CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA
Mullins Fever in the air with Big Four
WILLIE Mullins slipped quietly i nto Birmingham Airport on Sunday en route to what promises to be the most successful meeting of his life here at Cheltenham this week.
The Closutton handler, once described as the ‘professor’ by our dear late friend Colm Murray, assimilated his supreme knowledge of the jumping game from the mouth of his quietly-spoken father Paddy, whose Dawn Run brought the house down when winning the Gold Cup here 28 years ago.
Sadly Paddy is no longer with us. But his vivacious 80- something widow Maureen — the underlying power of the Mullins dynasty — is suitably in position to cheer on her oldest son’s raiding party, the strongest ever in our time to be assembled by an Irish trainer for the meeting.
Those who have taken the 2/5 odds for Willie Mullins being the leading trainer of the Festival will start to count their winnings at the end of proceedings today if his well-fancied quartet (Vautour, Hurricane Fly, Champagne Fever, and Quevega) all oblige.
Hurricane Fly, the brightest star of the bunch, won’t be short of authentic challengers when he bids to become only the sixth horse ever to land the Stan James Champion Hurdle for a third time.
For all the undoubted ability of Our Conor, The New One and My Tent Or Yours — his apparent main challengers — Hurricane Fly will take some beating.
Quite apart from his two wins in this race, the Montjeu gelding has won 17 other Grade One races over hurdles. In terms of greatness, he is well etched in my mind as the equal of the like of Persian War, Monksfield, Night Nurses, Sea Pigeon and Istabraq.
Apart from his exceptional natural racing speed, the 10-year- old has an innate toughness and will to win, as underlined by his latest win in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in January when he fought back to regain the advantage from Our Conor.
That steely resolve may prove key in what could be a war of attrition up the final hill.
Our Conor proved his ability around Cheltenham when running away with last year’s Triumph and is put forward ahead of My Tent Or Yours and The New One as the possible main danger. But Hurricane Fly is napped to score again.
Champagne Fever finished only third in the Novice Chase at Leopardstown last time and some will oppose him in the Arkle Chase on account of that run.
But the grey’s rider, Ruby Walsh, believes that Champagne Fever’s jumping technique will be perfect for today’s race and the sevenyear-old can make it three Festival wins in a row following his successes in the Champion Bumper and the Supreme Novices Hurdle in the past two years.
The Charles Byrnes-trained Trifolium, winner of the Novice Chase, and Harry Fry’s former Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby, who has taken well to fences, are probably the main dangers. But Alan King’s Valdez, who completed a chase hat-trick when beating Trifolium’s stable companion Arnaud at Doncaster in January, may also take a hand in the closing stages
While the Supreme Novices Hurdle of past years is littered with well-fancied defeated runners, I am still slow to oppose Vautour, who will carry truck loads of money on his back. This fellow jumped like an old hand when hacking up at Navan on his Irish hurdles debut. He may not have been as eye-catching when holding Western Boy by three quarters of a length at Punchestown next time, but jockey Paul Townend said that he won with plenty in hand.
Those words were given credence when Vautour went on to Leopardstown and easily ended the unbeaten hurdles run of dual Grade One winner The Tullow Tank in the Deloitte Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls’ Irving, who is unbeaten over timber, is hugely fancied over here, although I also have a sneaking regard for Nicky Henderson’s Vaniteux.
Who will dare back against Quevega who bids for a recordbreaking sixth win in the Mares Hurdle? Cailin Annamh may tempt each-way backers.
Alfie Sherrin often goes well at this track and Jonjo O’Neill’s charge, who looks on a very fair mark of 133, should at least make the shake-up under Tony McCoy in the Handicap Chase. He looks a good each-way bet.
Ted Walsh’s Foxrock, who stays all day, has already been heavily backed to l and the f our- mile National Hunt Chase for Amateur Riders. Katie Walsh will have a great spin on the classy six-year-old, who looks poised to follow up on two recent wins at Grade Two level.