Night And Day, a leading fancy for the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next week, has been ruled out with injury.
Trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the six-year-old has only been seen fleetingly but created a huge impression.
Having made her debut for new connections in a Grade One at Fairyhouse in April when she finished down the field, she was off the track for 275 days before reappearing at Clonmel.
Night And Day (2/5 fav) was heavily backed for the Mares Maiden Hurdle at @ClonmelR and wins with a stack in hand under @PTownend. The winning distance was 22 lengths.
🐎 it means 12 of Willie Mullins' past 21 runners in Ireland have won. He has 5 more runners on the card. pic.twitter.com/jawkMWQWYV
Sent into the lead by the second flight, she gradually drew further and further clear on her way to winning by 22 lengths.
Night And Day had been third favourite with the bookmakers for the Grade Two, registered as the Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle, next Thursday.
Munir tweeted: “Sad to report that Night And Day has unfortunately suffered a setback and will miss this year’s Cheltenham Festival. We look forward to her going back into full training next season.”
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Former cricket star Craig Kieswetter believes Echoes In Rain has a great chance of causing a small upset when she lines up in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Kieswetter played 71 times for England in white-ball internationals before injury led to him retiring at the tender age of 27.
Since then he has gone about building up his family’s Barnane Stud empire alongside brother Ross and stud manager Patrick Wynn-Jones, and Echoes In Rain is one of the on-track stars of their burgeoning jumps string.
The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old heads to Prestbury Park on the back of a commanding victory at Naas in January and is a best-priced 7-1 for what could be a red-hot renewal of the mares’ only Grade One with possible runners including two-time Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle and Seven Barrows pair, Marie’s Rock and Epatante.
However, South African-born Kieswetter is more than happy with how the race is taking shape and is encouraged by the positive noises coming out of Closutton.
He told the PA news agency: “If the ground is right and the pace of the race is right, we are really expecting her to explode out and give a really good account in the latter stage of the race.
“There will be less pressure on her and I don’t want to say she’s flying under the radar, but there will be a lot more horses in the race who are better fancied – and if I’m honest, I’d prefer the position of being under the radar, under cover somewhat and coming through and causing a bit of a surprise.
“I’m quite happy with the position we are in and it is really encouraging to hear Ruby (Walsh) and others within the yard talk encouragingly about her. It sounds a bit cliched but we just want her to come home safe to the paddock, whatever the result may be.”
Kieswetter first became involved in National Hunt racing in his time playing for Somerset, when losing a game of table tennis with nearby Martin Pipe led to him taking on a horse called Citrus trained at Pond House.
Although Citrus did enter winner’s enclosure when landing a Plumpton novice hurdle, it is the eight-time hurdles scorer Echoes In Rain that has taken him to the upper echelons of jumps racing.
Echoes In Rain, jockey Patrick Mullins and trainer Willie Mullins after winning the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap during day one of the Galway Races Summer Festival 2022 (Niall Carson/PA)
He continued: “We’ve had some amazing days with her already and unfortunately she has had to come up against Honeysuckle quite a few times, but the fact we have been able to pick up plenty of graded races and have a lot of fun with her makes this race even more enjoyable.
“I remember early on in her career, Willie and Ruby and everyone in Willie’s yard found it really hard to settle her and worked extremely hard to get her to settle as she has a really nice turn of foot.
“She’s a really hardy mare and she runs to the fullest every time she steps onto the track – she never leaves anything in the tank.
“I suppose as an owner that is all you can ask – for a horse that gives her all every single time.
Craig Kieswetter in action for England during his cricket career (Rui Vieira/PA)
“Potentially, if all goes to plan, we might see her at Royal Ascot later this year and that will definitely throw a conundrum into the ballpark of what we are going to do breeding wise.
“She’s very diverse, very sturdy. She’s pretty much your old-school type of mare who has a lot of attitude about her and is very protective of her own space. Those mares tend to be the ones who produce the best progeny, so all in all we have a nice little crop there, along with our partners and friends, to look forward to in the future.”
Kieswetter’s Barnane Stud will also be represented at the Festival by Il Etait Temps and Gust Of Wind, who are both owned in partnership with the Heffer family’s Hollywood Syndicate.
The former is flying high in the betting for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle having capitalised on the misfiring Facile Vega to land Grade One glory at the Dublin Racing Festival and throw his hat into the ring for the Festival opener.
Il Etait Temps ridden by jockey Danny Mullins on their way to winning the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle during day two of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)
“There will obviously be huge talk about Facile Vega and rightly so because he looks a terrific horse,” said Kieswetter when analysing the five-year-old’s Festival claims.
“But the manner in which Il Etait Temps ran and won at Leopardstown – when he kept up with the hot pace and was able to accelerate – if the speed of the race is run right for him and the ground is right for him, I don’t see any reason why he can’t run another great race and walk away respectfully.
“There is no doubt he is a lovely horse and as Willie has said, if he jumps well he will be right there and thereabouts.
“It is exciting to go to Cheltenham off the back of a Grade One win and it gives us some confidence, but we’re definitely not taking things for granted.”
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Last season’s Cheltenham Festival meeting was a Willie Mullins whitewash – and he is not leaving anything to chance in pursuit of something similar next week.
Having won a remarkable 10 races over the four days at Prestbury Park – taking his tally at the Festival to a record 88 winners – the Closutton handler revealed he has painted all the bars on his schooling fences and hurdles white.
White markings on the frames, guard rails and take-off boards replaced traditional orange colourings on obstacles at every British racecourse last year.
Willie Mullins has left nothing to chance at his Bagenalstown, County Carlow yard (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)
The British Horseracing Authority’s decision for the colour change, following guidance from experts at Exeter University into horse vision, came in the interests of horse welfare and safety.
In years past, Mullins has worked and schooled horses at Leopardstown prior to running at Cheltenham.
This year will be a little different, however. Speaking at the Dublin track to Racing TV on Sunday, he explained: “I don’t see much point in schooling here, if they all jump well.
“Unless someone comes round with a bucket of whitewash tomorrow and paints those fences, I don’t see much point in schooling over the orange bars.
“I’ve put in a whole new schooling operation with white hurdles and fences and we’ll do our stuff at home.”
Mullins is a stickler for details and knows that with competition so fierce at the Festival, every mistake is magnified.
He added: “Some horses could go down (and jump) over blue fences, yellow fences, it wouldn’t matter a damn to them – they are just that cool.
“Other horses will look at them from a half-mile out and they will see something different, so you never know which one, especially in the shorter races if you want to be up there and and have your position.
“You don’t want to have them looking at the first hurdle and backing off it or the first fence and backing off it, because you just lose your position and then at Cheltenham you are playing catch-up the whole time.
“Whereas round the country tracks or not at the big meetings, it doesn’t matter so much, as you’ll get your ground back much easier – but at Cheltenham, no one gives you an inch.
“So what you lose at the first hurdle or fence, it’s gone, you are not going to get it back.”
Mullins said his powerful string has taken to the painted obstacles well and is looking forward to the meeting, which starts on Tuesday week.
“They are jumping them every second day at home, so we’re good.”
He added: “Fingers crossed, toes crossed, everything crossed. We are very happy with how most things are.
“You are always going to get little upsets, but we still have another week to go before we travel. Things will come right, but nothing major.”
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Multiple Grade One winner Kemboy rolled back the years with a heartwarming victory in the tote Fantasy Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse.
The Willie Mullins-trained gelding was the highest-rated chaser in training after winning the Savills Chase, the Aintree Bowl and the Punchestown Gold Cup under a retiring Ruby Walsh a few seasons ago.
He has found victories harder to come by since, with his most recent achieved in the 2021 Irish Gold Cup, but made the most of having his sights lowered in this Grade Three contest.
Kemboy proved he retains plenty of ability by finishing second in both the Down Royal Champion Chase and the Savills Chase earlier this season and had far less on his plate than when sixth behind esteemed stablemate Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup three weeks ago.
Allowed to dominate in front in the hands of Paul Townend, the 11-year-old dug deep once challenged and had just enough in the tank to see off Vanillier, who ran a fine trial for the Grand National, by a half a length.
“That was good, I thought a drop in grade at this stage of his career was probably no harm,” said Mullins of the 15-8 favourite.
“He was careful at some of his jumps and then got some really good jumps. He jumped well when it mattered over the last.
“The dry conditions were a huge help to him. I might try to pick out another race like that. The Imperial Call Chase at Cork (April 9) might be a possible.
“The Aintree Bowl is a possibility, but you are running up against Grade One horses there and we might be as well off keeping below the radar. That’s his first win for two years and I’d prefer to keep him in a lower grade at his age and be competitive.
“Then we could try to finish up at Punchestown where he had a great day with Ruby Walsh, if he could roll back the years maybe he could do it again.”
Zenta returns to the Fairyhouse winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)
A couple of significant jumping errors were not enough to prevent Zenta from making a successful Irish debut for Mullins in the Grade Three Norman Colfer Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle.
The Auteuil winner was the 4-9 favourite to strike Grade Three gold on her first start for owner JP McManus and she travelled strongly in the slipstream of the front-running Hypotenus for much of the extended two-mile contest.
She was far from fluent at the second-last and the last flight of hurdles, but was still good enough to score by three lengths. Betfair left her odds for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham unchanged at 20-1.
Mullins said: “She jumped super and then things just fell apart but I think she will improve. She’s essentially a good jumper and it was just maybe being in front.
“She’s a nice mare and I think she’s going to improve. She’ll head for the Triumph Hurdle, I’d imagine.
“If she just keeps her jumping together she’s going to win lots of prizes.”
“She’s one we have been looking forward to. We sort of had to rush her preparation to get her ready for this but we felt she needed it if she was going to go across the water.
“She passed the test, she didn’t pass it with flying colours but she passed it.”
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Willie Mullins has his usual strong hand in the Randox Grand National but seems sweet on the chances of Mr Incredible following his good run at Warwick recently.
Having just his second start since leaving Henry de Bromhead, Mr Incredible finished second to Iwilldoit in the Classic Chase – a race which has been a good pointer to Aintree in the past.
Mullins has several others with leading claims, including Grade One-winning novices Capodanno and Gaillard Du Mesnil, with Thyestes winner Carefully Selected another to consider.
Running through his entries, Mullins said: “Burrows Saint (10st 12lb) jumps well around the National, finished fourth in 2021. He’s had a little bit of time off with a few training problems and he comes back for his first run in the Bobbyjo this week. That’s usually a good pointer for the National. If he runs well there he could have a good crack at the National.
Capodanno was a Grade One winner last season (Niall Carson/PA)
“Capodanno (11st 5lb) is very interesting. He won a three-mile Grade One novice at the end of last season, I think he stays the trip. At the moment I think we’re going for the Gold Cup.
“Carefully Selected (11st 1lb) won the Thyestes and the Thyestes, at our local track at Gowran Park, is always a great guide to the Grand National so I’ve no problem with him staying the trip and I’ve no problem with him jump around. He’s a good each-way, I think, for the National.
“Franco De Port (11st 3lb) is another who loves a trip and loves jumping. He was third in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris and that sort of form would give him a chance in a National.
“Gaillard Du Mesnil (11st) is a novice in name, (but) he’s a second-season novice.
“He eventually broke his maiden at Christmas, winning a three-mile Grade One novice at Leopardstown and that’s good form.
“He jumps and stays and will probably go to Cheltenham first and, all being well, have a good crack at the National after that.
“Mr Incredible (10st 4lb) is a nice horse and that run at Warwick puts him right in there – I think he has a nice weight for the National too.
“Recite A Prayer (10st 1lb) ran around Aintree and is usually a very good jumper. He’s a horse that lots of lads will putting their hands up to ride.
“You have Grade One form with Capodanno and Gaillard Du Mesnil, but I think Mr Incredible is a nice horse and his run in Warwick puts him right there.”
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Leading Cheltenham Festival contender Brandy Love will return from 10 months off the track in the Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown on Wednesday.
The seven-year-old will be a hot favourite to make a successful reappearance in a Grade Three contest Willie Mullins has farmed in recent years, with six of the last seven winners hailing from Closutton.
Brandy Love, who not been seen in competitive action since slamming Cheltenham Festival heroine Love Envoi in the Grade One Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse in April, will sport new colours on her comeback having been snapped up by Gold Cup-winning owners Joe and Marie Donnelly.
She is a 7-2 chance with Paddy Power to provide Mullins with a 10th victory in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and those odds are sure to contract further if she can make a winning return in a race that has previously won by the likes of Annie Power (2016), Limini (2017) and Laurina (2019).
BRANDY LOVE wins the @IrishEBF_ Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final! 🐎
The biggest threat to Brandy Love in the Racing TV-sponsored contest appears to be the Gordon Elliott-trained Queens Brook, who was last seen chasing home another high-class Mullins mare in Shewearsitwell at Leopardstown in December.
John McConnell’s Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Anna Bunina also merits consideration off the back of finishing fourth to Gaelic Warrior in a competitive handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Declan Queally’s pair of My Design and Robyndeglory, the Stuart Crawford-trained Ailie Rose and Rebel Ivy from James Motherway’s yard complete the field.
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Willie Mullins strengthened his grasp on the Weatherbys Champion Bumper when Ballyburn powered home to land the Hospitality At Festival 2023 (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race at Punchestown.
An impressive winner of his sole point-to-point, he was sent off the 7-4 second-favourite behind Irish Panther in the hands of Patrick Mullins for his rules bow.
Keen throughout when tracking the pace-setting Quantum Storm, the son of Flemensfirth took some time to hit top gear once entering the straight, but had the after-burners switched firmly on at the finish in registering a going-away two-and-a-quarter-length success.
The winner was cut to 7-1 from 14s for the Cheltenham Festival bumper by Paddy Power, which means the Closutton handler is now responsible for five of the top six in the market for the Prestbury Park Grade One he won 12 months ago with Facile Vega.
💪 A gutsy performance from Ballyburn, as he stays on best under Patrick Mullins to make a winning debut in the bumper at @punchestownrace!
“It was a very good performance from the horse and jockey. He was too keen the whole way and to produce a run like that after running so keen for a mile and three-quarters showed that he has a lot left in the locker,” said Mullins.
“He’s a horse that we’re really looking forward to going over jumps. He looks a real chaser in the making, however he probably booked a ticket to Cheltenham with that run.
“He looks an exciting recruit for Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh, who is a football agent.
“It looked a fair race, in very tough ground.”
Mullins was also on the scoresheet when the Danny Mullins-ridden Hauturiere (5-1) took advantage of favourite Harmonya Maker unseating Jordan Gainford to claim the Listed Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle
Hauturiere returns after winning the Listed Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle (PA)
“It was another fine tactical ride by Danny, I thought,” said Mullins.
“They went off very fast and anything that was up there early on couldn’t stay the pace. It took a lot of getting at that pace and she’s shown us that she’s a stayer.
“She was very keen early on in her career, but now she’s learning how to settle and race.
“She might get an entry in a handicap at Cheltenham or maybe wait for Fairyhouse. We’ll see what sort of rating she gets.
“You could look at the Martin Pipe or Coral Cup.”
Stealthy Tom enhanced Enda Bolger’s fine record in the ARKequine Aquatabs Inline P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase.
Stealthy Tom after winning at Punchestown (PA)
The Howardstown handler has won seven of the last 10 running’s of the this contest with the last four victories all on behalf of leading owner JP McManus.
And it was the green and gold silks that were carried to success once again by Simon Torrens as he came home a length and a quarter clear of 7-2 favourite Singing Banjos aboard the 8-1 shot.
“He ran a lovely race here in the spring. I was giving the other two a better chance because he hadn’t run since last August in Killarney,” said Bolger.
“He got a lovely ride from Simon and he was nice and patient on him. He’s only seven so he’s going to be a nice horse for this game for the future.
“I was happy I had him in today because the other two boys underperformed. He’s found his niche so we’ll stick with these with him.”
It's that man again!
Enda Bolger lands the ARKequine Aquatabs Inline P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase @punchestownrace for the sixth time in seven years as Stealthy Tom defies a lengthy absence by staying on best under @simontorrens123. pic.twitter.com/6TPD2HbLYo
A trip to the cross-country equivalent at the Cheltenham Festival is not out of the question for the winner, but it appears that all roads lead back to Kildare track for the La Touche Cup during the Punchestown Festival.
“We’ll see, I’ll talk to the boss and see what they want to do – whether the experience would do him good,” added Bolger.
“Definitely all roads will lead to the La Touche with him and he would go on nicer ground as well which is a plus for the spring meeting.
“Cheltenham is a pretty hot race and we have to see where Galvin is going to appear as well. We’re only rated 105 but he excels over those.
“He hadn’t run for a while so we’ll see how he comes out of this and make a decision. The entries don’t close for a couple of weeks anyway. He’d be the only one for it.”
Torrens was also aboard Patrick Foley’s Verdant Place (5-2 favourite) when winning the David Trundley Artist At Punchestown Handicap Hurdle.
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Dual Ryanair Chase hero Allaho will not bid for a hat-trick at next month’s Cheltenham Festival after suffering an abdominal bleed.
The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Ryanair in 2021 under Rachael Blackmore and successfully defended his crown with a sublime front-running performance last season in the hands of Paul Townend.
He stepped up to three miles to win the Punchestown Gold Cup the following month, but has not been seen in competitive action since, with an autumn setback ruling out a possible tilt at the King George VI Chase at Kempton Boxing Day.
Hopes were high that Allaho would return to action at the Festival – but Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, has confirmed he will miss the showpiece meeting after suffering a further setback.
🏆 Simply unreal!
ALLAHO is in a league of his own for the second year running in the Grade 1 @Ryanair Chase @CheltenhamRaces.
A statement issued to PA Media read: “Having worked pleasingly this past Saturday, Allaho was found to be uncomfortable after working and was then taken to the Fethard Equine Hospital, where he was found to have suffered some sort of abdominal bleed.
“Although a very rare condition, this was obviously of great concern. However, following treatment his condition appears to have stabilised.
“According to Willie Mullins this morning, Allaho is bright and comfortable with a normal heart rate, so obviously this is most encouraging, but we have to play things day by day.”
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Hunters Yarn further strengthened Willie Mullins’ potential hand for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next month with an authoritative victory in Listed company at Navan.
The most successful trainer in Festival history already houses the ante-post favourite for the traditional curtain-raiser in Facile Vega, while his Leopardstown conqueror of last weekend Il Etait Temps and Impaire Et Passe are other high-class operators in the mix for the Closutton handler.
Three-time bumper winner Hunters Yarn was beaten at odds-on in his first two hurdle races, but made it third time lucky with an impressive display at Naas last month to earn himself a step up in grade.
American Mike, runner-up to Facile Vega in last season’s Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, was the 11-8 favourite to bounce back from from a below-par effort at the track in the autumn, with Hunters Yarn a 3-1 shot in the hands of Paul Townend.
He's going places!@simon_munir-owened Hunters Yarn travels all over his rivals in the Listed I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle before putting the race to bed in emphatic fashion after the last!
American Mike cut out much of the running in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle, but was unable to resist the strong-travelling Hunters Yarn, who ultimately won comfortably by six lengths, with Imagine staying on for second and Inothewayurthinkin pipping American Mike to third.
Paddy Power reacted by cutting Hunters Yarn to 8-1 from 25s for the Supreme in their non-runner no bet market, while Coral offer 16s from 33-1 ante-post.
“He didn’t jump as fluently as I was hoping he would, but he showed a nice turn of foot,” said Mullins.
“I think he is possibly Supreme bound if Simon (Munir) and Isaac (Souede, owners) want to go there.
“He works very smartly at home and we just ran him over the wrong trip last year on his first run when Simon and Isaac were over in Ireland. That taught us a lesson to just keep him to the minimum trip for the time being.”
Firm Footings and Jordan Gainford winning the opening race at Navan (Brian Lawless/PA)
Firm Footings (100-30) opened his account over obstacles in the first division of the Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott’s Galway bumper winner had been placed on his first three hurdling starts and made no mistake at the fourth time of asking – seeing off 4-5 favourite Horantzau D’airy by a length in the hands of Jordan Gainford.
“He’s a grand horse and he probably wants further, but he has a good attitude,” said Elliott.
“He gallops and jumps. Jordan said he would have been an unlucky loser as he left his hind legs in the second-last.
“I thought this might be a bit short for him, but I needed to get a fourth run into him to qualify for the handicaps at Cheltenham.”
Nice performance! 🏇
Ho My Lord makes amends for his fall on debut by striding clear late on to land the Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle in good style.
The second division went the way of Mullins and Townend through 1-3 shot Ho My Lord.
An early faller on his Irish debut at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, the French Flat winner put that behind him with a comfortable four-and-a-half-length success over Banjaxed.
Mullins said: “He got his confidence back quickly after his fall at Christmas. He jumped high over the first few but then came down and started to hurdle.
“The further he was going, the better he was going and I’d imagine we’ll go out in trip.
“He’s in the Ballymore (at Cheltenham) and that would look a possible target. He’s earmarked for that, I think he has enough ability to go for it and he showed today that he jumped well enough.”
Firefox impressed in the finale at Navan (Gary Carson/PA)
Elliott also completed a double in the concluding William Hill Play Responsibly (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.
Firefox, ridden by Jamie Codd, was the well-supported 11-8 favourite to make it third time lucky after a couple of decent efforts in defeat and pulled right away in the closing stages for a 10-length win.
Elliott added: “He’s good. We thought he was a fair horse and were disappointed that he got beaten in his bumper but he came on plenty from that.
“He’s not going to be a horse until next year really. Whatever he does this year is only going to be a bonus.
“He obviously can’t go to the Cheltenham bumper because he ran in a hurdle race. We’ll probably go to Fairyhouse or Punchestown. We like him.”
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Elimay is expected to face a tough task as she kicks off her Cheltenham Festival preparations with a hat-trick bid in Saturday’s BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase at Naas.
Willie Mullins’ runner first landed the Listed contest in 2021 before going on to take second in the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham, while last year she added to her Naas laurels when repelling Pink Legend by half a length to win at Prestbury Park too.
Elimay went on to finish second at the Punchestown Festival, but has been off the track since trailing home a 16-length fourth on her return at Clonmel back in November.
The nine-year-old must concede weight all around at Naas and will be giving 12lb to fellow Closutton inmate and JP McManus-owned mare Dinoblue – a factor Mullins’ son and assistant Patrick expects will prove crucial.
Elimay was a Festival winner in 2022 (Mike Egerton/PA)
He said: “Elimay had a slight setback over the winter, so it is great to have her back out and going before Cheltenham. This is not going to be easy for her giving away all the penalties.
“Dinoblue is stepping up against more experienced mares, but she is getting all of the allowances and we’d like to think she can take advantage of all the weight she is receiving.”
The Henry de Bromhead-trained Magic Daze, a Punchestown Festival winner last season, is also among the seven runners for a race Mullins has won in six of the last seven years.
Another key Cheltenham player turns out in the Naas Farm Machinery Hunters Chase as the Mullins-trained Billaway looks to win the extended three-mile contest for a fourth year on the bounce.
Billaway (left) went from Naas to Cheltenham last year (David Davies/PA)
Billaway, winner of the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at last year’s Festival, will team up as usual with Patrick Mullins and much like Elimay, his major rival could be a stablemate.
Annamix, who was third in last year’s Topham at Aintree, returns to racecourse action proper after a couple of point-to-point starts this winter, although longer-term targets are in mind for the 10-year-old.
Mullins said: “Billaway has won this race the last three years and we are putting a tongue-tie on him for the first time. We are expecting a big improvement from his first run which he normally has in him.
“Jamie Codd rides Annamix in the same race. We are trying to qualify him for the Aintree Foxhunters’, so hopefully he can finish in the first three on Saturday.”
Brazil took the opening event at Naas 12 months ago (Nigel French/PA)
The opening Jim Nolan Transport Supporting Kill GAA Rated Novice Hurdle is another race to watch with an eye on the Festival.
Brazil won this last year before claiming the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham and three of this year’s contenders are entered in the Triumph Hurdle.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Jazzy Matty, Andrew Slattery’s Sir Allen and Almuhit from Denis Hogan’s yard are engaged in the Festival heat, while Metamorpheus and Byker were both last-time-out winners.
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2.42619461-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-02-10 14:29:592023-02-10 14:29:59Elimay returns to action on familiar ground before Cheltenham
