IRISH ON THE HUNT FOR GOLD

IT looks as though Irish-trained horses could account for more than half in the field in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

Even with Sizing John an absentee the Irish challenge for the great race looks strong and after yesterday’s forfeit ten of the 19 remaining entries hail from these shores.

These include four Willie Mullins representatives as the champion looks to end a series of near misses in the Gold Cup.

Mullins has saddled the Gold Cup second on six occasions and his dual runner-up Djakadam will be back for a fourth crack at the race this year.

However, the yard could have stronger candidates this time in the fast improving Total Recall and the former Cheltenham scorer Killultagh Vic (above).

In last month’s Irish Gold Cup Killultagh Vic looked a likely winner only to fall at the last and he enjoyed a confidence boosting school after racing at Leopardstown on Friday.

Ruby Walsh took the mount on Killultagh Vic who jumped eight fences in company with the JLT Novices Chase hopeful Kemboy.

“Kemboy was very slick and good. Killultagh Vic was careful over the first couple as he got his confidence back after his fall the last day but he was good after that,” said Mullins.

“He was careful rather than extravagant which was to be expected and it was good to get that round of jumping into him ahead of next Friday,” added Mullins.

In other news the Irish challenge for Friday’s Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle has been further strengthened by the supplementary entry Tower Bridge.

This five-year-old sprung a 25/1 surprise as last month’s Dublin Racing Festival when winning a Grade 1 novice hurdle over two and three quarter miles.

That was a first hurdling success for the dual bumper winner who had contested two maiden hurdles prior to scoring at Leopardstown.

Of the 45 horses still remaining in the Albert Bartlett, 11 are trained by Willie Mullins whose team could include Next Destination, Duc Des Genievres and Fabulous Saga.

Mullins could also run four in the Triumph Hurdle where his squad is headed by the Leopardstown Grade 1 winner Mr Adjudicator.