Sir Des can confirm Cheltenham form
I’m on Kauto Stone for Paul Nicholls in the Punchestown Gold Cup and, realistically, it is hard enough to make a case for him.
The horse that beat First Lieutenant at Down Royal early in the season will go close, but he has since run shockers in the King George at Kempton and the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.
It was the exact same pattern for him last season, as he failed to hold his form and has both Paul and I baffled.
Paul, however, has given the seven-year-old a decent break and has had this in mind for a while. The horse is fit and well, but which Kauto Stone turns up is anyone’s guess.
First Lieutenant has been to just about every dogfight at this stage, Newbury, for the Hennessy, and more recently both Cheltenham and Aintree. As well as that the ground will hardly be ideal for him.
I very much fancy Willie Mullins’ Sir Des Champs, following his second behind Bobs Worth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
I know he would probably prefer a quicker surface, but handles this kind of ground well enough.
He had Long Run behind in third at Cheltenham and Nicky Henderson’s charge takes him on again.
I cannot see any reason why the placings should be reversed. Long Run has had to travel now and this is a home game for Sir Des Champs.
I start aboard Call Me Bubbles for Willie in a four-year-old hurdle. He won in good style for Paul Townend at Navan, but my worry is that he would be better on better ground.
Willie also runs the French-import, Viconte Du Noyer. He is owned by Anne and Alan Potts and so will be partnered by their retained rider, Andrew Lynch.
I’d say he is Willie’s number one. He’s been off for a year, since scoring at Auteuil, but has been in training for quite a while. The ground will not be an issue with him.
I had a choice between two of Willie’s, Ballycasey and Inish Island, in the Grade 1 novice hurdle and have gone with the former.
I know you can argue that Inish Island has the better form, but there is just something about Ballycasey that has always impressed me.
Ballycasey went to Cheltenham, for the Albert Bartlett, but wasn’t right on the morning of the race and had to miss the assignment.
I was going to ride him and then switched to Inish Island, who ran a cracker to take third behind At Fishers Cross.
Anyway, Ballycasey is fit and well and working beautifully at home. Essentially, I am riding him now purely on a hunch, but am a big fan of this horse, so let’s see if I’m right!
Willie runs three in the Champion Bumper and the one I know most about, of course, is Briar Hill.
I rode him to win at Cheltenham and he just blew me away. I could not believe the turn of foot he produced from the turn in to the line.
His work at home before that was very average and it is certainly no better now. But you can only go on what he has done on the track and that speaks for itself.
Willie’s other pair, Outlander and Sizing Tennessee, should not be underestimated. Outlander looks a fair sort, having won all three of his starts.
Sizing Tennessee, twice a winner, made no show behind Briar Hill at Cheltenham, but you can discount that, because the occasion completely got to him.
Patrick Mullins, he’s a very good judge, had a choice between all three and has come down on the side of Briar Hill. That is no surprise to me.
I’ve gone with Call The Police, in preference to Lambro, in a most competitive handicap chase.
Neither has exactly been flying of late, but Call The Police was set to win a big pot here a year ago, when falling at the last, and that was the clincher.
Willie runs Sizing Chile in the concluding bumper. He’s a gorgeous looking horse, who goes well, and it is only a matter of time before he clicks.
I was in Willie’s yesterday morning and was delighted with the way the horses worked, such as Hurricane Fly, Quevega and Annie Power. I’m particularly looking forward to them later in the week, among others.
