Gold Cup trip may be a bridge too far for Footpad

I thought it was terrific that Willie Mullins’ immediate reaction, after Footpad had taken the Arkle Trophy by half the track at Cheltenham on Tuesday, was to consider stretching out the six-year-old with a view to challenging for next year’s Gold Cup.

Perhaps, when the dust has settled and Mullins has a good think about it, he may well change his mind, but at least we can dream in the short term.

I’d be a long way removed from being any sort of expert when it comes to breeding, but it does strike one that Footpad is something of a freak of nature. He is out of a now 19-year- old mare called Willamina, who was trained in France by the relatively recently retired, Criquette Head-Maarek.