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The Festival starts tomorrow with the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and it could be a fantastic beginning for the Emerald Isle and particularly Mullins.
MELON (1.30) is a confident selection to win the two-mile opener. The French-bred has only run once but comfortably beat Broken Soul by 10 lengths at Leopardstown in January and Mullins has been bullish about his chances – he’s a horse that could become one of the yard’s top stars of the future if he runs up to expectations.
The yard’s other runner, Bunk Off Early, can follow the Mullins hotpot home. The grey five-year-old won by five-and-ahalf lengths on his debut and showed lots of promise when second to Bacardys in the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle last month, having led after the last.
The Stan James Champion Hurdle is an open race this year. With Mullins lacking the firepower of Faugheen and Annie’s Power to turn to this year, De Bromhead has a great opportunity to grab the biggest hurdling prize with PETIT MOUCHOIR (3.30), who must have as good a chance as any. The six-year-old has improved considerably on his novice hurdle season last year.
After falling at the last when going well in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November, he trounced Nichols Canyon by seven lengths in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas. He then followed up with a length victory in the Irish Champion Hurdle ahead of Footpad, who also lines up in the race for Mullins. Owner Rich Ricci has opted to run last year’s winner Sandra Hughes has her best chance of a Festival win in the RSA Novices’ Chase with ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (2.10). The seven-year-old destroyed a decent field to win the Grade Two Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan last month. Might Bite is the horse to beat, but Acapella Bourgeois may be the one to do just that.
DOUVAN (3.30) is the sure thing of the meeting in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Mullins thinks he could be the best horse he has ever trained – so who are we to argue? Ruby Walsh only needs to stay in the saddle for Mullins’ chaser to be heralded as the champion two-mile chaser. The outcome of the Ryanair Chase depends on where Elliott’s EMPIRE OF DIRT (2.50) runs this week. Currently, the 10-year-old is in both the Ryanair and the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup. If he stays in the two-and-a-half-mile showpiece, he has an oustanding chance, if not UN DE SCEAUX will have an easier task. Empire Of Dirt won the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at the Festival last year before moving DEATH DUTY (2.50) could be Elliott’s banker in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. Unbeaten in four novice hurdle starts this term, the six-year-old won the Lawyer’s Hotel Novice Hurdle at Naas in January, staying on strongly to beat Turcagua by nine lengths.
The Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup is wide open. The two Colin Tizzard contenders, Cue Card and Native River will be tough to beat, along with last year’s second Djakadam.
Mullins thinks his leading staying chaser is better than ever but the lack of an extra gear has proved costly in the past.
It might be better to look for the value each-way and the horse that fits the bill is CHAMPAGNE WEST (3.30).
The nine-year-old, trained by De Bromhead, is having a fine season, beating Roi Des Francs by 12 lengths when taking a Listed chase at Tramore over two miles and five furlongs, before an impressive display at Gowran Park to win the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase by seven and half lengths from Ucello Conti.
He stayed on very strongly that day and, if he can cut out the odd mistake, could be the one to be charging up the hill to a surprise victory.
Empire Of Dirt is another each-way contender (if he runs) who continues to improve with age.