Tag Archive for: Gaelic Warrior

Mullins eyeing move up in trip for Ballyburn

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Ballyburn looks set for a step up in distance on his next start after proving no match for Sir Gino at Kempton on Friday.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was arguably last season’s star novice hurdler, recovering from an initial defeat at the hands of Firefox to win his next four starts, including Grade One victories at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, the Cheltenham Festival and the Punchestown Festival.

Having made a foot-perfect start to his career over fences at Punchestown last month, Ballyburn dropped back in trip for the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase, but had to play second fiddle to Nicky Henderson’s hugely impressive four-year-old Sir Gino.

Bookmakers reacted by making Sir Gino an odds-on favourite for the Arkle at Cheltenham in March, with Ballyburn now heading the market for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase over three miles, which would appear his more likely target at this stage.

“People were saying before that he could be a Champion Hurdle horse, but it looks like he wants a trip. He’s bred to want a trip,” said Mullins.

Ballyburn was one of two Mullins runners defeated by Henderson superstars at Kempton, with Lossiemouth picking up the silver medal behind Constitution Hill in the previous afternoon’s Christmas Hurdle.

However, while the British and Irish champion trainer is eyeing a stiffer test of stamina for Ballyburn, Lossiemouth looks set to stay at two miles for the time being at least.

Lossiemouth (second left) in action at Kempton
Lossiemouth (second left) in action at Kempton (Steven Paston/The Jockey Club)

He added: “She had never gone that pace before over two miles and she will be sharper the next day.

“We’ll stick to two miles for the moment and she’ll have another run in either the International at Cheltenham or back here (Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown) before we decide what to do.

“We have been concentrating on getting her settled over two miles and she will have learned from that race and should be sharper the next day. I liked the way she finished.”

Mullins was also content with the festive performance of last season’s Arkle hero Gaelic Warrior, who finished second behind surprise winner Solness in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown.

“Gaelic Warrior just blew up and was second to a horse that was mad fit and got a very good ride from J J Slevin,” said the Closutton handler.



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Patrick Mullins excited to be going back into battle with Gaelic Warrior

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Following a memorable success together last Christmas for a variety of different reasons, Patrick Mullins and Gaelic Warrior will be reunited in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown.

The partnership claimed what was ultimately a clear-cut Grade One victory in the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick 12 months ago, but what happened post-race grabbed the headlines.

Gaelic Warrior got in a minor barging match with stablemate Il Etait Temps on the run to the penultimate fence and Patrick Mullins appeared to react angrily to that incident, berating his cousin Danny as the pair pulled up after the winning line.

Speaking afterwards, Patrick said: “I told Danny going out that there will be a gap on my inside going down to the second-last and ‘do not come for it’ but he hasn’t listened to me. Luckily it didn’t get the two of us beaten.” While Willie Mullins added: “I had my son and my nephew trying to kill each other!”

Both riders made light of the incident once the dust had settled and both horses went on to enjoy fine campaigns, with Gaelic Warrior claiming Cheltenham Festival glory in the Arkle.

The six-year-old will be a warm order to bag another big-race success on Friday, but with his mount having been off the track since being beaten by Il Etait Temps at Punchestown in the spring, Patrick Mullins is taking nothing for granted.

He said: “I’m delighted to get back on Gaelic Warrior – hopefully Danny doesn’t put his nose where he shouldn’t this year!

“Leopardstown maybe hasn’t seen him at his best in the past and obviously he’s making his first start of the season against horses who have had a run, so it won’t be straightforward.

“He is the best horse in the race, but if there is a day that he might be vulnerable this year, it might be this. But we’re very happy with him at home and we’re expecting a big run and I can’t wait to get back on him.”

Gaelic Warrior is one of four runners for Willie Mullins, with Danny aboard Gentleman De Mee, Mark Walsh riding Dinoblue and Daryl Jacob partnering Blue Lord.

Marine Nationale winning at Leopardstown last year
Marine Nationale winning at Leopardstown last year (Niall Carson/PA)

Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty is bang-in-form following successive Grade Two wins, while Barry Connell is confident of a bold showing from his stable star Marine Nationale, who blew away any cobwebs when second to Quilixios in a Grade Three at Naas last month.

Connell said: “As you know, he had a shortened season last year, so he was kind of light on experience going into Naas. We’ve given him a racecourse school since then and we were very happy with the way he jumped.

“He’s going to relish the good ground tomorrow – it’s probably the first time since he won his maiden hurdle that he’s got the proper good ground that he wants.

“He’s a course and distance winner and we couldn’t be happier with the way he’s working, so we’re expecting him to be very competitive.

“They’re all there, but we wouldn’t swap our guy for anything else. We have him in the shape we want him and we think conditions will suit.”

Henry de Bromhead’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness also features in a quality field.



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Lossiemouth looks on course for Christmas cracker with Constitution Hill

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Connections of Lossiemouth are “leaning towards” a potential Christmas cracker of a clash with Constitution Hill in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

The five-year-old made an impressive start to her campaign when comfortably defeating Teahupoo in the two-and-a-half-mile Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at the start of the month, a victory that saw her promoted to the head of the Champion Hurdle market.

With trainer Willie Mullins also housing the reigning champion in the shape of State Man, who suffered a surprise defeat on his return, he is eager to split his stars over the Christmas period and mentioned Kempton as a potential target straight after Lossiemouth’s Fairyhouse win.

She is also entered in the December Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29 – but owner Rich Ricci feels they are more likely to bypass that in favour of a trip to Kempton on Boxing Day or even Cheltenham for the Relkeel Hurdle on January 1.

Lossiemouth won the Mares' Hurdle last year but is Champion-bound this term
Lossiemouth won the Mares’ Hurdle last year but is Champion-bound this term (Adam Davy/PA)

Ricci told Matt Chapman on the At The Races’ Unbridled podcast: “State Man loves Leopardstown, it’s his course, he’s undefeated there and our only defeat was at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival.

“We might go to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival, last year we went to the International (at Cheltenham), but she would carry a bigger penalty this year.

“I would say we’re probably leaning towards that (Christmas Hurdle), but we can lean the other way as well. There’s the option of the race on New Year’s Day which Annie Power won at Cheltenham. She will run somewhere at Christmas, but I think at the moment he’s talking about the Christmas Hurdle.

“I think his view is you’re the Champion Hurdle favourite and you’re supposed to run in the Christmas Hurdle, but we’ll see what happens. We’ll see if she’s all right to get there, who knows.

“She will definitely have an entry and we will take it from there.”

Constitution Hill has not run since last year's Christmas Hurdle
Constitution Hill has not run since last year’s Christmas Hurdle (Steven Paston/PA)

Should Constitution Hill line up at Kempton, it will be his first start since a comfortable victory in the Grade One last year with Nicky Henderson’s charge having suffered a series of ailments in the interim.

However, Ricci does not underestimate his challenge, adding: “Constitution Hill is a monster and if he’s back to where he was, he’ll definitely be hard to beat.”

Another Ricci star set to be unleashed over the Christmas period is Gaelic Warrior, winner of the Faugheen Novice Chase and Arkle at the highest level last term.

He is likely to contest the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown on December 27, although Ricci also mentioned Kempton’s Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase on the same day as another alternative.

Gaelic Warrior is on course for a Christmas comeback
Gaelic Warrior is on course for a Christmas comeback (David Davies/Jockey Club)

He said: “I would imagine he would be out first time around Christmas, there’s the two-mile Grade One at Leopardstown, he’s entered in that and you’re probably going to see him there or, depending on what his other runners do, we could travel to Kempton on December 27, it depends who else is coming.

“You will see him at Christmas, he’s doing quite a bit and the plan is to get him out at Christmas.

“The plan is to go to the Champion Chase, I wouldn’t mind if he went to the Ryanair but at the moment all we’re talking about for him is the Champion Chase.

“It will be a hell of race if they all show up, all those intending to get there, and Cheltenham is always the plan until they tell us differently.”

Jonbon currently heads the market for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival following his second Tingle Creek victory and Ricci takes a keen interest in Henderson’s runner as he is a full-brother to his former two-mile star Douvan and owned by a friend in JP McManus.

He added: “I’d like to win the race, whether we beat Jonbon or whoever else. I like Jonbon, I love watching him run and because he’s related to Douvan, when we’re not racing against him I root for him and JP is a great pal as well. I’d like to win the race and we’ll see who turns up.”



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Fact To File could yet enter the King George picture, says Mullins

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Willie Mullins could still be represented in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase having raised the possibility of supplementing Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial winner Fact To File.

The JP McManus-owned second-season chaser confirmed the big impression he made as a novice when holding off another McManus runner in Spillane’s Tower, with dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow further behind.

No decision needs to be made until December 20 and with Mullins keen to stick to what he knows with Galopin Des Champs, meaning the Savills Chase at Leopardstown, Fact To File could yet head to Kempton Park after his Punchestown triumph.

McManus does, however, already have the ante-post favourite for the King George in Corbetts Cross, trained by Mullins’ nephew, Emmet.

“Fact To File wasn’t in the King George. It was discussed, but we left him out. Now it will have to be discussed if he’ll be a supplementary entry, everything is open at this stage,” said the champion trainer, as he hosted the media on Wednesday morning.

“He ran at Christmas and the Dublin Racing Festival last year, whether they (owners) want to change, I don’t know. They have Spillane’s Tower (to think about) as well.

“He learned an awful lot the other day, the way he was held in by Fastorslow, and it was tough racing being marked the whole time. He raced on again when the other horse came to him, he’ll have learned an awful lot and that will bring him on.

“Hopefully he can bring that sort of class to the Gold Cup. That’s (King George) up for discussion. JP could either have two at Leopardstown with Spillane’s Tower or two at Kempton with Corbetts Cross if they are all hopefully sound. If Corbetts Cross didn’t make it then you’d have to have a double think about supplementing.”

The previous ante-post favourite was last year’s Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior, but Mullins withdrew him on Tuesday as he was not in favour of the idea of running him over three miles first time out this season and he will stick to two miles for the foreseeable future.

Gaelic Warrior was brilliant in the Arkle
Gaelic Warrior was brilliant in the Arkle (Mike Egerton/PA)

“We went through all the other horses and the biggest one I thought was Gaelic Warrior and I said if we weren’t going to run him over three miles on his first start of the season, take him out now because we can go straight to Leopardstown over two miles which I think will suit him better,” said Mullins.

“All the rest I think will go to Leopardstown or wherever.

“Gaelic Warrior missed a bit of time, but he’s back again. He’ll go over two miles at Christmas and then the Dublin Racing Festival, I imagine.

“We could look at the Clarence House, Energumene has gone there before over two-one as right-handed at Ascot would suit him, but it’s more than likely we’ll go Leopardstown, Leopardstown, Champion Chase (at Cheltenham).

“We took him out of the King George because I wasn’t going to run him over three miles on his first run of the season. If he’d had a run in the Durkan we would probably have looked at the King George, but the way things have panned out we are looking at Christmas, the DRF and then Cheltenham.

“I enter them in many different races because they might pick up a foot bruise or something and then you have to go to plan B and we’re lucky enough (to be able to do it).  If you keep your options open it makes it easier for the benefit of the horse rather than rushing for a race and they run bad and then you are plan B or C.”

Il Etait Temps (far side) beat Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown but has had a setback
Il Etait Temps (far side) beat Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown but has had a setback (Brian Lawless/PA)

Another towards the head of the King George betting was Il Etait Temps but he is set to miss the first half of the campaign.

“He was ready to run, I had him in the John Durkan but he got a little infection last week. Infections can be so sore it can look like a fracture, I thought he’d broken a bone in a front leg, but it was an infection which had to be washed out,” said Mullins.

“He’ll miss three weeks so he’ll miss Christmas, but hopefully be back for the Dublin Racing Festival. When I saw him in the yard last week, I thought he was out for the season but the vets have said it’s fine, it’s just an acute infection which should come right.”



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Gaelic Warrior withdrawal prompts King George betting shake-up

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Ante-post favourite Gaelic Warrior has been taken out of the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton following the latest confirmation stage, at which 16 stood their ground.

Willie Mullins’ Arkle winner had headed the market since the eclipse of Il Est Francais on his last outing in France but he will not be the one to add to owner Rich Ricci’s 100 Grade One winners on Boxing Day.

The current champion trainer does not currently have an entry in the race, having also taken out the likes of Il Etait Temps, Ferny Hollow and Galopin Des Champs, but there is a supplementary stage on December 18.

Il Est Francais still remains in the mix for Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm but a cloud hangs over him following his Auteuil defeat.

The partnership have also left in General En Chef, who is due to run in the Coral Gold Cup this weekend.

Two previous winners are possible contenders, Bravemansgame and Hewick, who would need to run for a different trainer as Shark Hanlon’s suspension starts on December 1.

There are plenty of other Irish contenders, with Banbridge, Corbetts Cross, Envoi Allen, Found A Fifty and Jungle Boogie all still in.

Dan Skelton has perhaps surprisingly left in Grey Dawning, with Ryanair winner Protektorat also possible, while Venetia Williams has two strong contenders as well.

They are Royale Pagaille, winner of his second Betfair Chase on Saturday and owned by Ricci, and L’Homme Presse, who would have been second to Bravemansgame two years ago but for unseating Charlie Deutsch at the last.

Ahoy Senor, Ga Law and Ginny’s Destiny complete the list.

The sponsors make Corbetts Cross and Envoi Allen their 4-1 joint-favourites.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Today’s news has led to a huge shake-up ahead of this year’s Ladbrokes King George. Gaelic Warrior’s absence means Corbetts Cross and Envoi Allen both head the betting at the entry stage, with punters leaning towards the latter as things stand.”



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El Fabiolo and Gaelic Warrior among Mullins Sandown entries

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Willie Mullins has entered both El Fabiolo and Gaelic Warrior at Sandown on Saturday, as he leaves no stone unturned in his attempt to be crowned champion trainer in the UK for the first time.

With £170,000 up for grabs in the bet365 Celebration Chase, Mullins has every base covered with the winners of the last two renewals of the Arkle at Cheltenham.

Appreciate It, Dysart Dynamo and Saint Sam could all run for Mullins, who has made 25 entries on the card overall, while current champion chaser Captain Guinness holds an entry for Henry de Bromhead.

In what could potentially be one of the races of the season, Jonbon, Editeur Du Gite and Edwardstone are among the 14 possibles, in which Mullins’ nearest rival Dan Skelton has entered Nube Negra and his new recruit from Ben Pauling, Harper’s Brook.

A late decision is expected on Gaelic Warrior, with Joe Chambers, racing manager for his owners Susannah and Rich Ricci, explaining he is unlikely to be supplemented for the Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Gaelic Warrior was brilliant in the Arkle
Gaelic Warrior was brilliant in the Arkle (Adam Davy/PA)

“We’re crawling forward day by day and fully expected him to be entered. We’ll see how things are looking on Thursday morning,” Chambers told the Nick Luck Daily podcast

“We’re not in the Champion Chase at Punchestown, only the novice race, and it’s 30,000 euros to supplement, which doesn’t appeal.

“Willie has always kept novices to novices, unless there has been the odd exception. I would have thought winning the Scottish National would make him run less rather than more, but I could be absolutely wrong, I haven’t a clue what they are thinking.

“He’d be a fair sight, I’d love to see him personally going two miles there, it’s right-handed but whether he goes there or not, it’s going to be very much later in the week.”

Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon is in at Punchestown but Sandown is his preferred destination.

“We are thinking we’re going to Sandown, that’s the plan at the moment, we’re just a little concerned he’s had to start watering quite early. As long as it is safe,” said Henderson.

“We did the two (Aintree and Sandown) last year, so it pricked our ears to it again. Punchestown is an option but I’d rather not be travelling, as it would be safer to stay in England, to be honest.”

In the bet365 Oaksey Chase, Ahoy Senor is among 17 entries, along with Henry de Bromhead’s Journey With Me and Patrick Neville’s The Real Whacker.

Threeunderthrufive is set to carry top weight
Threeunderthrufive is set to carry top weight (Simon Marper/PA)

Paul Nicholls’ Threeunderthrufive is left at the top of the weights for the bet365 Gold Cup, as the current champion retains a slim hope of retaining his title.

Last year’s winner Kitty’s Light remains in contention after his brave run in the Grand National, with Le Milos carrying the flag for Skelton.

Mullins has left in four, with Nick Rockett and Minella Cocooner his main hopes.

Impaire Et Passe and Langer Dan could meet again in the bet365 Select Hurdle, in which Skelton has also entered My Drogo.



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El Fabiolo set for Sandown as Mullins chases title glory

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El Fabiolo will bid to aid Willie Mullins’ quest to be crowned Britain’s champion jumps trainer by contesting the bet365 Celebration Chase on the final day of the season at Sandown.

With the Randox Grand National success of I Am Maximus at Aintree seeing Mullins hit the front in the title race, the Closutton is keen to grab what he believes would be a “once in a lifetime achievement” with both hands, as he looks to fend of Dan Skelton and perennial champion Paul Nicholls.

As is usually the case, most of the Mullins big guns are being readied to round off the campaign at the Punchestown Festival between April 30 and May 4.

But star two-miler El Fabiolo could forego an outing in County Kildare to instead head back across the Irish Sea the previous Saturday, with the £170,000 Celebration Chase likely to have a major bearing on where the championship ultimately ends up.

Speaking at a press morning at his yard to promote the Punchestown Festival, Mullins said: “El Fabiolo will definitely go to Sandown.

Willie Mullins at Aintree last week
Willie Mullins at Aintree last week (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“The Celebration Chase is an important race and it looks like a big race that we have the winning of, which would be huge.

“A lot will depend on what happens between now and Punchestown, (but) looking at it, we’re about £50,000 in front, so if we won that (Celebration Chase), one of the other guys would have to win another feature and probably another race to pass us.

“It’s a three-score game at the moment, but Paul is really a master of winning the championship and he will have his tactics in his head already. He could win the Scottish National and the bet365 Gold Cup and blow us out of the water, but you need a lot of luck to do that too.

“We’re just hoping that we can get one nice prize – and with a bit of luck, it will make it difficult then for Dan and Paul.

“We’re getting huge goodwill, especially from a lot of people across the water. They’re saying it’s adding a bit of spice to the end of the season and it’s a once in a lifetime achievement if we can manage to pull it off, so we’re going to put everything into it.”

El Fabiolo will be on a retrieval mission if he does turn up at Sandown after a bad mistake led to him being pulled up as a 2-9 favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Mullins revealed the seven-year-old was feeling the effects of his disappointing effort after returning to Ireland, but is confident he is now back on-song.

He added: “He just wasn’t right when he came back from Cheltenham, so I just gave him a break and let him find his feet, so he’s bucking and kicking the last few mornings.

“He just wasn’t himself, but there was nothing to treat when we got home. Sometimes you just give a horse a break and let him recuperate and he’s done that and seems in good form now.

“He’s as fit as a flea and one or two bits of work should see him right for Sandown, I imagine.”

Paul Townend and Gaelic Warrior after winning the Arkle at Cheltenham
Paul Townend and Gaelic Warrior after winning the Arkle at Cheltenham (David Davies/The Jockey Club)

Another horse under consideration for a trip to Sandown is Arkle hero Gaelic Warrior, although the six-year-old does also have the option of Punchestown’s Barberstown Castle Novice Chase.

Mullins said: “Gaelic Warrior always looked very, very good but that form got a huge boost and it would be nice going to Punchestown with that, but I think he holds an entry in Sandown, so we’ll see how things go but I’d like to go to Punchestown with him.

“It’s sort of thrown a bit of a spanner in the works for our team but we still have an A-team I think to bring to Punchestown anyhow.

“It’s not something I like doing (running a novice in open company), but maybe this year we might have to look. El Fabiolo will be there, though, maybe he’d be enough.”



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Gaelic Warrior not ruled out of swift Fairyhouse return

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Brilliant Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior may be back out quickly for the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on March 31.

Stablemate and subsequent dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs ran at both meetings as a novice, falling at the last when well clear in the Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham before strolling to victory a month later.

The two races are closer together this season at just 19 days apart but trainer Willie Mullins has not completely ruled it out.

“We did it two years ago, we brought a horse back from Cheltenham to win this, so it can be done. I’ll see how Gaelic Warrior is,” said Mullins.

“He has a huge amount of ability. He won the three-mile novice hurdle at Punchestown that Galopin Des Champs won so I was never worried about his stamina, but the fact he can do this over a shorter trip is fantastic, it shows he has class.

“Ted Walsh always said a good Gold Cup winner could win a Champion Chase, as that is how you separate the ordinary Gold Cup winners from the very good ones, and this fellow has that type of ability, I think.”

Should Gaelic Warrior be given more time to recuperate, Blood Destiny is likely to try to give Mullins a sixth successive win in the race.

“I’m looking at Blood Destiny, he’s one that could go there. This race has been on my mind a while for him. We’d been trying him at two miles but a different way of riding him – we held him up in Navan – might suit for this race, I think,” he said.

“He has the speed when you need it so if Gaelic Warrior doesn’t come back for it, Blood Destiny could be a good substitute.”

Of his other entries in the Grade One, he added: “Facile Vega disappointed me at Cheltenham, I need to find out what is wrong with him.

“His home work suggests he has the ability I think he has. Indeed, his last three bits of work before Cheltenham, we thought he had a really good chance. Maybe we left our race at Closutton because his work was fantastic but he is taking a lot of working out.

“Fact To File had a hard enough race so I doubt he’d run, but Hercule Du Seuil worked well this morning.

“Il Etait Temps is a good, hardy horse and he could come back for it as well. If the ground came up nice and dry, I might let Sharjah take his chance and Tactical Move has the ability and is a nice type for that race.”

The other Grade One event at the Easter meeting is the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle in which Jade De Grugy may attempt to atone for her Cheltenham defeat at the hands of Golden Ace.

“Jade De Grugy could run. I think you could say all the three Irish horses in her race were all marking one another. No one wanted to commit but then it was great to see Jeremy Scott winning, he had a great fan club there and it added a bit of atmosphere to the day,” said Mullins.

“Sometimes I don’t like coming back with a mare so soon as Cheltenham takes a lot out of them. Laurina managed to win both races, though.

“We have A Penny A Hundred with a chance, Cuta Des As with a chance but Fun Fun Fun could be the one as she didn’t go to Cheltenham.

“This is a Grade One and while it’s lovely to win in Cheltenham, I like to win Grade Ones, especially with mares, so it’s more important to go to Fairyhouse. We certainly did a lot of thinking this year regarding what we were keeping back for this, Cheltenham is only a Grade Two.

“If Jade De Grugy doesn’t make it back, I’d say Fun Fun Fun could be the one.”



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Gaelic Warrior in cruise control for impressive Arkle triumph

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Gaelic Warrior came out on top in the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, to get Willie Mullins off the mark on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Twice runner-up on his previous Festival visits, the Rich Ricci-owned bay was one of three Mullins-trained contenders in the race and was partnered by first choice jockey Paul Townend.

Having stayed out of trouble throughout, despite the Gordon Elliott-trained Found A Fifty looking dangerous Gaelic Warrior was cruising in behind and powered up the hill to canter to an easy victory as the 2-1 favourite. Another Mullins runner, Il Etait Temps, took third.

Paul Townend salutes the Cheltenham crowd aboard Gaelic Warrior
Paul Townend salutes the Cheltenham crowd aboard Gaelic Warrior (Adam Davy/PA)

Mullins said of his winner, who was well-beaten when unseating Townend at the Dublin Racing Festival: “You could see what difference a hood made to him. He wasn’t trying to jump right and Paul could ride a race on him.

“I thought coming down the hill ‘what was I doing running him over three miles last season when he has that speed’. I think he has enough class now to do two miles and he’ll probably stick to that game now, although you could push him out to the Ryanair distance as well. He’s very adaptable.

“When you saw how good he was at Limerick at Christmas you wouldn’t believe he could run like he did at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival, I don’t know what happened.

“I thought he was going to boil over again in the parade ring, but once he got out and away from the crowd he became a lot more settled. It made him so much easier to ride in the hood.

“I think he’s found his calling now, he looks a Champion Chaser, he could be a Ryanair horse and he won over three miles over hurdles.

“It’s satisfying to get a win here with him after watching what he does at home all the time, to do it in the Arkle is fantastic.

“It’s a huge relief to get one on the board, when we got beaten in the first I felt ‘oh no’ when it looked like we had it won.”

Rich Ricci (left) was thrilled to see Gaelic Warrior back on form
Rich Ricci (left) was thrilled to see Gaelic Warrior back on form (Mike Egerton/PA)

Ricci, who famously does not watch his horses when they race, said: “I obviously didn’t watch it but it sounded like it went smoothly, which was great to hear.

“The week is fine now, we’ve had a winner!

“I was fine with going for the Arkle. Ahead of Leopardstown, Willie really wanted to run him over two miles but we won that argument and it didn’t work out.

“We had a chat, I told him I was relaxed about two miles and it worked out very well.

“The right thing to do with him was probably go to Fairyhouse and Punchestown as they are right-handed tracks, to come here and have the decision justified is very rewarding.

“He’s a horse with immense ability, he has his quirks and if you saw him in the parade (ring) at Leopardstown, he can be a bit mad but that is wonderful.”

Former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter, whose family are part-owners of Il Etait Temps, said: “I say it every time and I mean it every time, as a family and as part-owners we’re delighted to be part of the big festivals and have big runners, but the most important thing the horses are coming home safely.

“Il Etait Temps is a small fella with a big heart, he tried his best and we’re very, very chuffed.

“There were a couple of poor jumps coming home, but we know that he’s an inconsistent jumper and with his (lack of) size and scope the ground may not have suited him, but still the team are very happy.”



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Ballyburn out to enhance big reputation

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Ballyburn bids to continue the recent domination of Willie Mullins in the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The champion trainer has saddled 10 of the last 11 winners of this Grade One event, with Gordon Elliott’s Samcro the only outlier on a roll of honour that features four other subsequent Cheltenham heroes in Vautour (2014), Klassical Dream (2019), Appreciate It (2021) and Sir Gerhard (2022).

Dual bumper winner Ballyburn was beaten by Firefox on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse but was hugely impressive at the second attempt when scoring by 25 lengths at this venue over the Christmas period.

The six-year-old is prominent in ante-posts lists for both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and his target is likely to become clearer after he drops back in trip from two-and-a-half to two miles this weekend.

Ballyburn might not have things all his own way, with Elliott’s Farren Glory and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Slade Steel among his rivals.

Farren Glory is already a Grade One winner having landed the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, and he may well have doubled his top-level tally in the inaugural running of the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day but for suffering a crashing fall two flights from home.

Slade Steel has so far won a maiden hurdle at Naas and the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle and steps up in class for the hat-trick bid in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

“Slade Steel hasn’t put a foot wrong this season. He won his maiden hurdle over two miles at Naas in November, and he stepped up in trip last time and won the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles,” said the jockey,

“This is back over two miles again, it’s another step up in grade into a Grade One race, and it looks like a high-quality race. Ballyburn looked very good in winning at Leopardstown at Christmas and Farren Glory won the Royal Bond Hurdle and was travelling like a winner at Aintree when he fell.

“But we’re very happy with Slade Steel. He came out of the Navan race really well, and we’re hoping he can run another big race here.”

The Ladbrokes Novice Chase is now a match race between two Mullins runners in Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File.

Stablemate Grangeclare West has been ruled out, along with the Gordon Elliott-trained pair of Found A Fifty and American Mike, leaving just the Closutton duo.

The Coolmore N.H. Sires “Hurricane Lane” Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race brings the Dublin Racing Festival to a close and once again Mullins possesses a strong hand, with Aurora Vega leading a four-strong assault.

Out of the brilliant racemare Quevega and a full-sister to Facile Vega, the daughter of Walk In The Park is three from three in the bumper sphere and will be a warm order to extend her unbeaten record in the hands of record-breaking amateur Patrick Mullins.



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Gaelic Warrior upped in trip at DRF on Sunday

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Gaelic Warrior will clash with highly-regarded stablemates Fact To File and Grangeclare West in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Having decided against taking on Marine Nationale in the Irish Arkle over two miles and one furlong on Saturday, Willie Mullins instead runs Gaelic Warrior over an extra four and a half furlongs.

It is by no means an easy option, though, with Fact To File, so impressive in beating Zanahiyr last time out, and Grangeclare West, unbeaten in two over fences and a six-length winner of a Grade One, in opposition.

Fact To File and jockey Mark Walsh after winning at Leopardstown
Fact To File and jockey Mark Walsh after winning at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)

The two other runners in the race are both trained by Gordon Elliott. American Mike, who beat Fact To File on their respective chasing debuts, and Found A Fifty, although he is declared for the Irish Arkle 24 hours earlier.

There are also only five in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, with Mullins responsible for four.

El Fabiolo is a hot favourite having skipped the rearranged Clarence House. His three stablemates taking him on are all owned by JP McManus in Dinoblue, Sant Roi and Gentleman De Mee. Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guinness is the only other runner.

Mullins is responsible for three of the five in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle.

State Man, looking for a repeat win, will again clash with Impaire Et Passe, who chased him home at Christmas. Echoes In Rain is the other Mullins runner.

State Man is looking for another win
State Man is looking for another win (Brian Lawless/PA)

Bob Olinger and rank outsider Fils D’oudairies complete the quintet.

The other Grade One action sees Mullins’ Ballyburn clash with Gordon Elliott’s Farren Glory.

Ballyburn is a hot favourite but Farren Glory is unlucky not to be a dual Grade One winner already, having won the Royal Bond before travelling much the best in the Formby at Aintree when falling two out.

De Bromhead’s Slade Steel is another nice prospect among the 10 runners.



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Gaelic Warrior sidesteps Marine Nationale tussle

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Willie Mullins has decided to skip a clash against Marine Nationale with Gaelic Warrior in Saturday’s Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Positive noises had been made that the exciting Gaelic Warrior would drop down to two miles to take on Barry Connell’s unbeaten Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner.

However, Mullins will instead field Facile Vega, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah in opposition.

Two others will go to post, Gordon Elliott’s promising Found A Fifty and Vincent Halley’s Senecia.

Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs will only face three in his attempt to win the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for a second successive year.

Galopin Des Champs was brilliant at Christmas
Galopin Des Champs was brilliant at Christmas (Brian Lawless/PA)

He bounced back to form to win at Christmas and will meet his Punchestown Festival and John Durkan conqueror Fastorslow.

The only two other runners are Conflated and I Am Maximus.

Also appearing on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival is A Dream To Share, one of the feelgood stories of last season as he went through his campaign unbeaten, culminating with champion bumper wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

He had been favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for months but a setback delayed his hurdling career and he will remain in the bumper sphere for now.

A Dream To Share will be attempting to win the Donohue Marquees Future Stars Flat Race for a second successive year.

A Dream To Share will make his return to action
A Dream To Share will make his return to action (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mullins runs My Great Mate, You Oughta Know, Hens Tooth, Joystick and Redemption Day against him.

The champion trainer has four of the six in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle over two miles and six furlongs.

Dancing City, I Will Be Baie, Loughglynn and Predators Gold will face Elliott’s Stellar Story and Jessica Harrington’s Jetara.

Mullins also fields six of the 11 in the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

Bunting, Ethical Diamond, Highwind, Majborough, Storm Heart and Kargese will face the most competition from Elliott’s Kala Conti.

The Closutton maestro is a big fan of the Dublin Racing Festival, stating: “It’s one of the best initiatives to come from HRI in the past few years – it’s two days of pure, hardcore racing.

“Grade Ones – bang, bang, bang, one after the other. I don’t think there’s any other festival in the British Isles or France that has high calibre horses in so few races, where you can see them all and it gives you an idea what’s best and what’s looking good for the other spring festivals.

Leopardstown Christmas Festival – Day Three – Leopardstown Racecourse
Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)

“This is one of the best two days in Irish jump racing and probably English jump racing or French jump racing – it’s a fantastic festival.

“When you have a good horse, you have to run in good races and I’m a believer in that, you put them in and they have to take their chance.

“Some of them seem obvious that they’re going to win but then we get surprises every day of the week, that’s why bookmakers are so successful!

“Our opinions aren’t always right, we all have opinions; from the punter, to the trainer, to the owner. You’ve got to get out there on the track and prove which is the best horse.”



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Connections facing Festival quandary with Gaelic Warrior

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Patrick Mullins has hailed Gaelic Warrior’s versatility – but as a result admits it means his Cheltenham Festival target is likely to be a late decision.

Having won from two to three miles over hurdles, he has shown both speed and stamina and his win in Grade One company at Limerick over Christmas marked him out as one of the best novice chasers at Willie Mullins’ Closutton yard.

However, he has shown a marked tendency to jump to his right and his only two defeats since joining Mullins have come at the left-handed Cheltenham.

He has been entered in the two-mile Arkle, the two-and-a-half-mile Turners Novices’ Chase and the three-mile Brown Advisory at the Festival.

“I think he’s very versatile. He won a very valuable two-mile handicap hurdle and then a Grade One over three miles as well,” Patrick Mullins, who rode him at Limerick, told Sky Sports Racing.

“The way he jumps, he could definitely go back to two miles but he does jump to his right. I think if you see any of the head on shots at Limerick, he does jump to his right.

“So, does going a stride slower on the new course over two and a half (in the Turners) help negate that? It might but if you just asked me what his best distance is, I don’t know. He jumps fast enough for two miles but he stays three miles. He’s just versatile.

“With regards to Cheltenham I don’t know, Willie has him entered in the Irish Arkle so that could be interesting if he goes there, we could get a feel on that but plans are up in the air at the moment.

“Willie always likes to leave it as late as he can so there are no more moving parts and it works well for him. For some horses a race sticks out and you can say that’s the race for him, but with others that’s not the case.

“This fellow is so versatile, he has lots of options so we won’t nail our colours to the mast too soon.”



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Cheltenham Festival novice chase entries include Iroko

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Iroko, who had initially been ruled out for the season following a flawless novice chase debut at Warwick, has been handed surprise entries in the Arkle and the Turners Novice Chase events at the Cheltenham Festival.

Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the six-year-old was a winner at the meeting last season in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

He went on to be placed in Grade One company at Aintree and looked set for a big campaign, only for injury to get in the way.

The Martin Pipe has a history of throwing up top-class winners, with Sir Des Champs, Don Poli, Galopin Des Champs and Saturday’s Kempton winner Banbridge on the roll of honour.

Iroko is one of 24 in the Arkle, 17 of which are trained in Ireland, with Gaelic Warrior, who has three options, Found A Fifty and Barry Connell’s odds-on favourite Marine Nationale entered up.

“The betting suggests Marine Nationale has the Arkle at his mercy, with only Constitution Hill a hotter favourite for a Festival race right now,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

“Although perhaps the bigger surprise is that Willie Mullins doesn’t train the Arkle favourite, as he does with the other three novice chases.”

A total of 42 have been entered for the Turners over two and a half miles, with Gaelic Warrior a clear ante-post market leader here.

Corbetts Cross, Colonel Harry, Fact To File and impressive Kauto Star Novices’ Chase winner Il Est Francais are among the other contenders.

The three-mile Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase has attracted 38, a whopping 21 of which are trained in Ireland, including the fancied Mullins pair of Grangeclare West and Fact To File.

Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning and the Paul Nicholls-trained Stay Away Fay catch the eye from the home contingent at this stage.

There are 26 in the National Hunt Chase over three and three-quarter miles for amateurs, including Flooring Porter, a dual winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle.



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Danny Mullins makes light of Limerick exchange

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Danny Mullins has played down his altercation with cousin Patrick Mullins following the Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick on Thursday.

Patrick ultimately claimed a comfortable victory in the race on board his father Willie’s Gaelic Warrior, with Danny five and a half lengths back in second on stablemate Il Etait Temps.

However, the pair did come close when Danny attempted to sneak up the inner on the run to the second-last and Patrick appeared to react angrily to that incident as they pulled up after the finishing line.

The stewards looked into the episode but Danny later made light of the whole affair via his regular diary on the Tote Twitter site.

He joked: “The main question on everybody’s lips is what did Patrick say? I don’t fully recall what he did say, I think it was something along the lines of ‘Danny, get a haircut’, but I’m happy with my hair as it is at the moment.”

On a more serious note, Danny added: “It’s one of those things, I’m always going to ride to win the race and that’s what I have to do for my owners and we had a go and unfortunately I finished second – but we had a go and that was the main thing.”

Regarding the incident approaching the penultimate fence, Patrick Mullins earlier said: “I told Danny going out that there will be a gap on my inside going down to the second-last and ‘do not come for it’ but he hasn’t listened to me. Luckily it didn’t get the two of us beaten.”

Willie Mullins was at Leopardstown, where he told Racing TV with a wry smile: “I had my son and my nephew trying to kill each other going to the second-last. I don’t know what Patrick said to Danny, but I don’t imagine they’ll be going home in the same car anyhow!

“Danny was riding his horse and he had to try to go for Grade One glory on his horse. Anyhow, it will make fun for this evening when we are disseminating the whole thing.”

The stewards investigated the incident two out and took no action, but also inquired about Patrick Mullins’ post-race comments.

The report read: “The Raceday Stewards interviewed Mr. P.W. Mullins, rider of Gaelic Warrior, and D.E. Mullins, rider of Il Etait Temps, regarding comments made to the media about an incident on the run to the second-last.

“Mr. P.W. Mullins stated that he had advised D.E. Mullins during a conversation prior to the race that he would be leaving a gap down the inner to get a breather into his horse and he advised him not to go for it.

“D.E. Mullins confirmed the conversation happened as such. Having considered all the evidence, the Raceday Stewards referred the matter on to a Senior Racing Official.”



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