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Willie Mullins Cheltenham preview: Full stable tour
Check out our comprehensive Willie Mullins Cheltenham stable tour including fantastic video features from Closutton.
ADAMANTLY CHOSEN
Even though he won by half the track down at Thurles I thought he was very green. I’ll have a word with connections, and they might choose to stay at home and look at Fairyhouse and Punchestown and there’s a nice race before that back at Thurles. It’s not a given he’ll go to Cheltenham.
AL BOUM PHOTO
I was disappointed with him three weeks ago but since then he’s done two lovely bits of work. I’m happy with him now, so is Paul, and we’ll try and keep him in that zone between now and Cheltenham. He’s been there and done it in the Gold Cup, it looks an open race this year too so it’s all to play for.
ALLAHO
I think the way he was ridden in the Ryanair Chase last year was good and brave and the horse responded, he jumped fantastically well. If he could do something like that again this year it would be terrific. I think he’d stay three miles on a given day and could even go back to two. The way he jumps there are Grade One races he could win over that trip. He’s in good shape at the moment and everything is right. His form has been good this season and all being well he should be the one to beat again in the Ryanair.
APPRECIATE IT
We were preparing him to go novice chasing but he had a small setback, and it was getting late in the season so we decided to change and go back hurdling. The way things have worked out we haven’t got a run into him before the Champion Hurdle which I’m not too worried about. You’d have liked to get one in, but I’ve kept him fresh and trained him for the race.
His Festival experience from last year’s Sky Bet Supreme will stand him in good stead, it’s the same course and distance and the form of his novice season has worked out. We have a horse with a lot of ability who seems in good form at home and we’re happy with how things have been working out for us.
ASTERION FORLONGE
Probably looking at his runs in the John Durkan and King George at Kempton he deserves a crack at the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. The way he jumps, he always finds one or two fences to make a mistake at and ruin his chance. Should I bring him back in trip for the Ryanair or maybe all the way back to a two-mile race? We won’t do that at Cheltenham and it’s an open Gold Cup so I do wonder if we shouldn’t run there.
Looking at the mares’ novice hurdle BRANDY LOVE is going to be hard to beat but DINOBLUE was very impressive at Clonmel. It wasn’t what she beat but the way she did it. I elected not to run her again, I thought it was a tough race on that ground that day, but she did it well. I don’t mind going to this race without a lot of runs and this mare deserves a good crack it. STATUAIRE won a Grade One earlier in the season and if we get a dry week the ground will probably be coming right for her. Her handicap mark wouldn’t suggest she’s good enough but I think she’s a lot better on better ground.
BLUE LORD
He’s three form three over fences this year and does everything right. He jumps well and gave Gordon’s mare (Riviere D’Etel) nine pounds the last day when he beat her and we were very happy with that. He fell at the last in the Sky Bet Supreme last year and was booked for second but that was a good run so we know he likes the track. We’re looking for a big run in the Sporting Life Arkle.
BRING ON THE NIGHT
He was very good at Naas. We went there with a view to seeing whether he was good enough to go to Cheltenham. He’s in the Sky Bet Supreme but the way he jumped last time that might be a bit quick for him. We might need to supplement him for the Ballymore as he’s not in it at the moment, the slower gallop would help and he’s definitely good enough to go there.
What he showed from halfway up the straight impressed me. He jumped the last well and you could see he had the race won and was going to win by a length or two but when he realised there were no more hurdles to jump he took off and found another gear. That showed me he could be good enough to win a race at Cheltenham.
CAPODANNO
He’ll probably go for the Brown Advisory. He’s a super jumper and a lovely long-striding horse. That would look the part for him should he go there.
CHACUN POUR SOI
He just hasn’t played his A-Game going over to England so far. I was very pleased with his last run at the Dublin Racing Festival and if he could bring that form across to Cheltenham he’d give the other two something to think about in the Champion Chase.
We’re going to go a lot easier with him and he might just appreciate going there a bit fresher. I’d imagine Paul might ride Energumene but if it was me, I might be on this fellow. I like this horse.
CIEL DE NEIGE
He’s in the Grand Annual and we’ll look at that but there’s a nice programme for him at home if we don’t travel.
CLASSIC GETAWAY
I look at him as Ballymore prospect, maybe an Albert Bartlett one. He’s a big galloper, a staying type on better ground. Maybe he’d get that, weather permitting, in the Albert Bartlett but we’ll see. He’s on track for one of those races.
CONCERTISTA
Already a Festival winner and a fine mare who is doing everything right over fences. She lacks the experience of Elimay though and that might be the key in the Mrs Paddy Power Chase.
DYSART DYNAMO
A horse with a lot of ability. He’s a big, strong sort who likes to get on with the job. Paul said he’d settle if you want to drop in behind something. He’s in the Sky Bet Supreme and Ballymore and what he did in the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer last time was very impressive.
He looked like he had everything cooked by the stone wall at Punchestown and that’s a long way from home there. You’d be thinking Supreme Novices’ but the option to go the other way is there. He has a high cruising speed.
EL FABIOLO
He’s owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and won well down at Tramore. The horse he beat, Tempo Charter Two, has come out and won since. He’s a horse who likes to get on with things and jumps well. He has his chance in the Sky Bet Supreme.
ELIMAY
She was unlucky to bump into a mare like Colreevy in last year’s Mrs Paddy Power Chase but it shows she can handle the track and jump around there. She’s been good this year, even better when we but cheekpieces on over two miles last time and we might keep them on at Cheltenham. She’s all set to go back to the mares’ chase and I’m hoping she will be a big player this year too.
ENERGUMENE
It’s going to be hard for him to turn the tables with Shishkin. That was a tough race at Ascot when they met and the winner made one-and-a-half errors, we didn’t make any and had the perfect trip. We’ll see what happens.
FACILE VEGA
I always thought he could be one of our best bumper horses. He was very impressive over Christmas and then at the Dublin Racing Festival, in what was a top-class race, he was awesome. He came around the last bend and there were five or six horses in with a chance but once Patrick asked him a question, he got down to gallop and was very impressive all the way home.
He’s a nice tall horse, very efficient and a perfect size and athlete. He came away from a really good field last time. He’s a son of Quevega who won six times at the Festival for us. She was very lightly raced which is why she might have passed on so much ability to him.
GAELIC WARRIOR
He’s a nice horse we bought in France. He’s qualified for this race, so we kept it in mind for him and were happy enough not to run before. He’s done a lot of schooling over Irish and British hurdles, but he’s used to racing over French ones and he might go to the first at Cheltenham and treat it like a French one. Then what looks a nice handicap mark mightn’t be.
Lots of people are telling you he’s thrown in at the weights but I’m looking for the negatives and in a handicap they’re going to jump out and go like hell and if he misses any of the first three hurdles that might be his chance gone straight away.
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
He won at Cheltenham over two-and-a-half miles last season then came back and won over three at Punchestown. We started him off at two-and-a-half over fences and he was very good both times. I’d like to stay at that trip. The way he jumps he loves to get on with the job and while he’s in both the Brown Advisory and the Turners at the moment I’m favouring the latter. I like the way he jumps and if he went to the three-mile race would he be too quick over his fences? We know he stays so can go three miles too. We’ll look at what runs in both races and decide.
GRANGEE
Bryan Cooper rode her in the race at Fairyhouse where Allegorie De Vassy beat Brandy Love and he said after the race he thought he had everything in front of him covered when falling at the second last. That was interesting but a lot can happen from that point in a race. However that’s how he felt about her and if he’s right that puts here bang there with a chance in the mares’ novices’ hurdle.
HAUT EN COULEURS
He was very good when winning at Christmas but then fell early in the Irish Arkle. He ran well in the Triumph last year so handles the track. Watching him at home I’d be disappointed if we can’t get a Grade One out of him and Saint Sam at some stage of their careers.
ICARE ALLEN
He’s in the Triumph and the Boodles and won very impressively at Fairyhouse the last day. That’s probably going to tilt us towards taking on Vauban and Fil D’Or in the Grade One. What he did at Christmas impressed me a lot too and at the Dublin Racing Festival he missed the first hurdle and was then in the wrong position throughout the race. That’s why we ran at Fairyhouse and he put himself in the picture for the Triumph there.
IL ETAIT TEMPS
He’s a horse we bought for next season but I got him home, was training him and was very happy with what he was showing us at home so decided to run him in a top race. and he was third in the Spring Juvenile. He’ll go for the JCB Triumph Hurdle and if he was placed, I’d be delighted. If the big guns fail to fire, which can happen, he’ll be there with a shout.
JAMES’S GATE
Was very impressive when winning at Punchestown and being owned by Sean and Bernardine Mulryan they’ll be aiming him at the Ballymore next season. He needs to go to Cheltenham to get experience for that but apart from that he’s good enough to take his place in the bumper anyhow and he’ll give a good account there.
KILCRUIT
It took him a while to get off the mark over hurdles but I think he just ran into two smart horses on their day. I was impressed with how efficiently and professionally he did it when we brought him back to two miles at Punchestown and let him jump and gallop. He did just that all the way to the line – and beyond. We’ll go to the Sky Bet Supreme and hopefully he can produce a good run. I think he’s come forward all season. I’m much happier with him – and he’s much happier in himself - after the last win.
KLASSICAL DREAM
It’s going to be fascinating watching the start of the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. My horse likes to get on with it, so does Flooring Porter and Paisley Park has his own way of dealing with it. It’s going to be so important to those three horses. Our fellow stays three miles, jumps well, likes Cheltenham and we’re there with a hell of a chance, but the start is going to be crucial.
MINELLA COCOONER
Danny gave him a great ride to win at the Dublin Racing Festival but the eye opener was how he jumped and travelled. Did he get a freebie or was he there because he was able to be there and put the others under pressure with his good jumping? His style of racing might lead you to believe he should go for the Ballymore but we’ll look at the Albert Bartlett too and decide nearer the time.
RAMILLIES
He’s always shown us a lot at home and this year he’s started to show it on the racetrack a bit better. He won a bumper last season but then disappointed in the winners’ bumpers, but I thought he won very well at Punchestown the other day and maybe he’s just coming to terms with himself. He’s a big, strong, three-mile chaser type and it’s possible he’s only just maturing. If I had more experience in him I’d go to the Albert Bartlett but we’ll see. He’s a stayer down the road anyhow and the Ballymore is another option.
REDEMPTION DAY
Patrick was very impressed with him at Christmas – as were a lot of other people. He showed a great turn of foot, but we didn’t get the chance to get him out at the Dublin Racing Festival. Fingers crossed he stays right and he’ll go to Cheltenham as he’s a good back-up to Facile Vega.
SAINT SAM
Very impressive in winning his beginners chase, he came out and was third in the Irish Arkle. That was a good run and he ran a cracker in the Fred Winter last year. We’ve three nice cards to play in the Sporting Life Arkle and he’s one of them.
SIR GERHARD
Showed lots of stamina in beating Kilcruit in the Champion Bumper last season. He’s flat bred but won a point-to-point and has options in the Sky Bet Supreme and the Ballymore. I wouldn’t be afraid to run him in either one.
I was very impressed when he won his maiden hurdle, I thought he was very professional, but then next time at the Dublin Racing Festival he didn’t jump as well and seemed a little distracted, he was looking all around him. That was a bit disappointing whether I put cheekpieces on I don’t know. Paul banged him out in front and that’s a lonely place for a horse and maybe he wanted a lead or something alongside him. He still won which was good and he’s an exciting horse.
STATE MAN
He was unlucky to fall on the first day and won well next time. He’s in the Sky Bet Supreme and the Ballymore and I’d be looking towards the first of those with him at this stage but he has the option of the handicaps too.
TORNADO FLYER
He ran a great race in the John Durkan and then Danny went over to Kempton with our plan in the King George and it worked out fantastically for him. We’re looking at the Gold Cup now with a King George winner who was staying on the finish. Maybe they went too fast at Kempton and ran themselves into the ground, but they can do that in a Gold Cup too.
Three-and-a-quarter miles on an undulating track is new to him but for the first time this fellow is putting a second half of the season together. He used to fade away after Christmas but this year is more mature and coming right. We’ve nothing to lose and maybe another two furlongs over a stiffer track is what he’s looking for.
VAUBAN
He was beaten first time out at Punchestown but we’d heard a lot about Gordon’s horse (Pied Piper) so while disappointed to get beat, they were clearly two very good horses who came clear of the rest. We thought our fellow might improve but Gordon’s might too.
Vauban went on to win the Spring at Leopardstown and it’s going to be an intriguing race in the Triumph, it will probably come down to who jumps best on the day. They’re probably not far apart in terms of ability. It’s nice for Rich and Susanna Ricci to have another nice horse to go to the Festival with.
We’ve a strong hand in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
I’d imagine CONCERTISTA will probably go for the Mrs Paddy Power Chase but STORMY IRELAND, BURNING VICTORY and ECHOES IN RAIN are all possible runners.
The first two both have previous good Cheltenham form and I think Echoes In Rain is improving all the time. Stormy Ireland won the Relkeel and that run looks hard to get past to me.