‘Quevega is probably my best chance’
Mullins has trained 17 festival winners, he has three to his credit as an amateur rider as well, and has travelled with a powerful team, headed by Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle.
If he’s feeling the pressure then there are no outwards signs and he talks freely and easily, yawning occasionally as if to emphasise just how relaxed he appears to be.
Hurricane Fly has had to miss Cheltenham for the last two years, but now finally gets the opportunity to prove he is a horse of real substance.
“Two years ago he had a splint problem and last year a suspensory ligament,” recalled Mullins. “We gave him time off and our patience has been rewarded. My whole focus has been on getting him to Cheltenham.
“This is the first occasion we have had a clear run. I have not been hard on the horse, but he is very fit and well. I’m delighted with him.”
You won’t get Mullins making rash predictions about any race, least of all one as competitive as the Champion Hurdle. But there is little doubt he has always believed in Hurricane Fly and one clearly senses that a big run is expected.
He will rely solely on Zaidpour, from multiple entries, in the Stan James Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Zaidpour looked a star in the making in the early part of the campaign, but has lost his way somewhat of late.
He failed to justify odds of 1-4 when beaten by First Lieutenant at Leopardstown at Christmas and then proved no match for Oscars Well in the Grade 1 Deloitte Hurdle, back at Leopardstown.
“I think his third run came too close to his second, but I was disappointed with him the last day and cannot offer any reason for it,” said Mullins.
Quevega, who has won the race for the last two years, seeks the hat-trick in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle.
She went to Cheltenham a year ago without the benefit of a previous outing and it’s a case of the same again, with Quevega absent since scoring at the Punchestown festival back in April.
“I’m happy with her and was thrilled with the way she worked at the Curragh recently,” Mullins reports. “She had a little setback about eight or nine weeks ago, but the ground has been very bad and I didn’t see any race I wanted to run her in anyway. She seems to love that last half mile round Cheltenham.”
He had two decent cards to play in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle in So Young and Day Of A Lifetime but has decided to rely solely on the former.
So Young, who won three races on the flat in his native France, is unbeaten in two outings over flights in Ireland and could, literally, be anything.
“He is not as flash as Zaidpour in his homework, but has never disappointed us,” revealed Mullins. “Those horses who are unbeaten you never know how good they are. So Young has come in for inspired support in the last few days and looks like going off favourite.
He will be doubly represented in the RSA Novice Chase with Mikael D’Haguenet and Quel Esprit.
Mikael D’Haguenet, once regarded as a possible future Gold Cup winner, has had his problems and hasn’t convinced over fences this season. “Perhaps, he’s not match-fit yet, or maybe all the old ability is no longer there.”
Quel Esprit, who fell two out in the Moriarty Chase at Leopardstown, returned to that track subsequently and impressed in a schooling session. “His jumping is actually fantastic and I’m expecting a big run from him”, said Mullins.
In-form and progressive Golden Silver does duty in the two-mile Champion Chase. He has twice disappointed at Cheltenham but that doesn’t worry his trainer. “He didn’t travel well the first year and last year we made too much use of him. Paul (Townend) and himself are a great team and this time we will drop him out. If it works it works and if it doesn’t it doesn’t.”
Fiveforthree will take on Big Buck’s and Grands Crus in the Ladbrokes’ World Hurdle. He was off for a long time, before returning with a smooth win at Punchestown.
“I had to run him at Punchestown, because the conditions of the race suited, but my worry is that it might take the edge off him. We have Mourad in the race as well, but Big Buck’s is going to be hard to beat.”
Kempes, fresh from a career-best performance to land the Hennessy at Leopardstown, runs in the Gold Cup.
Said Mullins: “He is an improving young horse who is getting his act together over fences. The more the ground dries out the better and he has a squeak.”
He will have three runners in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, Gagewell Flyer, Allee Garde and Raptor.
Gagewell Flyer has won three in-a-row, Allee Garde bolted in at Down Royal and Raptor was impressive at Punchestown.
Some Target heads for the four mile National Hunt Chase, while Mullins will be liberally represented in the handicaps.
One of the handicappers to note is Call The Police in the Coral Cup. “He jumps like a chaser, but is in great shape,” said Mullins.
His bet of the week? “That’s a tough question, but Quevega is probably my best chance.”
