Tag Archive for: Willie Mullins

Sire Du Berlais and Teahupoo give Elliott strong Stayers hand

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Sire Du Berlais will go in search of a unique hat-trick at Punchestown when he lines up in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle on Thursday.

Gordon Elliott’s stable stalwart has already rolled back the years to strike in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and then defend his Liverpool Hurdle crown. He will now bid for a third Grade One in the space of six weeks when he strides out at the Kildare track.

To do so he will have to go three places better than last year’s fourth, but the 11-year-old appears to be at the peak of his powers despite his advancing years and his trainer states he has bounced out of his trip to Aintree in rude health.

“Sire Du Berlais is a marvellous horse,” said the Cullentra House handler. “For him to be doing what he’s doing at the age of 11 is incredible. He’s an unbelievable campaigner. He came out of Aintree in good shape.”

Elliott is also represented by Teahupoo, who was third behind his stablemate at Prestbury Park and has enjoyed a fine campaign, winning both the Hatton’s Grace and Galmoy Hurdle.

“Teahupoo is coming here off Cheltenham where he ran really well,” he added.

“He’s established himself now, I think, as one of the best stayers around and you’d like to think, all things being equal, he’d be lining up with a leading chance.”

Teahupoo has enjoyed a fine season winning twice and placing at the Cheltenham Festival
Teahupoo has enjoyed a fine season winning twice and placing at the Cheltenham Festival (Niall Carson/PA)

Willie Mullins fires four darts at a race he has won five times in the last 10 years.

The master of Closutton has saddled Klassical Dream to win this the past two years and has identified the defending champion as his best chance of enhancing his fine race record.

“Klassical Dream is the one that can go back to Punchestown and win it,” said Mullins.

“We didn’t know whether we were going to make it or not to Cheltenham, but we thought his work was good enough. We took our chance. I think you’ll see the real Klassical Dream in Punchestown.”

Mullins is also represented by Asterion Forlonge and two-time Cheltenham Festival hero Monkfish – who fought out the finish of the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle at Fairyhouse earlier this month – with Whatdeawant completing the quartet.

“It’s great to see Asterion Forlonge and Monkfish coming back,” continued Mullins.

“Those horses had long breaks and have little turnaround from Fairyhouse to Punchestown and that’s a big negative for me. If they ran a good race, I’d be very happy. Whatdeawant is probably just not good enough.”

Last year’s runner-up Ashdale Bob will attempt to go one better for Keith Donoghue and Jessica Harrington, with Oliver McKiernan’s Meet And Great and Henry de Bromhead’s Thurles scorer Summerville Boy completing the field.

Mullins kicks off Punchestown week with four-timer

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Willie Mullins once again made most of the headlines on the opening afternoon of the Punchestown Festival as the champion trainer kicked off the week with a four-timer.

The champion trainer invariably dominates the traditional end-of-season meeting and headed back to County Kildare with a formidable team for day one.

Mullins was out of luck in the curtain-raising Howden Insurance Brokers Mares Novice Hurdle, with Shecouldbeanything justifying 7-2 favouritism for Gordon Elliott, but was soon off the mark as Facile Vega (4-6) readily saw off stablemate Il Etait Temps in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle.

Bialystok (14-1) then led home a Mullins one-two-three in the Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle before Energumene (2-7) lifted the William Hill Champion Chase, followed home by three other Mullins runners.

Energumene was the star of the show on day one of the Punchestown Festival
Energumene was the star of the show on day one of the Punchestown Festival (Niall Carson/PA)

The onslaught continued in the Goffs Defender Bumper, with Patrick Mullins steering the previously-unraced Predators Gold (4-1) to victory and Milo Lises, another Mullins-trained newcomer, filling the runner-up spot just for good measure.

The 66-year-old did, however, suffer a surprise reverse in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, with his nephew Emmet Mullins securing his first Grade One success through Feronily.

Mullins was not represented in the following cross-country race, while in the concluding Oak Lodge Landscapes Flat Race his runner Ninth Loch finished only fourth.

There is every chance of further success for the all-conquering team on Wednesday, with Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs, who bids to follow up in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup, and Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle favourite Gaelic Warrior leading the Closutton squad into battle.

Energumene holds off Chacun Pour Soi in Punchestown thriller

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Chacun Pour Soi made his younger stablemate Energumene pull out all the stops in a thrilling renewal of the William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Having successfully defended his crown in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month, Energumene was the 2-7 favourite to also make it back-to-back wins in this two-mile Grade One.

Chacun Pour Soi, who won the race in 2021, is now very much in the twilight of his career at the age of 11 and recent efforts over a variety of trips had suggested his best days were behind him.

But the veteran proved there is life in him yet with a spirited display before eventually giving best on the run-in.

Trainer Willie Mullins fielded four of the five runners in all and the race was his for the taking after Henry de Bromhead’s front-running mare Magic Daze gave way long before the home turn.

Energumene, who had not entirely convinced in the jumping department, travelled smoothly into the straight under Paul Townend, but so did Chacun Pour Soi in the hands of Danny Mullins and the older horse had poked his nose by the time both horses landed after jumping the final fence.

Energumene, though, dug deep when he needed to, getting up in the closing stages to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

Mullins said: “He normally wins his races with class, but today he had to get down and fight it out. He answered every call from Paul and showed his grit.

Paul Townend celebrates winning the William Hill Champion Chase with Energumene
Paul Townend celebrates winning the William Hill Champion Chase with Energumene (Niall Carson/PA)

“Paul really pulled that race out of the fire and that’s the difference between a good jockey and a great jockey.

“You can see probably the end of the season getting to him. Paul said he wasn’t as sharp as his last run at Cheltenham and he missed two fences, which isn’t like him.

“I was delighted with Chacun Pour Soi. We had been trying different distances and it wasn’t working so we said today we’d come back to two miles. We’ll see what we do with him now and have a word with Rich (Ricci, owner).”

Townend added: “I know how good Chacun can be around here, so when he appeared I was worried. I thought it was going to come to the jump at the last and Danny seemed to get away from it a bit better than me.

“Chacun’s last furlong has always kind of been his slowest, though, so I had confidence in this lad getting him once Danny hadn’t gone on me.”

Facile Vega back in front – and chasing beckons next season

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Willie Mullins is excited to see what Facile Vega can achieve over fences next season after surviving a scare to get back on the winning trail in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

The six-year-old had plenty live up to from day one as a son of the great racemare Quevega, who won six times at Punchestown to go with her six victories in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Facile Vega has largely upheld family honour, winning four bumpers and his first two starts over hurdles, but lost his unbeaten record when well held at Leopardstown in February and was ultimately no match for Marine Nationale when favourite to bounce back in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last month.

Despite those successive defeats, the Walk In The Park gelding was unsurprisingly short odds to end his season on a high back on home soil at 4-6 – and while a mistake three flights from home would have have had his supporters sweating, Paul Townend’s mount soon came back on the bridle and coasted clear in the straight.

Facile Vega’s stablemate Il Etait Temps was seven and a half lengths adrift in second at the line, while another Mullins runner, Diverge – third in the Supreme – weakened tamely after making much of the running and finished a tailed off last of five.

Mullins said: “I’ve always thought the world of him, he has huge ability and I’m looking forward to him going over fences next year.

“Paul thinks he doesn’t have much respect for hurdles and he could always do that type of thing even schooling at home. He thinks he’ll have far more respect for fences.

“I said to Paul to be very positive on him because he has a huge, long stride. He gallops and is able to quicken off that.

Facile Vega returns to the Punchestown winner's enclosure
Facile Vega returns to the Punchestown winner’s enclosure (Niall Carson/PA)

“His pedigree would suggest he can go out to three miles any day of the week and I know he has enough pace to go two miles so we will let the horse tell us as he learns the game in the autumn.”

Townend said: “We got a bit of a fright at the third-last, but he lengthened well down the straight for me again.

“We got it right today and he showed the true horse.”

Galopin Des Champs poised for famous Cheltenham-Punchestown double

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Side by side jumping the last in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Galopin Des Champs will attempt to again conquer Bravemansgame in a mouthwatering renewal of the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday.

Willie Mullins’ star chaser has a chance to emulate Kicking King (2005), War Of Attrition (2006) and Sizing John (2017) as the most recent to record the Cheltenham-Punchestown double.

The seven-year-old justified favouritism under Paul Townend by giving Bravemansgame a seven-length beating in jump racing’s most prestigious event, answering any stamina doubts some – but not his trainer – may have had.

Officially rated the best National Hunt horse in training, Mullins will bid for a seventh triumph in the three-mile Grade One feature.

“He’s in great shape. We’re aiming for Punchestown since Cheltenham,” said Mullins.

“I didn’t have any worry about his stamina until about four furlongs out (at Cheltenham) when I said, ‘Right, now’ when what I was convinced about was going to happen or not.

“I just took his novice hurdle form to mean he would stay three-and-a-quarter miles easily as an older horse.

“I didn’t have any fear about him staying all year. I was surprised myself how much doubt crept in as they rounded the top of the hill.

“But Paul seemed to be going well at all stages. The only little blip was at the third-last where he brushed the top but the minute he did that, Paul just pulled him together, got him in behind the others, gave him just a little bit of time to recover. You could see Paul’s body language telling you, ‘This fella’s got plenty in the tank.’”

The Audrey Turley-owned Galopin Des Champs has won six of his seven starts over fences and has won both starts at Punchestown, taking the Grade One novice hurdle in 2021 and the John Durkan Memorial over two and a half miles in December.

The Irish Gold Cup winner locks horns with King George VI Chase winner Bravemansgame over three miles, with Paul Nicholls relieved the horse’s ownership issues have finally been sorted, with Bryan Drew now the sole owner of the eight-year-old, having previously been co-owner with John Dance.

The latter founded Vertem Asset Management, a prominent sponsor within racing, but that firm is one of three trading names of WealthTek LLP, which was ordered to cease trading by the Financial Conduct Authority due to “serious regulatory and operational issues coming to light”.

Bravemansgame was subsequently prevented via a court order from running at Aintree but thanks to an early Easter, Nicholls feels the additional time between Cheltenham and Punchestown will help as the trainer bids for a fourth victory in the race.

“It’s brilliant that he has been cleared to run at Punchestown after issues beyond our control led to him missing Aintree,” Nicholls reported on his Betfair blog.

“The extra 12 days since Cheltenham can only be a positive for Bravemansgame, who ran the race of his life against Galopin de Champs in the Gold Cup and I’m really looking forward to taking him on again.

“He’s in great order at home, schooled beautifully ridden by Harry Cobden on Monday morning, and our horses could hardly be in better form. So I’m expecting another big show.”

Allaho took the laurels in last year’s renewal for Cheveley Park and the stud’s managing director Chris Richardson hopes that Envoi Allen can complete another fine season which has produced two Grade One victories from three starts.

Rachael Blackmore and Envoi Allen bid to follow up their Ryanair Chase success
Rachael Blackmore and Envoi Allen bid to follow up their Ryanair Chase success (David Davies/PA)

The Henry de Bromhead-trained nine-year-old plundered the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on his seasonal debut and after a tame run in the King George, bounced back in fine style under regular partner Rachael Blackmore to beat Shishkin in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Richardson said: “He goes to Punchestown in good order. It was wonderful to see him perform as he did at Cheltenham.

“I wasn’t really surprised that he bounced back, because he had been working well at home and so much better this year than he had. He was much more settled and relaxed in himself. Henry and Rachael were just thrilled. He was in such a good place.

“We went to Kempton thinking he was in a happy place, but he was just never going and that obviously was a huge surprise, really.

“There was no real explanation afterwards. It was one of those days and we just put it down to an off-day and hopefully he’d put that behind him – which he did so famously.

“He likes Punchestown, but we’ve probably had our luck last year with Allaho.”

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.

Energumene looking to double up at Punchestown

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Energumene bids to cement his status as the king of the two-mile division over fences by securing back-to-back victories in the William Hill Champion Chase on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.

The nine-year-old provided Willie Mullins with a first victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last season before putting the seal on his campaign with a facile success in County Kildare.

He suffered a blip earlier this term when only third in the rescheduled Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham in January, but raised his game significantly with a dominant defence of his Champion Chase crown last month and is short odds to repeat the feat on Tuesday.

Mullins said: “I was particularly pleased how Energumene did it in Cheltenham. He’d been working like that at home.

“We were all a little disappointed when he disappointed in the rescheduled Clarence House Chase, but I think we learned so much that day which meant he was a very good winner of the Champion Chase.

“The white fences might have upset him in the Clarence House and we sharpened up tactics. I think he’s a fair sort to do what he did two years running and in the manner he did it in Cheltenham.

“Those (soft) conditions are very helpful to him as well. He probably won’t get those in Punchestown – but if he does get wet weather, he’s going to be very difficult to beat with a clear round.”

Gentleman De Mee on his way to winning at Leopardstown
Gentleman De Mee on his way to winning at Leopardstown (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Energumene’s rivals include a trio of stablemates in Chacun Pour Soi, Blue Lord and Gentleman De Mee.

Chacun Pour Soi won this race in 2021, but is past his best judged on recent results, while Blue Lord needs to bounce back from a below-par performance in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Gentleman De Mee, on the other hand, missed the Festival in the Cotswolds and therefore lines up fresh from winning the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown in early February.

“We have Gentleman De Mee in the race and he won’t be hanging around at the start. That’s his nature and Energumene can follow away. Paul (Townend) has the confidence to do both,” Mullins added.

Henry de Bromhead’s mare Magic Daze and the Patrick Foley-trained Rebel Gold complete the field.

Rebel Gold at Naas
Rebel Gold at Naas (Gary Carson/PA)

The latter will be a big outsider, despite winning a valuable handicap chase at Fairyhouse and a Grade Three at Naas this season, and Foley has no great expectations.

He said: “The original plan was to go to Fairyhouse for the Grade Two, but we just got a bit of a setback. After he won in Naas, Denis (O’Regan, jockey) said it’d be no harm to give him an entry in some of the good races as they can cut up a little bit, so maybe it’s all for luck.

“The most realistic goal is probably to finish fourth, but even if he finishes sixth of the six, you’re picking up prize money and on ratings, we are the lowest rated horse in it.

“If he’d had a proper clear run, I’d be going there hoping to beat one or two of them but we’re not going to be in any way disappointed wherever he finishes.

“If he puts in a decent run we’ll all be very, very happy.”

Energumene headlines day one at Punchestown

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Energumene looks set to be the star attraction on day one of the Punchestown Festival with the champion two-miler heading a six-strong field for the William Hill Champion Chase.

The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old was sensational in successfully defending his crown in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month and will be cramped odds to do the same in County Kildare on Tuesday under Paul Townend.

Mullins also saddles the 2021 winner of this Grade One contest in Chacun Pour Soi, as well as Gentleman De Mee and Blue Lord.

Henry de Bromhead’s Magic Daze and Rebel Gold from Patrick Foley’s yard complete the line-up.

It looks set to be another dominant day for Mullins, with the champion trainer also appears to hold all the aces in the other two Grade Ones on the card.

The KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle appears to present Facile Vega with a good opportunity to get back on the winning trail after finding Marine Nationale too strong in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last month.

Diverge was third in the same race for Mullins and takes on Facile Vega again, as does his fifth-placed stablemate Il Etait Temps. Found A Fifty (Gordon Elliott) and No Looking Back (Oliver McKiernan) are the other hopefuls.

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

Five of the six runners declared for the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase hail from Closutton, with Willie Mullins saddling four and his nephew Emmet running one.

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 the apparent fourth string James Du Berlais for his retaining owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Feronily represents Emmet Mullins, while Journey With Me looks a major contender for De Bromhead having been kept fresh since winning a Grade Three prize at Naas the weekend before the Cheltenham Festival.

Willie Mullins raring to go for Punchestown next week

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Having been conspicuous in his absence at both Fairyhouse and Aintree, Willie Mullins is in line for a return to the spotlight at his beloved Punchestown Festival.

The Closutton handler was forced to watch both the Irish and English Grand National Festivals from home as he recovers from a hip operation, but has declared himself fighting fit ahead of the five-day meeting which brings the Irish jumps season to a close.

“I was in Tramore the other day and I’m on the gallops every morning,” said Mullins.

Willie Mullins on the gallops ahead of the Cheltenham Festival
Willie Mullins on the gallops ahead of the Cheltenham Festival (Tim Goode/PA)

“I’ve missed very little time. It’s fantastic what surgeons can do nowadays and I was amazed. Three weeks ago (Monday) I went in, and they kicked me out of the hospital on Wednesday morning.

“I was back on the gallop the next morning. I missed a few mornings – I did a little too much early on and when I came off the painkillers it soon settled me back! But it’s coming along nicely so hopefully I’ll be well able for Punchestown.”

At the end of the Punchestown Festival Mullins will be crowned Irish champion trainer for the 17th time and he looks to cap a fine season that has seen him pass the 4,000 career winners mark, dominate at the Cheltenham Festival and also pick up a third Cheltenham Gold Cup, by showcasing his vast array of Closutton talent at the meeting.

Cheltenham heroes Galopin Des Champs and Energumene will spearhead Mullins’ squad, while Impaire Et Passe, El Fabiolo and Lossiemouth are other Cheltenham scorers bidding to follow up there Prestbury Park exploits in Kildare.

All the big names will all be partnered by Paul Townend, whose tactics on Facile Vega and Lossiemouth at the Dublin Racing Festival were questioned by his long-time boss but has since earnt glowing adulation for his performance aboard Galopin Des Champs in the blue riband and for the way he nursed I Am Maximus to Irish National glory on Easter Monday.

“I didn’t call it criticism at the time,” reflected Mullins.

“I just thought it was a tactic that didn’t go right. Put it the other way around. What I asked him to do on I Am Maximus in the Irish National, I had tied him down to instructions because he’s a particularly awkward horse that doesn’t like going right-handed. I’d asked him to go down the inside so he could keep horses on his outside the whole time but after a circuit, Paul changed his mind. He did the exact opposite and went down the outside and it worked.

“In Cheltenham, Paul was a jockey in the Gold Cup. In Fairyhouse, Paul was a horseman in the Irish Grand National. All he’d gleaned from pony racing, from hunting, from just riding, he put into use on I Am Maximus. I thought it was a fantastic ride. Whatever we thought about Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup, I thought his riding in Fairyhouse was excellent, something top drawer.

“I always think a good jockey is a guy that can pull a race out of the fire and win on horses that he shouldn’t win on. That’s the difference between great jockeys and good jockeys, I think. And he pulled that one out of the fire. That was an absolutely extraordinary ride.”

Willie Mullins reports all will be well with Recite A Prayer

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Willie Mullins has revealed Recite A Prayer is fine after suffering a fractured eye socket while running loose during the Randox Grand National.

The 80-1 shot was a first ride in the Aintree showpiece for Jack Foley and the duo were one of the first to rise at the opening fence which was ultimately the only obstacle they would jump in unison in the contest.

Although Recite A Prayer cleared it perfectly, Cloudy Glen on the eight-year-old’s outer was less proficient, sprawling on landing and crossing the Closutton inmate’s path in the process – subsequently knocking Foley out of the saddle.

Runners and riders at the start of the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase on day three of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse
Runners and riders at the start of the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase on day three of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse (David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA)

Recite A Prayer continued to run loose with the remainder of the field until just before Valentine’s on the first circuit where the gelding leapt the inside running rail and made his way to the Aintree infield.

“Recite A Prayer fractured his eye socket,” said Mullins on Sunday afternoon.

“They have done a little procedure on him in the Equine Hospital in Liverpool and I just got news that everything is OK with him. He has a few little cuts and bruises, but nothing more.

“He got loose on the inside and had to pull up where all the barriers were. That’s something Aintree are going to have to look at.”

Mullins also reported all of the other Closutton National runners to be in full health following their exertions on Merseyside.

“Gaillard Du Mesnil ran a cracker yesterday and jumped well,” he continued.

“He was very tired after the race, but he is fine. The same goes for Carefully Selected. Capodanno pulled up after getting very tired, it was probably just the lack of a run.

Mr Incredible (pale blue, centre) jumps a fence during the Randox Grand National
Mr Incredible (pale blue, centre) jumps a fence during the Randox Grand National (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)

“Mr Incredible was unlucky, his saddle slipped. I didn’t really get a chance to talk to Brian (Hayes, jockey) yet. It didn’t look like he was going great but that’s Mr Incredible, he never looks like he is going great until the business end.”

Similar, however, cannot be said for stable jockey Paul Townend who is set for a few days on the sidelines following a fall from the ill-fated Dark Raven in one the precursors to the big-race.

He added: “Paul is very sore. He is arm is very sore after his fall from Dark Raven yesterday. He is going to take a day or two off.”