Horses to follow: Willie Mullins new recruits

CHARLUS raced four times on the Flat for champion trainer Jean-Claude Rouget winning on three occasions. A four lengths winner of his only start as a juvenile at Pau (Right-Handed : 1m 2f : AW) in December last year, the Churchill gelding followed up with another victory over the same C&D in February. Returning from a break of 90 days, he won a conditions event at Bordeaux (Right-Handed : 1m 1f : Heavy) by two and a half lengths from stablemate Bruant, despite racing keenly during the first half of the contest.

Brought wide in the homestraight, he stayed on well to win comfortably. Three weeks later, the three year old relinquished his unbeaten record when beaten three lengths by another stable companion Sibayan (last of eight in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris next time) in a Listed race over the same C&D in late May. Acquired for €315,000 at the Arqana Summer Sale in July, he has joined Mullins. Officially rated 97 on the Flat, he hails from the same source as Bialystok and has the potential to make a high-class hurdler provided he learns to settle.

Daniela Mele trained Capodanno, Majborough, State Man and Zenta before being sold. The quartet became Grade 1 winners for Willie Mullins and the Closutton outfit returned to the same source last Autumn to buy the once raced FUNICULI FUNICULA. By the same sire as new stablemate Storm Heart, he lined up in the fourteen runner Prix Emilius at Auteuil in October – a two miles two hurdle which was won by four times Grade 1 winner Teahupoo in 2020. Positioned on the outside early on, Kevin Nabet switched his mount to the inside when racing down the backstraight.

Taking up the running on the hometurn, the Storm The Stars gelding was headed before the final hurdle. Seven and a half lengths in arrears of the Gab Leenders trained winner Dazodream (placed in Listed company since), Funiculi Funicula was a length and a half in front of subsequent dual winner King Conti. Further back, the fourth (twice, plus placed in Grade 2 company), fifth and eighth have also won since. Typical of his previous handler, Funiculi Funicula is a big, scopey individual who will develop into a very good chaser one day. In the meantime, he is expected to develop into a smart novice hurdler for his new connections this term.

Hugo Merienne worked for Guillaume Macaire (assistant), Arthur Moore and Willie Mullins before setting up his own training establishment in Chantilly. Significantly, Ireland’s champion trainer is now in charge of the twice raced KARMA D’AIRY.

Around seven lengths fifth on her hurdles bow at Auteuil (2m 2f : Very Soft) in late May, the four year old stepped up on that performance next time over the same C&D a month later. With the hood discarded, she was patiently ridden in rear until making progress in the backstraight. Having jumped fluently, Nicolas Gauffenic’s mount made a crucial mistake at the last, which arguably cost her victory. Denied by half a length, she was three lengths clear of the third. Bought for €250,000 at the Arqana Summer Sale, the daughter of Authorized is another potentially smart mare for Closutton.

Isabelle Pacault trained the Kapgarde gelding KARNIQUET on both his starts over hurdles A half-brother to Venetia Williams’ three times winning chaser Gemirande, Karniquet was beaten six lengths on his debut at Pau (2m 1f : Very Soft) in January. Only seventh jumping the last, the four year old finished strongly without threatening the winner. A month later, he filled the same position three parts of a length behind Keed D’Amis at Auteuil (2m 2f : Heavy).

Leading after the last, he was headed close home in a slow motion finish. Purchased by Gigginstown House Stud, stamina looks his strong suit and he could be the type to develop into a Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle contender in the spring.

KAWABOOMGA is another new recruit for Closutton who was bought privately by J.P.McManus. A big strapping chasing type, he was handled in France by Francois Nicolle and owned by Lord Daresbury and was a two lengths winner of an AQPS Flat race at Limoges (1m 6f) in early December. Responding well to pressure, he ran on dourly to score comfortably – second and third have won subsequently.

Three months later, the Tunis gelding made his hurdles bow at Auteuil (2m 1f : Heavy) in March and once again looked a stayer in the making keeping on well in third. Beaten two lengths, the form is sound with the first two home Karam Le Rouge and Kamaro D’Huez (twice, including Grade 1 AQPS Flat race) winning since. It was a further twelve lengths back to the fourth. Expect him to come into his own over two and a half miles plus before shining over fences eventually.

In October 2022 subsequent Grade 1 winning novice hurdler Jade De Grugy won a twelve furlongs AQPS Flat race at Saint-Brieuc. The daughter of Doctor Dino won 3 of her 4 races over hurdles including the Grade 1 Honeysuckle Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse’s Easter Festival. The Alain Couetil trained KEL HISTOIRE produced a very similar performance to win another AQPS Flat race over the same C&D in November last year. A Masked Marvel gelding out of a Listed hurdles winner, he was partnered by Laura Poggionovo (rode 24 winners in 2023) and raced on the outside in mid-division for much of race.

Pushed along leaving the backstraight, he was forced to challenge wide on the hometurn before showing good acceleration to reel in Kimi De Mai and win going away by a length and a half – it was almost a carbon copy of Jade De Grugy’s victory twelve months earlier. The runner-up has advertised the form by winning his next three starts, while the third, fourth and fifth have also scored since. Willie Mullins was evidently impressed purchasing both the winner and second. Kel Histoire was bought for €200,000 at the Arqana Deauville Autumn Sale in November and is now owned by J.P.McManus. Having spent the summer at Martinstown Stud, he is all set to go novice hurdling and the chestnut could be anything.

Willie Mullins has won the Cheltenham Festival bumper a record breaking 13 times – but only twice with six year olds, namely Missed That (2005) and Sir Gerhard (2021). Ironically, that pair both won point-to-points ridden by Derek O’Connor. It is hoped Ireland’s champion trainer elects to go down the same route with impressive Damma House point winner QUANTUM BOY, who was steered to a 40 lengths success by the most successful point-to-point jockey of all time in November last year.

Purchased by J.P.McManus, the half-brother to triple Grade 1 winner Bravemansgame has all the attributes to develop into a top-class horse under Rules. Bought by former Grand National winning jockey David Mullins for €85,000 as a store, he was also trained in his point by Jonathan Fogarty and produced an exhibition round of jumping before powering away at Damma (Soft). J.P.McManus has won the Cheltenham Festival bumper twice, Mucklemeg (1994) and A Dream To Share (2023), while another six year old trained by W.P.Mullins, namely Fact To File, chased home the latter in the green and gold, too. He also started life in Irish points. Quantum Boy – remember the name.

Philippe Peltier trained Arvika Ligeonniere (4) and dual Cheltenham Festival winner Douvan (8) in France before being bought on behalf of Rich and Susannah Ricci and joining Willie Mullins. The pair won a dozen Grade 1 races between them and were top-class National Hunt horses. Ireland’s champion trainer has returned to the same French source and is now looking after the once race VENUSIENNE, who belongs to J.P.McManus.

A tall, beautiful looking black filly by Authorized out of a Listed hurdles winner, she debuted in the Prix Finot at Auteuil in September last year finishing second. Fitted with a noseband and racing on the outside, she jumped well and travelled strongly. Making headway down the backstraight, Geoffrey Re’s mount went to the front with a bold leap at the second last and appeared to have the race in safe keeping only to get outstayed late on by Ginagold. Beaten a length in second, the third (Karamajo) was purchased by Gigginstown House Stud. The trio pulled seven and a half lengths clear of the fourth. The form has been boosted with the fifth (three times), six (twice) and seventh (three times) winning subsequently. J.P.McManus has yet to win the Grade 2 Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

It will be a surprise if Venusienne doesn’t develop into a leading contender for the two miles one event in March – Willie Mullins won the first five renewals but is without a victory in it since 2020. The Grade 3 Solerina Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in late January – an event Mullins has won on nine occasions since 2011 – is another race which is likely to figure on her programme. The Peltier family may have unearthed another star.

Rich and Susannah Ricci have enjoyed 22 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including two victories in the Triumph Hurdle. French imports Vauban (2022) and Lossiemouth (2023) have developed into top-class horses with the former heading back to Australia for another tilt at the Melbourne Cup following his Group 2 win at York during the summer, while the latter is considered a live contender for the Champion Hurdle after registering her second victory at the Festival in the Mares’ Hurdle last spring.

Already at the forefront of the ante-post market for the Triumph Hurdle is the Ricci family’s latest acquisition from across the English Channel, WILLY DE HOUELLE. Trained in France by Arnaud Chaille-Chaille, who supplied the same patrons with dual Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam, the three year old also comes from the same stable which unearthed nine times Grade 1 winner and dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs. A four lengths winner on his hurdles debut at Compiegne in March, the son of Beaumec De Houelle wore a hood and noseband and was kept to the inside throughout. Having raced in mid division, the grey made headway rounding the hometurn before being produced between the final two obstacles.

Leading soon after the last, he was pushed clear to win comfortably. The runner-up, fifth and sixth (twice) have won since. Six weeks later, Willy De Houelle lined up in the Listed Prix Go Ahead at Auteuil and chased home the unbeaten Nietzsche Has (Grade 3 winner since). Two and a half lengths in arrears, Gaetan Masure’s mount ran well with ten lengths back to the third. The fourth (Sony Bill) and fifth (Mambonumberfive), who were beaten nearly fourteen and twenty lengths respectively, have been sold for €200,000 (Willie Mullins) and €450,000 (Ben Pauling) since. One would expect Willy De Houelle to make his Irish debut in either the Grade 3 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse (1st December) or the Grade 2 event at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day before a crack at the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the DRF in February. Then, all being well, it will be the Cotswolds in March.

Zoffany has produced some useful hurdlers in recent years, including the Galway Hurdle winner Nurburgring. The Group 1 winning Flat racer is also responsible for the former Christophe Ferland trained ZILLOW.

Unraced as a juvenile, he made up for lost time last year winning two of his five starts on the level. A neck winner from Korea (joined Willie Mullins) at Angers (RH : 1m 4f : Soft) in April, his other victory came at Saint-Cloud (LH : 1m 4f : Good/Soft) in the Autumn of 2023. A narrow winner from Mirzann (won since), he was subsequently sold for €300,000 at the Arqana Autumn Sale and now belongs to H.O.S.Syndicate and has been gelded. As is often the case with the Closutton summer/Autumn arrivals, he was purposely left off in readiness to go hurdling as a four year old. Ireland’s champion trainer acquired the ill-fated Cheltenham Festival winner Concertista from the same source.

• Mark Howard’s One Jump Ahead (PDF ONLY – paper copy SOLD OUT) and his 5 Updates, which feature all the latest recruits during the course of the 2024/2025 season, are available to purchase at www.mhpublications.co.uk

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Dan Skelton

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