Patrick Mullins feels he has two live chances on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
First up is Salvator Mundi in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. He was favourite for the race before stablemate Kopek Des Bordes catapulted himself there with a devastating win at the Dublin Racing Festival.
However having ridden his mount on the track this morning, Mullins warned against underestimating the five-year-old.
He told Sporting Life: “I think he has a fantastic chance and he’s a very big price. Nothing went right for him in the Moscow Flyer but despite doing everything wrong he still won on his first run back from a long lay-off.
“I think this good ground will suit him. He was well beaten in the Triumph last season but that was on very testing ground. He settled much better that day and going a good gallop this afternoon I think we’ll see the real Salvator Mundi, and I think he has a huge chance.
“I thought he was suitably relaxed out there this morning, he wasn’t asleep my any means but he’ll have a hood on later which will help and going that good gallop in the Supreme he’ll settle OK.”
Transmission is the other ride in the closing Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase.
Mullins was successful aboard Neil Mulholland’s charge in November and is relishing the prospect of partnering him again in the finale.
“A super ride. I was delighted to get the call-up. It’s very unfortunate for James Bowen who’s obviously suspended. I won on him in November, he’s been around the track a few times and Neil (Mulholland) has had this race in mind since the start of the season.
“He has a lovely light weight, he’ll stay, and his racing style of being very relaxed and lazy should really suit the race.
“It’s an 18-runner handicap on good ground, we are probably going to need a bit of luck and hopefully the pace is even. I don’t want them to slow it up in the middle of the race then suddenly we’re all racing on top of each other, that’s the only concern, but I can’t wait to ride him.”
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