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Willie Mullins column: Friday December 27th runners

By Willie Mullins

Sporting Life Plus

Thu December 26, 2024 · 9h ago

Gaelic Warrior returns for our star columnist at Leopardstown on Friday. Check out his guide to the full team.

Kempton

13:55 Ballyburn

Paul [Townend] stays over in England to ride him. He takes on Sir Gino in a top-class race. He goes over there with a run under his belt, in great shape, and we're hoping he can continue his winning run. We'll learn a lot from him running over two miles in this company. I’m looking forward to it.

Leopardstown

12:05 Last Kingdom

A very nice type. He won a flat race in France and looks sharp enough and jumps sharp enough too. We’re very pleased with him and he’s by a very good sire in Choeur Du Nord, a stallion we like. This fellow does things nicely at home and we’re looking forward to him in the opening three-year-old hurdle.

12:35 It's For Me

We have four in this. On his hurdles form he’d be well ahead of the rest. He jumps well at home and does everything right. I was really looking forward to running him at this meeting last year in the Grade One novice hurdle and things didn’t work out and he missed the season.

But he’s back now and in good order and is real nice type going into Leopardstown.

12:35 Lisnagar Fortune

A nice type of horse who possibly might want a longer trip.

12:35 Shanbally Kid

The same comment applies to this fellow who will also have to improve his jumping from his recent chase debut at Naas. He needs all the match practice he can get.

12:35 Western Diego

A very nice acquisition for Temple Bloodstock. It will be a very tough test for him on Friday, but he should be winning before too long.

13:10 Blue Lord

The mount of Daryl Jacob and he likes this track. He won’t be far away.

13:10 Gaelic Warrior

Patrick has put his hand up for Gaelic Warrior, who he won on last Christmas down at Limerick. He’ll be hoping he can repeat the dose here in what is a very hot race. He goes there in very good form.

13:10 Gentleman De Mee

Danny rides this fellow, and I think he could get a really good tune out of him too.

13:10 Dinoblue

Mark Walsh has elected to ride her in preference to Gentleman De Mee. I think she’ll improve a lot for her last run in the Hilly Way, in fact I’d expect her to improve hugely. I think she’s interesting in a race she won last season.

Dinoblue is clear over the last

13:45 Karniquet

With Paul in Kempton, Patrick has elected to ride him and he was very impressive in Tramore last time.

13:45 Karafon

Won very nicely for Patrick at Clonmel. Clearly, he’s hoping Karniquet will prove the better on Friday but we’ll see.

13:45 Sea Of Sands

Ran a cracker in the Royal Bond and very little improvement from that will see him test the top ones here. The weather and the ground will suit him and if he puts in a really good round of jumping, his flat experience will be a huge benefit to him from the last hurdle.

14:20 Batman Girac

A very forward-going horse. Possibly we’ll let him bowl along and he has his chance, but handicaps are handicaps and it’s going to be very tough.

14:20 Ethical Diamond

We’ve found him to be a tough horse to train and ride. Mikey O’Sullivan renews acquaintance with him having ridden him to run a cracker at the Dublin Racing Festival last season. He’s inclined to over-race as we saw at Royal Ascot where he ran a very nice race and I’d imagine getting him settled will be the key. If we can get the tactics right, he has a chance.

14:20 Gaucher

He has a stiff mark here and is another horse who is very tough on himself. He wears a hood and I’m sure Danny will find a pocket to put him and look to come through late.

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The Paddy Power Chase looks very, very tough and I’m not sure I’m going to be able to help people much but we’ll give it a go.

15:00 Nick Rockett

Has some very nice form and Sean Cleary-Farrell claims a valuable five pounds off him. He'll stay the trip and like the ground.

15:00 Meetingofthewaters

It’s going to be a tough assignment for last year’s winner even with Peter Smithers claiming seven pounds off.

15:00 Janidil

AP Kelly takes five off his back and he wears blinkers but hasn’t found his form yet this season.

15:00 Horantzau D'airy

Another that the ground will probably be a little too dead for but takes his chance.

15:00 Adamantly Chosen

Has the services of Charlie O’Dwyer who takes five off. I think he’ll handle the trip, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any more rain so the ground could be drying out for him.

15:00 Macdermott

Danny sticks with his fellow. It’s going to be tough for him for while he has a nice weight, he usually takes four or five races to get really race fit. He’s a very gross individual so knowing his race record over the last few seasons, it’s very hard to put him in the frame here.

Willie Mullins celebrates with Macdermott

15:00 Spanish Harlem

Sean O’Keeffe rides. I think this horse off a nice weight could well be one that will go close.

15:00 Aime Desjy

He’ll like the ground, and I think will handle the trip. He has his chance.

15:00 Chavez

He has a lovely weight and will get very inch of this trip.

15:00 Klarc Kent

Anna McGuinness takes a very valuable seven off which takes his weight below 10 stone which in these types of contests is always a huge advantage.

15:30 Eclipse Chaser

This is a nice horse. He fell in a point-to-point and has his chance on debut under Rules with Patrick riding.

15:30 Leaky Cauldron

He won his point but missed a bit of time and I’d hope he’ll run well.

Limerick

12:19 Sainte Tartare

This is a two-and-a-half mile hurdle which I think she’ll enjoy. She was very keen and did a lot of the donkey work down in Tramore and a little change in tactics with that run under her belt, should mean she’ll be there or thereabouts.

13:27 Paggane

It’s going to be a tough assignment for her. A clear round and a finish in the first four and we’d be very pleased.

14:02 Jalila Moriviere

She brings a good class of form to Ireland and while Kilcruit is well in on Ireland form, this filly looks to be really well in if she handles Irish conditions with only 11st 3lb to carry.

14:02 Kilcruit

The conditions of the race suit him. Trip and ground look fine and I hope he runs well.

14:36 Strutter

He comes from England and it’s going to be tough looking at his form over there to improve that but we have the benefit of Jody Townend in a ladies’ race and a racing weight too. He’ll handle the trip and ground and I’d be hoping Jody will work the oracle for us.