Mullins launches strong Powers Gold Cup bid
The County Carlow handler saddles Barker and Deutschland, who are both running on the back of two successive victories, while Golden Silver is bidding to bounce back from a below-par run in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.
Stablemate Jayo also needs to recapture his old form having finished last of four in the Irish Arkle last time.
Aran Concerto, a dual Grade One winner over hurdles, has his first run since November for Noel Meade, while Trafford Lad and Joncol are both players in an intriguing contest.
Dusty Sheehy reports dual Grade One winner Trafford Lad to be in fine form for what will be his first run in almost two months.
The seven-year-old finished third behind Cooldine and Forpadydeplasterer in the Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown last time.
“He’s in great form at the moment and seems very well in himself,” said Kilkenny-based Sheehy.
“He scoped badly after Leopardstown the last day and although it was a bad run from our horse, the form of the race is actually very good.
“He is better than that run, though.
“It’s a good race on Sunday, but you don’t get any easy races for 100 grand.
“Everything seems to be in his favour, so we just have to hope for a bit of luck.”
* Jim Dreaper will keep a keen eye on the weather before deciding whether to let Notre Pere take his chance under top-weight in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.
The eight-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic season so far, winning the Welsh National at Chepstow before chasing home Neptune Collonges in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
He was forced to miss an intended run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup after a minor setback but Dreaper reports his stable star to be back firing on all cylinders.
“We had no option but to declare him as we are three days away from the race. The lads will have a ride around on Sunday and they will be able to tell me what it’s like,” said Dreaper.
“If we had a damp night without being a wet night, while it wouldn’t be ideal, I would say it will be perfectly safe and that’s all we need.
“The rain seems to be skirting around us a little bit as both we and Fairyhouse seem to be missing the rain other parts of Ireland have got over the last few days.
“We’re in the race anyway and obviously he is being prepared as if he is going to run. He appears to be fully recovered from the minor setback he suffered last month.”
The going is currently good to yielding following 1.8 millimetres of rain on Thursday night with showers forecast before Monday.
Fairyhouse general manager Caroline Gray said: “We had 1.8mm of rain last night the forecast is for up to 10mm of rain today and showers tomorrow.”
* Colm Murphy will give Big Zeb a confidence-boosting run over hurdles at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday in readiness for a trip to the Punchestown Festival.
The eight-year-old was sent off the co-second favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last time, but took a crashing fall four fences from home.
Murphy reports Big Zeb to have returned from that experience relatively unscathed, and would like to get one more run into his charge before a tilt at the Kerrygold Champion Chase on April 28.
“He will run in either the Ladbrokes.com Hurdle or the King Crisps Hurdle on the same card – I don’t know which one he’ll go for yet,” said Murphy.
“He was a little bit sore initially after Cheltenham but is very good now and I’m very happy with him.
“I want to get a spin into him before Punchestown and, as it turns out, it will be over hurdles.
“It will help his confidence and I would imagine he’ll go for the two-mile chase at Punchestown.”
