Willie Mullins column: New Year's Day reflections and

By Willie Mullins

Sporting Life Plus

Sat January 04, 2025 · 1d ago

The champion trainer reflects on a fantastic New Year's Day six-timer.

It was a nice start to the new year with six winners, four at Fairyhouse and two down at Tramore. We had the last winner of 2024 at Punchestown the evening before too and everything ran very well over the two days.

It was good to see Champ Kiely transferring his hurdles form to fences. I was very happy with that.

Embassy Gardens put himself in the Gold Cup picture with his win at Tramore, beating some good types and it looked effortless to me. He has been disappointing at Cheltenham before though, so we’ll see what direction we go with him.

Allegorie De Vassy loved the ground and the track the way it was at Fairyhouse. If we can keep her in that form, she’d be one we’d definitely head to Cheltenham with again for the Mares’ Chase.

Sounds Victorius looks a real nice staying chaser in the making, he’s as lazy as sin and jumping only lights him up. Down the back in Fairyhouse, because of the low-lying sun, they’d taken out the hurdles and Paul said he fell asleep and looked like he was going to be beaten turning for home.

But when Paul got after him and he had the last two to jump he woke up again and put it to bed quite quickly from what looked like a losing position.

Sainte Lucie looks a real top-drawer recruit from France for the juvenile division, and she looks a Triumph Hurdle type who will hopefully improve for the rest of the season.

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