Road To Home can make winning return at Galway
ROAD TO MORE SUCCESS: Willie Mullins can strike with Road To Home at Galway on Tuesday. Picture: Healy Racing
One of the strangest stats in racing is the fact that Willie Mullins has never won a handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Not one of his remarkable 121 Festival wins have come in a race of that type.
Given the calibre of Cheltenham races he wins it’s probably not an omission that gives the 20-time champion trainer of Ireland sleepless nights but the fact he has not yet ticked that particular box remains an oddity.
He went closer than ever before at this year’s Festival when Road To Home went down by just a neck to Ask Brewster in the Kim Muir. The seven-year-old returned to England a month later when he again ran a fine race in defeat when a close third in the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Sandown.
After his summer break, Road To Home returns to action at Galway on Tuesday to contest the BOYLE Sports Shop At Galway Racecourse Beginners Chase, the same race in which he began his chasing career last year. He was third to Ol Man Dingle on that occasion and, while he has yet to win over fences, he has run some fine races in defeat.
And while his best runs have come over marathon trips, this shorter race looks a good starting point for the season. He can take this en route to bigger things later this season.
Elsewhere on the card, Way With Words should be a tough nut to crack in the bumper. The Philip Dempsey-trained Poet's Word gelding finished second to subsequent Punchestown festival winner Adaboy Mushy on his debut at Leopardstown in March and a repeat of that run here should see him home in front.
After last Thursday’s win over hurdles at Clonmel, Mount Shenshan makes a swift return to action in the Mongey Communications Handicap Chase but the Tom Mullins-trained mare may have to settle for minor honours behind Hees Dynamite this time.
Trained by Eric McNamara, Hees Dynamite is also making a swift return to action having finished fourth at Listowel 10 days ago.
The eight-year-old has five wins on his card and the fact one of them came over course and distance is an obvious plus for his prospects. A bold bid can be expected.
1.45 Young Rebel
2.20 Inthenickoftime
2.55 Fire Coral
3.30 Road To Home (Nap)
4.05 Dearg Mor
4.40 Hees Dynamite
5.15 Way With Words (NB)
1.45 Baila Conmigo
2.20 Just For One
2.55 Grace Faraday
3.30 Captain Ryan Matt
4.05 Onefortheditch
4.40 Mount Shenshan
5.15 Ellen Imlach
