Mullins worried over Pearl condition

Willie Mullins has expressed himself concerned with Florida Pearl’s condition after his star chaser finished a well-beaten fourth on his reappearance at Down Royal on Saturday.

Ridden by Barry Geraghty, the 10-year-old trailed home 29 lengths behind the winner More Than A Stroll in the James Nicholson Wine Merchants Champion Chase.

Geraghty sent Florida Pearl to the front ahead of See More Business seven fences from home before fading in the straight.

“He’s quite stiff and sore and he’s lost a fair bit of weight consistent with doing too much in a race on that sort of ground. He had a very hard race,” revealed the Bagnelstown trainer.

“I think just going on that far out in ground that heavy for his first run just took its toll. Both horses just cut their throats going down the back and his race was over a good half mile from home and you can see that in the horse this morning.

“He’s tired now and I hope it doesn’t just mark him for the rest of the season. It was a huge question to ask a horse to go on that far out on that sort of ground.”

Mullins hopes to run Florida Pearl in next month’s Durkan Chase at Punchestown before he prepares the Pertemps King George VI Chase winner for another crack at the big St Stephen's Day prize.

He said: “We are going to stick to the same plan – all being well.

“I’m sure he’ll recover physically in a matter of a few days.

“He has age on his side but you hate any horse getting that sort of drilling.

“He probably just takes a bit longer to get ready with every season.

“He was well but we thought we had him within his racing weight.

“Even in the conditions I was happy to let him go there but I didn’t expect him to take it up so far out.”

Bookmakers Coral make Florida Pearl a 5-1 chance to repeat last year’s victory in the King George VI Chase with Best Mate – second in 2001 – their 2-1 favourite.