Mullins army gives lots of ammunition to Townend
Trainer’s second jockey has plenty of Festival fancies
By Daragh Ó Conchúir
WILLIE MULLINS has dominated the Cheltenham landscape since the jumps season began but, in all the hype and the hyperbole about a battalion that will number in excess of 70 horses next week, there is another hugely interesting scenario playing out.
The injuries to Faugheen, Arctic Fire and Killultagh Vic offer a timely reminder that even the very best are not immune to the vagaries of Dame Fortune. And Mullins is among the greatest trainers there have ever been.
With such an armoury though, speculation continues to surround potential destinations for so many, from the novices right up to the championship gold standards.
Where will Annie Power run? The Champion Hurdle? Really?
What an amazing feat that would be by horse and trainer if the mare would become the two-mile standard-bearer in just her third race since finishing second in the World Hurdle over three miles at the festival in 2014.
Meanwhile, Rich Ricci has reported Vautour not to be sparkling but what we do know is that he loves Cheltenham and connections have confirmed that it’s the Gold Cup or nothing for the two-time festival victor.
There are a number of people sitting on the sidelines, with a real interest in how the chess pieces are moved around.
For Mullins horses alone, Paul Townend, David Mullins, Patrick Mullins and Katie Walsh will be among those slotting in Ruby Walsh’s cast-offs (though that sounds much too harsh a term for the quality of animal the Kildare man won’t be legged up on in Gloucestershire).
David Mullins has ridden a lot for Gigginstown as well and could get the call from the O’Learys once Bryan Cooper makes his decision. Cooper’s predecessor as retained rider, Davy Russell still gets the nod at times, as do Jack Kennedy and Kevin Sexton.
And if the Gigginstown horse is trained by Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh or Townend could come into the reckoning, depending on what else the famed handler might have in the reckoning.
Townend is in a different boat to the other riders in that he is an official No 2, standing in when the retained rider is unavailable and picking up the juicy leftovers.
Such is the strength of the Mullins team that Townend drew plenty of late support to be leading rider at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and illustrated the shrewdness of such investment with an opening day double.
The second of those winners came on the Mullins-trained Glens Melody, who profited from the dramatic last-flight fall of Annie Power and Walsh in the Mares’ Hurdle.
He brought his tally to three later in the week as Wicklow Brave bolted up the hill in the County Hurdle, with Walsh having plumped for future Melbourne Cup runner-up Max Dynamite, who finished fourth.
This year alone, he has ridden Limini, Footpad, Bellshill, Blue Et Rouge, Childrens List and Measure of mydreams to victory for his boss.
So the 25-year-old Midleton native knows very well that being No 2 at Closutton is better than being No 1 at most other yards. It is a position that made him Ireland’s champion as a 19-year-old and got him his first Grade 1 (on board the legendary Hurricane Fly) not long after turning 18. He currently has 29 top-flight successes.
While it can be a mite frustrating not having the pick of the bunch, it removes the stress. Remember the grief Russell got as Gigginstown’s man when he wasn’t on the winner? Cooper tended to be the one to benefit then but now he has to choose and has admitted that it took some time to deal with getting it wrong, particularly in light of the media attention those decisions tend to draw.
Remember the six-month long build-up to last year’s Champion Hurdle that Walsh had to contend with, as speculation intensified as to whether he would go with old hero
Hurricane Fly or new kid on the block Faugheen?
Townend has to be patient and it will probably be next weekend, and maybe even later, before he has a real idea of what he will be riding.
‘Ruby leaves it as late as possible and I don’t blame him for that because anything can happen,’ says Townend.
‘I just have to wait until he nails his colours to the mast. Sometimes I have to make a choice myself because Willie might have three or four runners. And it’s not easy, because Willie’s second string would be a star in most other yards.
‘The novice races are probably the best chance of picking up a potential winner because things can change, they might improve a lot and are likely to be racing on different ground. The older horses are more established and you generally know where they stand.
‘Ruby rarely gets them wrong but still, you know you’ll have a good chance.’
This time though, there is a real opportunity in the Big One, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The waiting game will be torturous as Walsh decides between last year’s runner-up Djakadam and the brilliant Vautour.
Mullins has three potential runners for Gigginstown in Don Poli and Valseur Lido as well as the injury-hit Sir Des Champs, so anything could happen here in terms of riding arrangements.
‘Gigginstown might have their own plans but with the two Ricci horses, there is plenty to be excited about,’ added Townend.
‘They are completely different horses. I would have a lot of time for Djakadam. I rode him to win his maiden hurdle and he’s a good strong stayer. Vautour would be the classier horse but they’re the differences that make the race so exciting.’
For the record, he thinks Long Dog is ‘the forgotten horse’, having been kept under wraps since his Leopardstown success at Christmas.
‘In other years he’d probably be one of the more fancied going over. But all of Willie’s are talked about really.
‘There’s probably no value in backing most of them but there’s a good, strong team going and instead of just having a good first string, he’s a good second string and third string in some races.’
Who with the No 2 on board, might end up being No 1.