FOOTPAD FOCUSED FOR NAAS RETURN
Mullins’ charge bids to maintain winning ways
FOOTPAD puts his unbeaten record over fences and huge reputation on the line in the Poplar Square Chase at Naas this afternoon.
The Willie Mullins-trained sixyear-old competed with credit at the very highest level over hurdles, but has already surpassed those achievements since having his attentions turned to the larger obstacles.
Footpad won each of his five starts as a novice over fences last season, including a stunning display in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.
He will be a redhot favourite to see off four rivals on his seasonal reappearance in this weekend’s two-mile Grade Three, and Mullins is looking forward to his return.
‘Footpad seems to be well. He schooled well and he worked very well during the week, so we look forward to starting him off,’ said Mullins.
‘The Poplar Square Chase is a nice type of race for him, and it’s nice to get him out and back on the track. A second-season novice race like this is a lovely starting point.’
Footpad is a general 7/2 secondfavourite for this season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase behind Altior, and 7/1 favourite for the Ryanair Chase.
Footpad’s chief rival on Saturday is British challenger Saint Calvados.
The five-year-old was seriously impressive on his first three starts for Harry Whittington last term, landing successive handicaps at Newbury before dominating three opponents in the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick. He was a disappointing fourth behind Footpad in the Arkle, but Whittington believes his charge is much closer to the finished article this season.
‘He travelled over on Thursday and had a very good trip. He had a little leg stretch this morning, and all the reports are very good. He’s fresh and well, and we’re looking forward to it,’ said Whittington yesterday.
‘At the end of the day, what we’ve been looking for is some cut in the ground. We were aiming at the Haldon Gold Cup, but that wasn’t to be because the rain came too late. We saw this race, the conditions suit him very well, and then “Mr Footpad” turns up!
‘We need to get our horse started. The Arkle didn’t go to plan, but he’s a lot stronger horse now than he was then.’
Mullins also fires a formidable twin assault at the Fishery Lane Hurdle.
Mr Adjudicator and Saldier crossed paths on a couple of occasions last season, with Mr Adjudicator comfortably coming off best when filling the runner-up spot in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Saldier was a long way back in fifth on that occasion, but turned the tables emphatically in the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown and both horses run for the first time since in this two-mile Grade Three.
Perhaps tellingly, stable jockey Ruby Walsh has sided with Saldier, with Paul Townend partnering Mr Adjudicator.
‘Mr Adjudicator and Saldier run in the Fishery Lane and this is a nice race to start the two of them off in,’ said Mullins. ‘Both horses seem in good form and hopefully they both run well.’
Joseph O’Brien’s Rhinestone makes his jumping debut in the opening Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.
Second to the Mullins-trained Blackbow in a Grade Two bumper at Leopardstown in February, Rhinestone went on to finish ninth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and will be widely expected to make a successful start over flights this weekend, although Gordon Elliott’s Empire Burleque rates a threat, having blown away the cobwebs at Galway a fortnight ago.