very much in the picture for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

“The Champion Chase has opened up in recent weeks and the way he jumped down the back straight in Leopardstown was fantastic – it was back to what he’d shown when he beat Edwardstone in Aintree last year,” Mullins added.

“This year he’d run too bad to be true, so it would be easy to write off those runs and in Leopardstown he was back to himself. Maybe he’s a horse that performs better later on the year and into the spring.”

Mullins’ third and final DRF winner came on Il Etait Temps, who profited from the demise of another high-profile stablemate in Facile Vega. The pair could clash again in the curtain-raising Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Mullins said: “He gave Facile Vega a fright at Christmas and it was probably a race that didn’t work out for my horse. I tried to make the running and missed the first and followed Paul then.

“The last day it was a truly-run race and I think there was no fluke about the manner of his victory. Obviously Facile didn’t really turn up, but even if he had turned up my horse wasn’t stopping hitting the line and I think he’ll be able to give him a run for it in Cheltenham.”

Whether the rider will get the opportunity to ride the above trio again remains to be seen, with his uncle famed for leaving it late before finalising running and jockey plans.

Mullins, though, is content to wait, safe in the knowledge that supposed second and even third strings from Closutton are capable of making an impact on the biggest of stages.

He said: “I think our jockeys here close at 12pm and at 11.55am before the Dublin Racing Festival there were still a few blanks in a couple of races! My agent was ringing me and asking me if I had heard anything and I said ‘no, we just do the usual – we sit, we wait and we see!’.

“With Willie, if I didn’t ride well next week I wouldn’t get the rides the week after, so you need to be on your game all the time, which has pushed me to be a better rider every season.

“Every year I go back and try to find out where I can improve. There’s plenty of other young lads who are trying to find that improvement themselves, so it’s no time to be sitting back and relaxing – you have to keep going forward.”

It is clear Mullins will not be taking anything for granted, but he is ready to seize every opportunity he is given with both hands.

He added: “At the Dublin Racing Festival I got a spare ride and won a Grade One and in the next race I was laid on the flat of my back, but that’s horse racing – you take the good with the bad.

“Cheltenham is Cheltenham. It’s probably the week of the year where us in horse racing get to hit the mainstream media and get recognised outside of our sport.

“It’s very important day in, day out to be performing well, but Cheltenham is the place where it hits the headlines in all of the papers and everybody is talking about it.”

Gaelic Warrior has ‘serious engine’ and exciting ambitions at Cheltenham

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Gaelic Warrior has big-race Cheltenham ambitions after running out a comfortable victor of the Festina Lente Charity Liffey Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The five-year-old – narrowly beaten when heavily-backed at the Festival in March – was the 10-11 favourite after facile successes in both hurdle starts this season, winning two contests by a combined 101 lengths.

Under Paul Townend the Rich Ricci-owned gelding was never any further back than the front group and when asked to quicken when turning for home he galloped clear to prevail under top-weight by three and three-quarter lengths.

“He has a bit of class and he proved it there, to do that in a competitive handicap was very good,” said trainer Willie Mullins.

“Paul tried to get a nice position on the inside and then find a bit of room after the second-last. The horse had plenty in reserve.

Gaelic Warrior clears the last
Gaelic Warrior clears the last (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“We always thought he had a serious engine and he’s progressing all the time.

“He’s in the Supreme and Ballymore, I’ll have a good chat with Paul later on and see what direction we go with him.

“We’ll see what the fallout of this weekend is and see what we have for different races.

“He looked like a horse that’s still maturing and improving. He looked like a horse that could be a really nice novice chaser as well.

“We’ll see how he finishes out the season, obviously there is Cheltenham and Punchestown to come yet.”

Gordon Elliott’s The Goffer pocketed a valuable prize when winning the Bulmers Leopardstown Handicap Chase.

He was sent off a 10-1 chance in the hands of Davy Russell, who was chasing a double on the card after earlier Grade One success aboard Mighty Potter.

In a large field of 23 The Goffer was allowed to bide his time in mid division, picking his way through rivals around the final bend and over the last fence.

From there he battled into the lead, passing Paul Gilligan’s Glamorgan Duke to cross the line two lengths ahead.

The Goffer (right) alongside third-placed Top Ville Ben
The Goffer (right) alongside third-placed Top Ville Ben (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“We thought he had a chance on the drying ground,” said Elliott.

“He probably wants a bit further but he jumped great and galloped the whole way to the line, we’re very happy.

“Davy was great on him. I told him to go out and take every chance, don’t leave the paint. In those big handicaps that’s what you have to do.

“We’ll look at all those long-distance races and he could be an Irish National horse.”

Liz Doyle’s Ballybawn Belter returned to Leopardstown to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle.

A bumper winner at the Dublin track last year, the mare has taken a little while to get the hang of hurdling but hit her stride with a convincing two-length success under Simon Torrens at a price of 16-1.

“I’m very pleased. She won her bumper here in similar fashion,” said Doyle.

“It was probably about two furlongs too short for her, but I thought the good gallop would help us.

“She jumps very well now. When she started she was very awkward over her hurdles on her first couple of runs. She was very slow, a bit right and left. It came together on her last couple of runs.

“She pinged the last and I’m thrilled.”

In the Grade Two Coolmore N.H. Sires “Santiago” Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race it was Willie and Patrick Mullins who combined to win with Fun Fun Fun.

Fun Fun Fun and Patrick Mullins
Fun Fun Fun and Patrick Mullins (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

As the 9-4 favourite, the five-year-old built on a 10-length maiden victory at Sligo to land the Group Two by nearly the same distance when coming home nine and a half lengths to the good.

“It was a very impressive performance because she had a break since her last run and I didn’t think she had enough done,” said the trainer.

“She looked like she had blown up coming out of the back stretch and she looked in trouble about three furlongs out.

“Patrick said when he pulled her to the outside she got her second wind and she just took off. She looks to be a serious mare.

“She’s entitled to go anywhere she wants now. Do you go to Cheltenham or to the mares’ bumper in Aintree?

“She’s well entitled to go wherever connections decide and I’d dare say Patrick will probably have a fair say in that along with Simon and Isaac (Munir and Souede, owners).”

Il Etait Temps times it right, as Facile Vega disappoints

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Il Etait Temps was a shock winner as Facile Vega finished last of all in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Both horses are trained by Willie Mullins, but it was Facile Vega who was widely expected to triumph as the 4-9 favourite.

He faded quickly out of it after turning for home, however, whereas his stablemate was able to accelerate under Danny Mullins to stun onlookers with a nine-and-a-half-length success at 14-1.

There had been drama earlier on, too, when one-time Derby favourite High Definition parted company with JJ Slevin.

Mullins said: “They went a mad pace in front and it cost the favourite, I think.

We’ll probably just have to ride him like a racehorse rather than a machine the next time

“Joseph’s (O’Brien) horse (High Definition) wasn’t able to jump at that pace and he paid the penalty.

“I was worried when I saw the pace going past the winning post first time, I said they can’t keep this up.

“Then they jumped the two hurdles down the side and going around by the reservoir I turned to David Casey and said ‘these two are going to break each other’s heart’.

“High Definition lost his rider and I thought Paul (Townend) could get a breather into our fella but he didn’t get a breather.

“That was what I was worried about here the last day, that he took off going to that hurdle and used himself up.

“We’ll probably just have to ride him like a racehorse rather than a machine the next time because that’s what Paul did today, he rode him like a machine rather than a racehorse.

“We’ll change tactics on him the next day and hopefully he’ll be back to what he is.

“Not taking away from the winner, he’s a very good horse. He’s just got to get his jumping right, he made a mistake at the first again today. He’s a Grade One horse.

“I’ve always thought a lot of him, but he just has to get his jumping right. He got a very cute ride from Danny as well.

“He knew what was going to happen and he just popped him in behind and said ‘I’ll let the two in front have their battle and see if we can pick up the pieces afterwards’ and he surely did.

“They just went too fast in front, the pace was wrong, and Danny had his fractions right.”

Il Etait Temps
Il Etait Temps (PA)

Adding more on Facile Vega, Mullins said: “We’ll go to Cheltenham. High Definition’s jumping was always suspect and I think Paul didn’t want him in front of him.

“You saw what happened with Lossiemouth yesterday and Paul just had that in the back of his mind going out today.

“All our horses are well entered up and Il Etait Temps will be in the Ballymore as well.”

State Man too strong for Honeysuckle in Irish Champion

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State Man strode to a decisive victory over the gallant Honeysuckle in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The 6-5 favourite after five successive victories over hurdles so far, the Willie Mullins-trained chestnut travelled at the head of the field throughout under Paul Townend.

Honeysuckle galloped in his slipstream until the closing stages, where she was unable to follow as State Man powered on off the bend and pulled away to cross the line four and three-quarter lengths ahead.

“Paul surprised me when he came into the parade ring and I asked him what he was going to do and he said he was going to make it,” said Mullins.

“He didn’t see much to make it in the race so I said ‘OK, do that’. It worked out, the horse is not used to being in front, but he jumped well enough in front and Paul thought he was a bit idle in front as well.

Paul Townend celebrates with State Man
Paul Townend celebrates with State Man (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“He did everything right and you couldn’t ask any more.”

When asked about the improvement in his jumping he added: “A lot of people forget that he won the County Hurdle and you don’t win that with sloppy jumping.

“In Punchestown it might have been a slow race and when it was slow he just took his time.

“When he has to be sharp he’s well able to jump very quickly. He jumped like a Champion Hurdler, I thought, all the way down the back.

“Paul asked some big questions and he came up every time. I was very happy.

“It’s nice to have a horse like him and fingers crossed that he stays right.”

Just behind Honeysuckle in third was the winner’s stablemate Vauban, and Mullins added: “I was very pleased with how Vauban finished off his race.

“He made a mistake at the first and he was a bit giddy before the race in the parade ring and didn’t like all that.

“He’s still learning and he’ll improve away. It might be next year before he’ll be the horse we think he is.”

Gentleman De Mee shocks hotpot stablemate Blue Lord

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Gentleman De Mee reversed the form with Blue Lord to land the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old was a 15-2 shot in the Grade One for Willie Mullins and Danny Mullins, who was deputising for the injured Mark Walsh after he was stood down following a fall in the opening race.

Blue Lord was the 1-4 favourite after trouncing stablemate Gentleman De Mee by 41 lengths when the pair last met in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase after Christmas – but this time it was the latter who triumphed by an easy seven lengths.

Mullins said: “I was disappointed with Blue Lord. It’s fantastic for Gentleman De Mee and great for Danny. I thought Danny was very brave on him and he was asking him everywhere the whole way down the back.

“The horse was loving it and responding to him. I thought it was a terrific performance. I was very happy with his last bit of work the other morning, I thought it was as good a gallop as I’ve ever seen him do.

“Things didn’t go right for him at Christmas, possibly a little bit of drier ground here played to his strengths rather than Blue Lord’s.

“Blue Lord had a very hard race at Christmas and Paul (Townend) thought that might have had an effect, but I think maybe it was just the change of ground.

“He was a very good novice but was just disappointing at Christmas. We forget about horses very quickly in this game. He proved today that he’s still there.”

Precautionary X-rays for luckless Mark Walsh after fall

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Mark Walsh was taken for precautionary X-rays after a heavy fall at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The rider was partnering 5-2 favourite Risk Belle in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle when the filly came down at the fifth flight.

Walsh, who only returned from a previous injury lay-off on Saturday, was taken to hospital for further examination, missing his later two rides on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival.

Dr Jennifer Pugh, senior medical officer for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “Mark Walsh has been stood down for the day following his fall in Race One.

“He has been transferred to St. Vincent’s Hospital for precautionary X-rays but was conscious at all times and moving all limbs.”

Mighty Potter far too good at Leopardstown

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Mighty Potter was a straightforward winner of the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown for Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell.

The even-money favourite raced near the head of the field of six throughout and was easily able to pull clear when asked around the final bend.

Comfortably ahead at the last fence, the six-year-old only pulled further away to prevail by eight and a half lengths from Adamantly Chosen.

In doing so he backed up his Grade One victory in the Drinmore Chase and gave Russell a first top-level triumph since he called a temporary halt to his retirement.

Mighty Potter came home a clear winner
Mighty Potter came home a clear winner (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Elliott said: “He’s a good horse and we’ve got a few nice novice chasers.

“Jack (Kennedy) was full of confidence after the last day. We watched the race together and he was happy that Davy let him roll on when he did.

“The further he goes, he drops his head, gets low and gallops.

“I was a bit nervous. I thought we’d win the first but we were a bit unlucky, got a bit far back.

“A few of our big shots yesterday didn’t run and he was kind of our first real one that had to win.

“He’s settling better now, before he was keen. I love that when he gets to the front he spits it out and from the last to the line he drops his head and gallops.”

Coral make Mighty Potter the 6-4 favourite for the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and Elliott confirmed that will be the target – with Kennedy hopefully recovered from his broken leg and available to ride.

The trainer said: “The Turners is definitely where he’s going and hopefully this man beside me (Kennedy) gets the OK to be back riding him. If he doesn’t Davy is there, but we’re hoping this man is back.”

Mighty Potter was pulled up in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival, but Elliott has no fears about returning to Prestbury Park.

He added: “He’s a stronger horse now. He left his hind legs in a hurdle that day and Jack didn’t knock him around.

“We probably should have pulled him up straight away, but he said he’d jump another hurdle or two to get his confidence.”

Elliott has another star novice in Gerri Colombe
Elliott has another star novice in Gerri Colombe (Steven Paston/PA)

Mighty Potter was a second Grade One winner of the weekend for Elliott, with Gerri Colombe having landed the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase over a similar trip at Sandown on Saturday.

The duo will not be clashing in the Turners though, with Gerri Colombe favourite for the three-mile Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Elliott said: “He’s (Mighty Potter) probably a quicker horse than Gerri Colombe, but Gerri’s not bad either.

“I thought he was brilliant yesterday. He’s like a child’s pony at home, he’s so laid back.

“He was foot perfect, except for one, and we’ll go straight for the Brown Advisory now with him. I think the race will be made for him.”

Russell added that the prospect of riding Mighty Potter was instrumental in persuading him to return to the saddle, saying: “It’s a relief to have won on him.

“It was days like this that brought me back.

“I’m very grateful to all the lads for asking me and to all the owners who have supported me – it’s fantastic.”

Blue Lord part of ‘double green’ raid on Dublin Chase

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Blue Lord is widely expected to provide Willie Mullins with a sixth successive victory in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The champion trainer has claimed each of the previous five runnings of the Grade One contest, with Min claiming back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019 before Chacun Pour Soi completed a hat-trick.

Blue Lord, winner of the Irish Arkle on this weekend last season, appears to have taken his game to another level this winter, with a comeback success in the Clonmel Oil Chase followed by a comprehensive defeat of Chacun Pour Soi over the Christmas period.

With his Champion Chase-winning stablemate Energumene beaten in the rescheduled Clarence House at Cheltenham last weekend, this year’s renewal of Cheltenham’s two-mile chasing showpiece has a more open look to it and connections of Blue Lord are hopeful he can cement his status as a leading contender.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Muir and Isaac Souede, said: “It is a great engagement for him. It is nice to go back to the course and distance he won over at Christmas.

“I understand he has trained fine for the race. We are really looking forward to seeing him again over two miles and hopefully all roads lead to the Champion Chase at Cheltenham after the weekend.

“The proviso is we have the option of the Ryanair at Cheltenham as an entry if we wish to try that instead. The Champion Chase division is now looking open and let’s hope for a good display like we saw at Christmas.

“He seems to have improved from his novice days a bit as well.”

Sceau Royal has been a fantastic servant to his connections
Sceau Royal has been a fantastic servant to his connections (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Blue Lord is one of two runners set to carry the ‘double green’ colours of Munir and Souede, with Alan King’s stable stalwart Sceau Royal crossing the Irish Sea to take him on.

A high-class operator over fences and hurdles, Sceau Royal is not getting any younger at the age of 11, but will at least encounter his favoured conditions on the outskirts of Dublin.

“He is in the twilight of his career, but he had been running well over hurdles,” Bromley added.

“You can put a line through his last run in the Christmas Hurdle as he made a mistake down the back and Sam (Twiston-Davies) looked after him that day.

“But he is in good form at home and likes going left-handed over fences, which is why we wanted to go to Leopardstown – he was never even entered for the Clarence House at Ascot.

“We always do hurdles for the first half of the winter with him and then he goes chasing. Normally, the Game Spirit is where he gets his first chase run of the season, but I just thought this race wouldn’t have a big field and there is much more prize-money on offer than there is at Newbury.

“He is quite old to be making his Irish debut, but it is sporting of the owners and of Alan King to bring him across and he is in nice form and will like the ground.”

Mullins has a second string to his bow in the form of Gentleman De Mee, but he finished 41 lengths behind Blue Lord at Christmas and clearly needs to improve.

Dunvegan (Pat Fahy) and Fastorslow (Martin Brassil) are the other hopefuls.

Good Land out to shake up established order in Leopardstown opener

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Owner-trainer Barry Connell considers Good Land a worthy favourite for the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The two-mile-six-furlong contest is the first of eight Grade Ones scheduled to take place across a mouthwatering two days at this year’s Dublin Racing Festival – and while Willie Mullins looks set dominate, it is Connell’s charge who is poised to head the market for the curtain-raiser.

Wexford bumper winner Good Land made it no further than the first flight on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse, but proved his class with an impressive victory at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.

He steps up in distance and class this weekend, but Connell is confident he will prove hard to beat.

He said: “He’s in good order and worked well during the week. All is good with him.

“They’re putting plenty of water on the track so the ground should be fine and the step up in trip won’t be an issue.

“He doesn’t have to improve too much. After his performance the last day over the course, he probably deserves to be favourite.

“I think he’s come on since Christmas and we’re hoping for a big run.”

Mullins fires a twin assault at a prize he has won seven times in the last 10 years, with stable jockey Paul Townend preferring Tramore winner Quais De Paris to Grangeclare West, who needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Naas earlier in the month under the trainer’s nephew, Danny.

“Grangeclare West was very impressive when he won and Quais De Paris was probably less impressive, but it’s a tight track in Tramore and I brought him down for the ground,” said Mullins.

“He’s a big horse who will appreciate a longer trip and he’ll improve an awful lot. The bare evidence of that form probably wouldn’t be good enough, but we’ve brought plenty of horses down to Tramore and on to Leopardstown and Cheltenham and it’s worked.”

Paul Nolan claimed this race in 2020 with Latest Exhibition and has high hopes for Sandor Clegane, who was runner-up to Facile Vega in a bumper at this meeting 12 months ago and opened his account over hurdles with a 12-length verdict at Punchestown in November.

Nolan said: “He’s only had two runs over hurdles, he was placed in his first run and then improved a lot from that to win at Punchestown.

Sandor Clegane after winning at Punchestown
Sandor Clegane after winning at Punchestown (Alan Magee/PA)

“It is a big step up now again and hopefully he can run with credit. He seems in good form and we hope for the best.

“It’s a big step up in class and it looks a very hot race – all nine have declared and you can make a case for all nine of them in it.

“This fella is still a young horse and he’s a big scopey individual and we hope he can stay in one piece. He is full of potential and we hope he can run with credit on Saturday.”

Deep Cave recorded a narrow win at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival and represents the formidable combination of Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore.

Deep Cave and Rachael Blackmore in the clear
Deep Cave and Rachael Blackmore in the clear (Niall Carson/PA)

“I thought he won really nicely at Leopardstown over Christmas. He’s only a young horse, but he’s progressed with every run,” said de Bromhead.

“He’s only a five-year-old, but he’s a really nice horse and one we’re looking forward to running.”

British hopes are carried by Weveallbeencaught, who had subsequent Cheltenham winner Rock My Way in behind when scoring at Prestbury Park on New Year’s Day.

The six-year-old is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and will ridden by his son Sam, who said: “His form has worked out nicely after Saturday, so fingers crossed.

“It is a lot hotter out there (Ireland), mind. The owners wanted to have a go, so we are heading to Leopardstown.”

Gordon Elliott’s trio of American Mike, Absolute Notions and Cool Survivor complete the field, with the first named horse looking to bounce back from an odds-on defeat in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan in November.

“He wasn’t right the last day – he scoped dirty after the race,” said Elliott.

“But he is in good form now and we are running him and we’re hoping for a better run the next day.”

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.”