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Wilie Mullins column: Weekend runners and preview


Galopin Des Champs takes centre stage for our star columnist on Sunday. Check out his guide to the full team.

Although Mister Policeman won at Fairyhouse on Friday, he wasn’t impressive. I’m hoping he can improve but at the moment his homework seems to be better than his trackwork as his two wins for us have been rather workmanlike.

It doesn’t reflect the sort of ability he shows at home and maybe we need to go out in trip but then we also must take into account that was only the third race of his life and he’s very inexperienced as a racehorse.

He showed on Friday he can fiddle his fences and be efficient over them. He missed the second last but when Paul Townend wanted him at the last, he came up. He’s a work in progress but isn’t showing yet on the track what we see at home.

Patrick Mullins looks ahead to Galopin Des Champs, State Man, Gaelic Warrior and more

Feu De Bresil ran a cracker to finish second and he’s a real chasing type, a big, rangy horse who maybe is back on track now.

Klassical Dream jumped like an old handicapper when winning at Thurles on Thursday. It was a really great introduction to steeplechasing for him and I think it will be hard to get Paul off him at any stage of the season now.

With that sort of performance he looks like a horse any jockey would want to ride over fences and fingers crossed we can keep him sound and get a full season out of him.

Facile Vega has recovered well from his winning chasing debut at Navan we’re possibly looking forward to Christmas with him now.

Brian Hayes gave Baby Kate a lovely ride to win the bumper at Cheltenham last weekend, saving ground by going down the inner. She showed a lot more there than she shows at home which was a feature of her mother Augusta Kate who didn’t like homework and performed much better on the track.

Her daughter seems to be in the same mould and hopefully she’ll keep improving and we’ll probably look at a Listed bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival for her or maybe go back to England for one.

Sunday runners

Cork

12:00 Enola

12
Enola437
Age: 4|  Weight: 11-0| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  -
7/4

A nice prospect from the Flat in France. She probably won’t ever have run on ground like this before, winter soft ground, but she jumps well and does everything nicely at home. If she handles the going she has a big chance.

12:35 Lisnagar Fortune

7
Lisnagar Fortune204
Age: 5|  Weight: 11-12| J: B Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR:  -| BF| D
7/2

We’re letting him run over this trip which I would have thought would be too short for him however when we went further he was too free and used himself up too much. So perhaps going that bit faster at two miles might suit him. He has a good chance.

12:35 Readin Tommy Wrong

11
Readin Tommy Wrong192
Age: 5|  Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  -| D
8/15

Won two bumpers last season and is another horse I think will benefit from a trip but he’s working very well at home and I’d give him a big chance.

13:45 Cinsa

6
Cinsa190
Age: 4|  Weight: 11-5| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  116| D
15/2

Ran in a lot of graded races last year, getting valuable experience and ended up winning earlier in the season in an average race at Wexford. Even though she won she wasn’t at all impressive. We were thinking 116 would be a very nice mark for her this time last year but the manner of her win last time, it looks less attractive.

On her form at Wexford we’re harshly treated but we thought she was a lot better than that so have put her in a handicap to see where we stand. I think she’ll need every yard of the two-and-a-half miles and how she runs here will determine what she does for the rest of the season but we’d still be hoping she’s well treated.

14:20 Night And Day

6
Night And Day196
Age: 6|  Weight: 11-7| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  -
9/2

A lovely big jumping mare who jumps well at home. This is a tough enough race to start off but she needs to get going and I’d give her every chance.

14:50 En Beton

1
En Beton665
Age: 9|  Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  140
9/1

A big chasing type. He carries top weight but is built to do it and this track will suit him. It will be a test of stamina and he’s built for that too, so he has his chance

15:25 Macdermott

8
Macdermott224
Age: 5|  Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  -
9/1

He’s been disappointing overall but looks more of a chaser in the making than a hurdler. I think two miles five around here on this ground won’t be any harm to him, he’ll probably relish going over further later in the season.

15:25 Meetingofthewaters

9
Meetingofthewaters28
Age: 6|  Weight: 11-12| J: B Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR:  120| C
1/1

He has enough experience over fences and in this type of race has an each-way chance.

Punchestown

12:10 Tullyhill

8
Tullyhillt214
Age: 5|  Weight: 11-12| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR:  -
1/8

He did well last season and was second to A Dream To Share at the festival here in the spring. He jumps well and I think this trip will suit him. He has every chance of making a winning hurdling debut.

13:20 Saylavee

2
Saylavee215
Age: 6|  Weight: 11-1| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR:  131| C
10/1

She has some nice form but isn’t well treated by the conditions of the race and if she got into the first three here I’d be delighted. She has won over course-and-distance.

13:55 Uncle Phil

4
Uncle Philh,t70
Age: 6|  Weight: 11-4| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: W P Mullins| OR:  130| D
5/1

I think the track and trip will suit this fellow and the dry week has been good for him even though he’d prefer better ground still. It’s a hard race with Imagine and Lucid Dreams in there so a clear round and a top three finish would be great.

14:30 Appreciate It

1
Appreciate Itt215
Age: 9|  Weight: 11-12| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  152| C| D
6/1

Patrick takes the ride on him. His rating wouldn’t suggest he’d be able to tackle Galopin Des Champs or Fastorslow but he is doing nice work at home and jumps well.

14:30 Asterion Forlonge

2
Asterion Forlonget190
Age: 9|  Weight: 11-12| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: W P Mullins| OR:  160| CD
18/1

Had a few nice runs last year over hurdles and was running a cracker in this race two years ago when he unseated rider at the third last, going very well at the time. He’s prone to making mistakes and a clear round would be a big help to him on Sunday.

14:30 Blue Lord

3
Blue Lordt215
Age: 8|  Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: W P Mullins| OR:  163| C| D
6/1

He’s shown he can win at this trip, and he would have every chance of running a big race depending on how things go on the day.

14:30 Galopin Des Champs

5
Galopin Des Champs214
Age: 7|  Weight: 11-12| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR:  179| BF| CD
1/2

He’s back to the scene of his win in the race last season. It might be a tougher race this time around but he comes here in good form and we’re hoping for the best and to take revenge on Fastorslow for that defeat in the Gold Cup here in the spring.

14:30 Stattler

6
Stattlert1254
Age: 8|  Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR:  163| D
28/1

I think the trip is too short for him and because of his Grade One penalty he has to go here. It’s a good starting point for all of our horses.

15:35 Soir De Garde

4
Soir De Garde
Age: 5|  Weight: 12-0| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR:  -
5/4

Kapgarde, his sire, wouldn’t be as fast a sire as Doctor Dino who his half-brother State Man is by but he comes here with a nice chance and is a very nice type.

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