Mullins hoping for Silver lining
The Closutton trainer has revealed that his bumper team will not be as strong in quantity as has been the case in the past, admitting that the recession has had an impact on the number of potential owners willing to invest in horses.
“I don’t have as big a bumper group this year as before,” Mullins confirmed yesterday.
“The trouble now is getting the customers for the horses. Two or three years ago you could ring up a couple of lads and say ‘I’ve a nice horse’ and they’d get the money together. You can’t do that anymore.”
Golden Silver was one of the star attractions at the Mullins yard yesterday as Boylesports.com announced the renewal of Irish National Hunt Festival sponsorship at Punchestown for a further three years, bringing its association at the end of 2013 to five campaigns.
The deal, worth €500,000, will see the betting firm continuing its sponsorship of Boylesports.com Champion Chase, while adding its name to the Grade 2 Tied Cottage Chase, which will now be known as the Boylesports.com Chase.
Golden Silver finished second in the Tied Cottage Chase last January before going on in April to take the honours in the Champion Chase, which was being sponsored by Boylesports.com for the first time.
The firm will continue as title sponsor for the opening day of the festival which will run from May 3-7 and all being well, Golden Silver will line up in a bid to retain his two mile title.
“He will take much the same route as last season” said Mullins. “We will stick to minimum distances in Ireland. If he performs half as good as last year we will be very pleased.”
Hurricane Fly, Mikael D’Haguenet, Cooldine, Kempes, Blackstairsmountain, Bishops Furze, new arrival Blazing Tempo, Sivota, Killultagh Queen, Pomme Tiepy and Cooldine were amongst those to school yesterday, while Thousand Stars and Quevega are still in pre-training.
With Hurricane Fly earmarked for a tilt at the Champion Hurdle, Thousand Stars will go novice chasing with the Arkle as his aim. Quevega will be looking to repeat her victories at Cheltenham and Punchestown, although Mullins will run her a bit more frequently than last year, when injury disrupted the flying mare’s campaign.
Mikael D’Haguenet will also go chasing and, unsurprisingly for a French-bred animal, he schooled immaculately over the recently installed hurdle and three fences at the Mullins yard.
“We’ve had no trouble with him” declared the champion trainer. “He’s been fantastic since he’s been back and will go straight over fences. It’ll be November I’d say. I hate planning for a particular race. When they’re right I’ll just put them in the first novice chase that comes. The Fortria on November 7 will be ideal for a lot of them.”
Hurricane Fly has only done “a few bits of work” and could be headed for the Morgiana Hurdle on November 14.
Cooldine is “a fair way off” yet though and while he could be entered in the JNwine.com Chase at Down Royal, the likelihood is that he might not make his reappearance until the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown early in December.
With all the equine talent on view though, it was interesting that Mullins reserved his highest praise for Arvika Ligeonniere, who will go jumping this year. A winner of The Star Best For Racing Coverage Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last year, the five-year-old’s progress has clearly excited his handler. On board, Ruby Walsh’s grin was telling too.
“He will go novice chasing this season” confirmed Mullins. “We were delighted with him last season. I reckon he will be out in the next month. He is probably one of the exciting breakthroughs for 2010/2011.
“The way he jumped hurdles last year, I’m really looking forward to him over fences and I think he’s come back very strong this year. He’s matured more than any horse we’ve had this summer.
“If he jumps as well as I hope he will, he might make a two-miler.”
