Now Mullins can strike for gold with Djakadam
THE wheel of Festival fortune has spun back the right way for Willie Mullins and Djakadam can make it third time lucky in the Gold Cup for the champion trainer today.
Reports from the Mullins camp are hugely positive about his chances after a season built around peaking on St Patrick’s Day for one race at Cheltenham.
Unlike last year, when Djakadam was held up in his preparation after a nasty fall, everything has gone right.
I’m sharing a house with Paul Townend this week – Paul rides Irish Cavalier in the big one today – and I’m aware of the steely confidence in the Mullins stable behind Djakadam.
Twice he’s finished a close second in the race to horses who aren’t running this year, so a repeat of his Gold Cup form in 2015 and 2016 puts him right in the mix to clinch the deal.
As a further plus, he’s got the masterful Ruby Walsh on his back.
It hasn’t been as rewarding a week for Willie as he’d hoped for but things improved yesterday and should he nail the Gold Cup, after so many near-misses, it will compensate richly for the disappointment of Douvan, especially.
Not everyone will share my rocksolid endorsement of Djakadam.
Supporters of Cue Card will fervently believe he can make amends for last year’s crashing fall at the third-last, but he’s 11 now and his chance may have come and gone.
Colin Tizzard also has the progressive Native River, winner of the Hennessy Gold Cup and Welsh National, but his horses haven’t quite fired this week and the most serious English challenge could come from left field.
More Of That, a former conqueror of Annie Power in the World Hurdle, has raced six times at Cheltenham and chalked up four victories.
He was motoring smoothly when he tipped up at the last fence in the Irish Gold Cup and could run a huge race at around 12/1 for Jonjo O’Neill, who won the race with Synchronised, also a nineyear-old, in 2012.
O’Neill also runs last year’s National Hunt Chase winner Minella Rocco for JP McManus with Noel Fehily replacing the luckless Mark Walsh. The way his week is going, you can’t rule out anything Noel is riding.
A soft-spoken fella, Noel is one of the gents of the weigh room. He’s been riding here a long time but remains Cork to the core. Every time you come over, Noel is always on hand to offer guidance.
I couldn’t believe he had only ridden three winners at Cheltenham before this week as he’s such an accomplished rider who gets the maximum out of every horse.
He’s had the Festival of his life already and if Minella Rocco does the business today, there’ll be bonfires burning in Dunmanway tonight.
I’d have a lot of respect for Outlander, especially the way Gordon Elliott’s week has gone and will take a special interest in Sizing John, a horse I know well.
Robbie ‘Puppy’ Power is convinced he can stay the extra two furlongs of the Gold Cup and if he’s right, he’ll be bang in there as he’s a class horse.
The rest of the card could see Irish eyes smiling in between wetting the shamrock.
Elliott’s yard is on fire and I like the look of Mick Jazz in the County Hurdle – Jack Kennedy is particularly sweet on his chances.
His form was solid enough to run in the Supreme Novices’ so connections are clearly happy with his weight today.
Gordon’s Death Duty has been all the rage in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle and his credentials are rock-solid but 2/1 is skinny and I’ll take him on with The Worlds End, trained by Tom George. He won a Grade Two race last time and is decently priced at 10/1.
I’d love to see Jim Dreaper win the Foxhunters with either Aupcharlie or Grand Jesture. I know the latter well and he can be a moody fellow, but if Richie Harding gets him about his business, he could run a big race.
Another old sparring partner of mine, Tommy Silver, figures in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey’s Hurdle.
I rode him in the Triumph Hurdle last year where he wasn’t disgraced and it’s a positive sign that Paul Nicholls has kept him on. It’s a 24-runner minefield but at 20/1, he represents each-way value.
In the Grand Annual Chase, we’ll all be sent home happy if Dandridge delivers for Davy Russell and Arthur Moore. They were second last year and this has been the plan all season.
Davy and Arthur know what’s needed in this speedy two-miler as they teamed up to win with Tiger Cry in 2008.
Djakadam and Dandridge – it could be a St Patrick’s Day of double delight.