Emmet Mullins says Corbetts Cross is on track for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup and he could have his prep at Gowran Park.
The eight-year-old was a well-backed 17-length winner of the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and he finished sixth when last seen in the King George at Kempton.
That performance led some to believe he might even switch back to hurdles at the Festival, but he wasn’t entered in the Stayers’ Hurdle this week, ending that possibility.
Trainer Emmet Mullins is happy with him and when asked by the man himself on the Nick Luck Daily podcast if all roads led to the Gold Cup he said: “Yeah, definitely. I think he deserves a crack at it.
“We’ve been happy enough with him so far this season, just from building and from the start of the season the Gold Cup has always been the plan.
“Probably a little disappointed that he didn’t finish off the race [at Kempton] better, but at the same time I knew I hadn’t the prep in him so I had to forgive him. We’d had an interrupted six weeks with the lead up to the Betfair Chase.
“It wasn’t disastrous and I think there’s plenty to work on.”
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Mullins indicated he would like to get a run into Corbetts Cross before Cheltenham, with the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday February 15 among his options.
He said: “There’s a possibility he might go to Gowran for the Red Mills Chase which is only just over the road and it would be a nice little tune up over two-and-a-half miles for Cheltenham.
“I suppose people are talking about Embassy Gardens after his win in Tramore and we were a hands and heels ride to beat him 17 lengths.
“I think the performance is in him and we’ve been training for one day and one day in mind."
Corbetts Cross is generally a 20/1 chance for the Gold Cup on March 14.
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