Sandown Saturday preview: What the trainers say

Celebration time for Mullins?

Willie Mullins believes El Fabiolo will need to “bring his A-game” if he is to put Cheltenham Festival disappointment behind him in the bet365 Celebration Chase.

The seven-year-old was imperious in winning his first six starts over fences and was prohibitive odds to make it a magnificent seven in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Prestbury Park last month. However, the French recruit blotted his copybook for the first time since joining Mullins, almost crashing out after a juddering mistake at the fifth fence and he was swiftly pulled up by Paul Townend.

Mullins admits El Fabiolo “wasn’t himself” after returning to Ireland, but feels he is now back on-song ahead of what he considers a difficult test.

“It looks a tough enough race and he’ll have to bring his A-game,” he said.“It took him a couple of weeks to get over Cheltenham, he just wasn’t himself, but his last few bits of work have been good and David Casey schooled him over four fences on Wednesday morning and said he was very good and very brave, so I’m happy he’s in a good place.”

Mullins does not expect El Fabiolo to have things all his own way in a £170,000 contest which could play a crucial part in deciding whether the Closutton handler is crowed British champion trainer. His rivals include a familiar foe in Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon, who prior to the Champion Chase was the only horse to beat El Fabiolo since his arrival in Ireland, having got the better of him in a Grade One novice hurdle at Aintree two years ago, although the Mullins ace has since taken his revenge in last season’s Arkle at Cheltenham.

Mullins added: “It’s going to be a hell of a race, championship or no championship. Jonbon is on home ground and we’re playing an away game coming back from a run where we disappointed. Jonbon had a tough race in Aintree, so there’s pros and cons for both horses, so we’ll see. It’s going to be a tough and tactical race, I think.”

Jonbon has enjoyed a largely productive campaign, winning the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, the Tingle Creek at Sandown and bouncing back from a shock defeat in a rearranged Clarence House Chase on Cheltenham Trials Day with victory in the Melling Chase at Aintree two weeks ago.

Henderson told Unibet: “The match we have been waiting for has finally arrived and we are all very much looking forward to it. We did the Aintree-Sandown double 12 months ago, but he did have an easier race at Aintree last year than this, so that has to be taken into consideration.

“Nico (de Boinville) felt that two and a half was about as far as he’d like to go at this stage, so the drop back in trip is an obvious plus and he’s been ticking along nicely at home. It is a fantastic race and I hope that we can come out on top!”

Alan King saddles stable stalwart Edwardstone, who was behind Jonbon on his first two starts of the season but later bounced back to winning ways with a 40-length romp in the Game Spirit at Newbury. The 10-year-old fell two fences from home in the Champion Chase last month, but is reported to be in good form ahead of his latest big-race assignment.

King said: “It took him a wee bit of time to get over the fall, but he seems back in good order and I’m happy enough with him. It’s a cracking race, as it’s entitled to be. We’ll see what happens.”

Mullins’ title rival Dan Skelton is represented by Nube Negra, but while he is hopeful of a bold showing from his Celebration Chase runner, he has all but conceded the championship already.

“Nube Negra gets his chance to run on his ground,” Skelton told Racing TV. “I know he’s a massive price and the two superstars (El Fabiolo and Jonbon) are turning up and everything else, but it’s just nice to be able to go down there and run those types of horses on the ground they like and in really valuable races.

"We’ll enjoy the day, we’ll applaud Willie and ask him to keep it clean next year!"

Editeur Du Gite (Gary Moore), Boothill (Harry Fry) and Elixir De Nutz (Joe Tizzard) complete the field.

Select field goes to post

Having both been part of a pulsating three-way finish at Aintree little over a fortnight ago, Impaire Et Passe and Langer Dan are poised to renew rivalry in the bet365 Select Hurdle.

The Willie Mullins-trained Impaire Et Passe, a top-class novice last season, had failed to lay a glove on esteemed stablemate State Man a couple of times in Ireland this winter, prompting connections to sidestep the Cheltenham Festival in order to keep their powder dry for the Grand National meeting.

That decision paid off in a dramatic renewal of the Aintree Hurdle, with Impaire Et Passe just about denying a rallying Bob Olinger by a nose, with Langer Dan only a short head further away in third. A lengthy stewards’ inquiry followed and while connections of both of the beaten horses might feel they were unlucky losers on the day, the placings remained unaltered.

The first and third are set to clash again this weekend, both looking to do their bit for their respective trainers with the British title to be decided on the day, while Mullins has a second string to his bow in the form of the high-class Sir Gerhard.

Patrick Mullins, who rides Sir Gerhard, said: “Impaire Et Passe seems to have come out of Aintree very well. It’s a quick rematch for both horses, but our fellow travelled to the last hurdle on the bridle, so hopefully he can confirm the placings. If the main two are below par, Sir Gerhard has to have a big chance of stepping up. He didn’t stay in the Stayers’ Hurdle in soft ground and I think coming back to two-and-a-half on nicer ground will suit him very well.

“I was second on him in a Grade One novice chase this time last year (at Fairyhouse), so I’m delighted to get back on him and I’m expecting a big run from him, but it’s a very competitive race.”

Having proved himself capable of competing at the highest level on Merseyside, dual Coral Cup winner Langer Dan will look to take his revenge on Impaire Et Passe.

Asked if he is up for the rematch, trainer Dan Skelton told Racing TV: “Oh, definitely. It’ll tell us a little bit more. It was a great race up at Aintree, with its drama and everything else. There’s definitely three sides to the story but I didn’t come away from there wondering ‘what if’. That’s sport at the end of the day.”

Point and shoot for Nicholls chaser?

The other Grade Two on the card is the bet365 Oaksey Chase, a competitive two-mile-six-furlong contest featuring the likes of Patrick Neville’s The Real Whacker, the Mullins-trained Easy Game and Hitman from Paul Nicholls’ yard.

Of the latter, Nicholls said: “I’ve kept him fresh this year and looking at the declarations, I would like to think he will have a nice chance. He’s run well at Sandown before and the ground will suit him. Looking at the opposition, Easy Game pulled up last time, Ga Law pulled up last time, The Real Whacker pulled up last time. The others are OK horses, but they’re not top-notchers and it’s not like a Ryanair Chase, so I would like to think he will have a lovely chance.”

Nicholls, who still has an outside chance of pipping Mullins and Skelton to the trainers’ title, also has high hopes for his two runners in the £100,000 bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle.

He added: “Fire Flyer is a very nice horse and he won well at Taunton when he qualified for this. He was a bit disappointing in the EBF Final, but I don’t think he was right then and the ground was very testing over two and a half miles. This is more his trip and off 126, I think he has a nice handicap mark.

“Harry (Cobden) is very keen on Fire Flyer but I don’t actually think there is much between him and Panjari, who absolutely bolted in last week and the handicapper has put him up 9lb for winning an egg and spoon race at Ffos Las. He’s a class horse and with Freddie taking 5lb off, we have two lovely chances.”

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