Mullins is dreaming of more Gold with Reve
2 The first day of the three-day Fairyhouse Easter Festival sees two Grade One races up for grabs
VOIX DU REVE and Real Steel give Willie Mullins a strong hand as he bids for successive victories in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.
Subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo finally provided the champion trainer with his first victory in this Grade One event 12 months ago and he will have high hopes of doubling his tally in the Easter Sunday feature.
Ruby Walsh keeps the faith in Voix Du Reve, who has failed to complete in his last two starts – most recently unseating Walsh in the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
David Casey, Mullins’ assistant, said: ‘Voix Du Reve looked to be going well in Cheltenham when he unseated Ruby. Before that he was third behind Le Richebourg in Leopardstown over Christmas and he was upsides in front when he fell at the last in another Grade One the next day.
‘He’s got some solid form in the book and we think two and a half will suit him well.’
Voix Du Reve is joined by stablemate Real Steel, who finished sixth in the JLT under Paul Townend, who is on board once more.
‘Real Steel made a couple of mistakes at the wrong time in Cheltenham and still ran well enough,’ Casey added. ‘There are less run- ners on Sunday, which will proba- bly make things a bit easier for him, and he was in good form going over to Cheltenham. There’s prob- ably not a lot between the two of them and you’d hope they’ll both be competitive.’ The highest-rated runner is Gordon Elliott’s Mengli Khan, who was third in the JLT and occupied the same finishing position in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree little over a fortnight ago. Cubomania gives Elliott a second string to his bow, with Aidan Howard’s stable star Winter Escape completing the field. The other Grade One sees Cheltenham Festival heroine Eglantine Du Seuil leads a sevenstrong Mullins team into battle in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final. Eglantine Du Seuil ensured Mullins landed the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham for the fourth time in as many years last month when springing a 50-1 surprise under Noel Fehily – who swiftly announced his impending retirement from the saddle. Walsh gets back on board the five-yearold and a bold bid is anticipated.
Casey said: ‘Ruby has gone for Eglantine Du Seuil. She was good in Cheltenham and it was probably a bit of a surprise to see her win there. We think she’s definitely improved since then and we’re looking forward to running her.’
Eglantine Du Seuil is joined by six stable companions in Buildmeupbuttercup (Denis O’Regan), Calie Du Mesnil (Bryan Cooper), Elfile (Jonathan Burke), Robin De Carlow (JJ Slevin), Salsaretta (Paul Townend) and Sancta Simona (Mark Walsh). Mullins has won the race with the likes of Annie Power and Laurina in the past.
Perhaps the one to beat is Henry de Bromhead’s Honeysuckle. The sole British-trained runner in a 17strong field is Annie Mc – trained by Jonjo O’Neill and ridden by his son, Jonjo jnr.