Willie Mullins column: Saturday and Sunday runners

Energumene was very impressive at Naas this week, his jumping was sound and he did it well against good opposition in the novice chase. There was no issue dropping back half a mile in trip and it opens up the route to the Sporting Life Arkle for him now – although there’s a good chance he’ll go to the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival first.

Belle Metal is from the first Irish crop of Soldier Of Fortune and was good in the bumper. I’d asked Jody Townend to ride a normal race on her and try and come through at the end but when she got down to the start she realised there was very little pace in the offing and took it upon herself to make the running. It shows good initiative on her part being a young seven-pound claimer and the confidence in her own ability to take a chance like that. It worked really well.

The entries are being made for Cheltenham now and James Du Berlais is one we’ve put in the Unibet Champion Hurdle. He looks great and looks strong, he’s very good and I’m very pleased with him. We’ll see how he goes but probably Cheltenham and Punchestown and then back to Auteuil is more likely to happen with him rather than the Dublin Festival.

He’d had a busy enough time in France up to now but he is one that we’re really looking forward to as a novice chaser next season.

SUNDAY

12.50 Punchestown – ASTERION FORLONGE

He schools very well at home and had jumped nicely at Limerick last time until making a mistake and paying the price. This is a nice opportunity to get his confidence back albeit with some serious opposition in Envoi Allen but it’s a race that suits us and we’re going there to get more experience over fences.

1.20 Punchestown – GANAPATHI

Paul has opted to ride him from our three in the race. He won nicely down at Cork and we’re hoping he could show a good bit of improvement. He missed Christmas and we need to get him out and more experience into him. He won before a lot of our horses came into form and we’re hoping he’s going to prove up to this standard.

1.20 Punchestown – POWER OF PAUSE

He’s improved to win at this track last time and I think he’s improved again since but the bare form would suggest he has to have done to be really competitive. We’re here to find out.

1.20 Punchestown - ECHOES IN RAIN

She won at Naas when there was more galloping than hurdling with the amount of hurdles they missed. We’ll see how she jumps here with the full complement in but she’s come off the flat and it’s an exercise to see where she sits in the novice team.

1.50 Punchestown - FRERE TUCK

He ran a cracker when fourth at Navan, jumping well and must have a major chance over this trip.

2.20 Punchestown – KLASSY KAY

I think going up in trip will be a big help to her and she has a lighter weight to carry, physically she’s isn’t the biggest so that’s in her favour too. However, she might need the ground to be a bit livelier to be at her very best.