Last-minute Vautour comes good on the day
Reports of the Robin Des Champs gelding failing to show the same spark in his work as he did prior to winning the JLT Novices’ Chase at last season’s meeting tempered enthusiasm for his supporters, as did the late decision to run in this race. But the manner in which the race unfolded, and the horse’s authority in victory belied all previous concerns.
Although not ridden as forward as last year, he was never far off the strong pace being set by Village Vic, and some fine leaps in the early stages of the race carried him onto the tails of the leaders.
He and last year’s Gold Cup third, Road To Riches, moved on at the top of the hill, raced upsides until the turn for home, where Vautour, clearly travelling best, began to assert. In command over the second-last, he pinged the last and galloped clear up the hill to beat his running-on stable companion Valseur Lido by six lengths, with Road To Riches half a length away in third.
“He hasn’t been exactly delighting me in his work, and it’s amazing to see him produce a performance like that,” said Mullins. “I think the drying ground has been a huge help to him, and maybe he’s a horse who was just fed up of all that winter ground.
“I’ve always thought of him as a Gold Cup horse but in his work at home he hasn’t been showing me anything like that.”
Asked if he would have run Vautour in the Gold Cup if he didn’t have Djakadam, Mullins reiterated earlier concerns, emphatically.
“I’m telling you, he was not doing any sort of good work and we just changed everything last week in a last-ditch effort to try and get him to work better,” he insisted. “Probably his last bit of work, when I only did half the amount he normally does, he seemed to pick up a gear. I thought that’s fair, I’ll leave it at that, and won’t ask him to go again.
“I took what we did last year with him and did it again but it didn’t work, so I thought it was clear we weren’t going to win a Gold Cup because it hadn’t worked.
“I didn’t even know at that stage whether I was going to get him to the Festival or not. We left it until the last minute to bring him over, But over here, when he got out on the grass and the firmer ground, I think he started to really pick up.”
Having the record-setting Ruby Walsh on board has been key to many of the decisions Mullins makes, and the champion trainer was very open in his assessment of the importance of the man on top.
“Could I run any horse without Ruby? Is he worth 7lbs? Is he worth more to have on a horse?” he asked rhetorically. “When I come to the Festival and I have a chance of getting Ruby on, I try and put him on as many as we can,” he admitted.
“That means we have more of a chance of winners, and from a trainer’s and owner’s point of view that helped us in our decision making this week. Looking at all the races, I ask what can Ruby ride here that has a chance of winning, and that determines that horse’s target.”
Runner-up Valseur Lido stayed on to the effect which suggested a longer trip would have played to his strengths, and Mullins confirmed such.
“Did we enter him in the Grand National?” he enquired. “He needs a trip, but Gigginstown like to have runners in their own race, and they had a choice to make and this is the one they made. He ran a fantastic race but the further they go, the better he is.”
Winning owner Rich Ricci has a wealth of talent, and keeping them apart will be a headache for next season.
“He has three horses – Djakadam, Vautour and Douvan - that could go the three routes, if he wanted to do that,” added Mullins. “I’d love to get Vautour in a Gold Cup but these owners, like Gigginstown and Rich Ricci, are so lucky that they have these first-world problems. It’s extraordinary.”
In the weeks and months prior to last year’s Festival there were similar, if less dramatic, concerns about Vautour’s fitness but, as in 2015, he felt different on the track.
“He ran a blinder in the King George, but his work was very lethargic. But, when David Casey rode him on Saturday he said his work was somewhere near right. He worked half all right with a cross nose band on him.
“When we came down the hill today into the straight for the first time he came alive and then I was happy. I didn’t want to press on too early because I was aware of Road To Riches’ stamina, and I was thinking if my fellow starts to pull up he’ll be coming back at me.
“I also knew Valseur Lido would be a strong stayer, but we rounded the final bend and my horse opened up like last year – it was incredible. He was tight at the last two but deadly at them, and went to the line with his ears pricked.
“I’ve always felt this horse is very special and he was magic today - hopefully we can keep him right.”
Third-placed Road To Riches is another horse whose trainer would have preferred to target the Gold Cup. Nevertheless, handler Noel Meade was proud of his horse’s effort but lamented Mullins’ decision to switch the winner.
“I suppose taking on Vautour turning for home has run us into the ground a little bit,” he said of his horse, which was collared late for second place. “If he wasn’t in it, then Michael (O’Leary, owner) would have been right - this was the race for him. The change of plan for Vautour was a bit of a bummer for us
“He looked to have second place but didn’t quite get home in the last few strides. He ran a good race - I’m proud of him.”
Vautour is a best-price 8-1 to win the Gold Cup in 2017, only four points shorter than World Hurdle winner Thistelcrack.
