Willie Mullins Cheltenham Festival reflections

We brought over a big team for this year’s Cheltenham Festival they went there in great form and duly delivered. It was a wonderful week.

We tried a few different things with Gaelic Warrior ahead of the Arkle and they seemed to work so we took a chance and put the hood on him and brought him back in trip and it worked like a dream. Paul Townend said he gave him one of the best rides he’s ever given him. He’ll probably go to Punchestown next.

State Man won the Champion Hurdle. It was very workmanlike to watch but I just think tactics on the day and the way the race was run meant that he wasn’t overly impressive. Paul rode him a good bit deeper than he usually would because of the position of some of the other horses and it showed the confidence he had in him to go and take the field when he wanted.

We thought Lossiemouth had a busy season last time so said we wouldn’t be hard on her this time around. She was very good in the Mares’ Hurdle and it sets her up to have a real crack at the Champion next year.

El Fabiolo disappointed in the Champion Chase and has been a little stiff behind since. However, he’s improving every day and we’re happy that we’ll have him back for Punchestown.

Ballyburn is a horse that really impressed me this week. I thought he was good but the manner of his win on Wednesday showed me that there’s a wow factor about him. It was very impressive. He could go anywhere.

With his speed he could go down the Champion Hurdle route, with his pedigree and stamina the Gold Cup route. It’s a bit fanciful maybe but could he do a Dawn Run and win a Champion before going on to win a Gold Cup?

He’s owned by Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh. David is used to managing some of the biggest names in football and being at huge sporting occasions all around the world and his reaction afterwards shows just what it means to have winners at the Cheltenham Festival. It was wonderful.

Fact To File showed how good he could be with the style in which he won the Brown Advisory and looks a horse who could step up to Gold Cup Class.

While it was disappointing not to win the Champion Chase earlier on the card with El Fabiolo, getting our 100th winner at the Festival with the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Jasmin De Vaux was wonderful. To have Patrick riding him really made it a special occasion.

We had a nice team for the race and I was delighted with how most of them ran. Of those who will improve I’ll take Sounds Victorious and Fishery Lane out of it, and it looks good for our novice hurdlers next season.

I don’t think Capodanno’s run this week was that bad. He was just out of his comfort zone going the speed they did in the Ryanair which meant he was too careful over his fences but going up in trip for the Randox Grand National will be a big help to him.

Our Triumph Hurdle team also fared very well. Majborough, who has the size and scope of a chaser, did very well to win and the rain-softened ground brought out his stamina to beat Kargese who ran very well in second.

She has a lot of speed and potentially a trip to Aintree or Punchestown or even back to Auteuil might work for her. Back on drier ground I think she’ll be a formidable force.

It was a huge achievement for Absurde to win a Sky Bet Ebor, go down to Australia for the Melbourne Cup and come back to win the County Hurdle. It was the ride of the week from Paul Townend and it must be a unique preparation for a winner of the race – and what a ride it was.

Galopin Des Champs was very good in the Boodles Gold Cup. Paul rode him super confidently and everything went according to plan until a loose horse was alongside him going to the second last. Everyone’s hearts was in their mouths waiting to see which way he would go – would he keep straight or carry Paul out into the parade ring?

Thankfully he was a genuine horse who kept straight, and Paul had to make the difficult decision to go on the outside but once Galopin got clear air he got down to gallop and lengthened away to win in the style of a true champion.

I’d imagine he’ll go to Punchestown next before we prepare to try and win a third Gold Cup next season.

It’s been an amazing few years. After having six seconds in the race and resigning myself to probably being one of those trainers who never win it, to have taken four Gold Cups back to Closutton is unbelievable.

It was a wonderful week. It all starts with our owners who send us the horses in the first place. I’m lucky to have the staff I have aided by my wife Jackie and Patrick assisting me with the training alongside David Casey, Ruby Walsh puts in his fourpence worth and Ben Delmer our travelling head lad had all our horses in the right gear, with the right colours and saddled and up in the parade ring this week. What an achievement that is. Pierre Boulard and Harold Kirk source the horses for me and all the staff in the yard are fantastic, it’s just an incredible team and has taken a good few years to pull together.

SUNDAY RUNNERS

Down Royal

13:07 Icare Desbois

I’m not sure the ground at Down Royal will suit him but he’s fit and well, jumps well enough and he has experience. He might be more of a summer horse though.

15:27 Adamantly Chosen

15:27 Classic Getaway

They both run here in the hope they’ll qualify for Aintree. To do that they have to finish in the first four. That will be their target and if they can win – well that would be fantastic.

Wexford

16:17 Klarc Kent

I think this fellow will have conditions to suit him. The trip on testing ground is ideal and the fact Paul is back from Cheltenham to ride him is a tip in itself.

17:27 Jackson Wood

Patrick rides him. He’s a huge steeplechasing type of horse. He’s long-striding, the heavy ground will suit and Patrick feels going left-handed at Wexford will bring out his stamina in these conditions.

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