Cheltenham Festival preview: What's Willie Mullins banker?

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri February 17, 2023 · 2y ago

With Allaho out of the Ryanair Chase following on from recent defeats for Facile Vega and Energumene what's Willie Mullins' Cheltenham banker now?

Our racing team have their say and opinion is split 50-50.

Tony McFadden - Lossiemouth JCB Triumph Hurdle

Lossiemouth may have lost her unbeaten record in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival but an unlucky defeat didn't dent her reputation or Triumph Hurdle claims.

Lossiemouth had to settle for second behind stablemate Gala Marceau - a rival she had beaten seven and a half lengths over course and distance on her previous start - but she looked like an unlucky loser after being badly hampered and shuffled back leaving the back straight, while she was also hindered by being forced wide when attempting to make headway around the home turn.

She is better judged on what she showed on her penultimate outing, when she got a clear crack at things, and while there's another exciting juvenile at Closutton in the shape of Blood Destiny he'll need to be a good one to successfully give her 7lb.

Get Stuck In: Jonbon, Betfair Hurdle reaction and Haydock & Ascot tips

Andrew Asquith - Gaillard du Mesnil National Hunt Chase

Gaillard du Mesnil is a second-season novice who finished third in the Broadway Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last year before running a mighty race when filling the same spot in the Irish Grand National.

He didn’t need to improve to gain a long overdue success over fences in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels (Fort Leney) Novices' Chase at Leopardstown in December and he ran another solid race when third to Mighty Potter in the Scalp Novices' Chase at the same course last time.
Gaillard du Mesnil finished closer to Mighty Potter on his seasonal reappearance, but that was on more testing ground, so it is best not to judge him too harshly on his latest run which also came over a trip short of his optimum.

The test that the National Hunt Chase will present will be right up his street and he will almost certainly have the assistance of Patrick Mullins in the saddle, which is a big plus in these amateur riders' events. He has to be one of Willie Mullins’ best chances of the week.

David Ord - Lossiemouth JCB Triumph Hurdle

Galopin Des Champs is the star turn for Closutton and the best horse in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup field. But he just has to prove that he stays three mile two furlongs in a race run at a searching gallop for all the exuberance of his novice campaign has been replaced with a professional approach this time around.

As a result I'm drawn to Lossiemouth in the Triumph. She looked all over the Cheltenham winner when readily dispatching Gala Marceau at Leopardstown over Christmas only for things to go against her in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle next time.

Ruby Walsh isn't convinced she'll take the measure of her stablemate at Cheltenham but I am. Lossiemouth was stopped in her tracks at a crucial stage by a weakening owner-mate and then bumped and forced wide turning in as her near neighbour took swift revenge for that festive defeat.

Gala Marceau is very talented but very keen in her races too. She got warm before the race over Christmas and i just wonder how she'll handle everything a capacity Cheltenham crowd throws at her on Gold Cup day.

In contrast Lossiemouth is a professional, point and shoot mare. And with a clear passage she can confirm herself to be the star of this division.

Ben Linfoot - Gaillard Du Mesnil National Hunt Chase

For me, it’s Gaillard Du Mesnil in the National Hunt Chase. He’s a second-season novice chaser who has racked up a load of experience which is what you need in this race and he was good enough to break his duck in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas.

There was no shame in him being outpaced by a horse of the calibre of Mighty Potter over 2m5f at the Dublin Racing Festival and if anything that simply confirmed his Festival target as he showed again he hasn’t got the gears for a Turners or even a Brown Advisory (which he was third in last year).

He’s an out and out stayer, he’ll be the highest-rated horse in the National Hunt Chase (and probably by a fair distance), while he’s been placed at two Festivals so he’s proven round the track, as well.

Versatile regarding ground conditions, too, there are very few holes in his chance and while he hasn’t been missed by the markets, he’s very deserving of banker status, even from a yard as dominant as this one.

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