Mullins wary of Vedette threat at Punchestown

Willie Mullins would rather Quevega did not have to tackle Voler La Vedette in the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown.

The Colm Murphy-trained Voler La Vedette ran Big Buck’s to a length and three-quarters in the World Hurdle while Quevega made it four straight wins at Cheltenham when landing the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle.

Quevega had a wall of horses in front of her turning into the straight but eventually found space to power home by four lengths.

“I was a little bit worried but then I thought at least she would get a good breath of air coming down the hill as Ruby (Walsh) had her jaw locked,” said Mullins.

“I had her in the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown until Hurricane Fly did his final bit of work and I took her out and put her in the three-mile race and I thought none of the others would be entered in a Grade One two-mile hurdle.

“I thought if she got the breaks she’d come through and she did, she shows plenty of gears at home.

“Other people might want to see her take on Voler La Vedette but I’m not so sure!

“There’ll be more than her too, a couple of English horses will come over and will make it a tough race, a great race to see.”

Mullins was also on the mark with Sir Des Champs in the Jewson, and he is already favourite for next year’s Gold Cup.

“He’s just a very good horse, fingers crossed he stays sound. He could be anything,” Mullins told At The Races.

“As Michael (O’Leary, owner) said, we’ll just enjoy this year but the Gold Cup will be his aim next year. I’m not sure what he’ll run in at Punchestown.”

There were one or two notable reverses for Mullins, however, with Hurricane Fly and Boston Bob disappointing.

“Hurricane Fly seems fine. Boston Bob seemed a little dead on the day, Ruby said he never carried him, never travelled and never really jumped,” said Mullins. “I know he had quite a hard race in the Grade Two the day he won and maybe it took more out of him than I thought. Sometimes a race can take more out of them than you think.

“Final Approach has picked up a tendon injury, there were a few other nicks and cuts but nothing else serious.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Lynch believes the omission of the final fence in the Queen Mother Champion Chase cost him his chance of victory on Sizing Europe.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge lost his crown to Finian’s Rainbow but after the early fall of Wishfull Thinking, Sizing Europe was left in front for most of the race.

One of his major assets is his jumping and Lynch is of the opinion he would have had a better chance of success had the pair had to jump the last obstacle.

“I’ve watched it an awful lot of times. It’s just one of those things,” said Lynch.

“There’s no point getting annoyed about it now, what’s done is done. It’s a pity but you never know what might have happened.

“You’d like to think it cost us our chance but we’ll never know.

“He jumped, he travelled and he seemed to be in great form, same as I rode him last year. The plan was to pick him up until the back of the last and go away again but it didn’t work out like that.

“He’s come out of the race well. Big Zeb is probably a bit better at Punchestown and it will be interesting if Nicky Henderson sends anything over.

“I’m looking forward to it anyway.”

Lynch also received plenty of plaudits for his ride on Voler La Vedette in the World Hurdle but like so many others, she came up just short against Big Buck’s.

“She ran a blinder. She’s a very good mare. She was getting 7lb off Big Buck’s and he’s one of the best hurdlers I’ve ever seen,” he told At The Races.

“If everything goes according to plan, it will be an interesting race against Quevega at Punchestown.”