El Fabiolo win ‘not a foregone conclusion’ warns Mullins

El Fabiolo is out to confirm his position as the leading two-mile chaser in training when he lines up in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Winner of the Irish Arkle at this meeting 12 months ago when he was overlooked by Paul Townend in favour of Appreciate It, he went on to confirm the big impression he made that day at Cheltenham.

Up against Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon, the only horse to beat him since joining Willie Mullins, he came out well on top.

Mullins will be hoping the same fate does not befall his seven-year-old this weekend when he faces stiff opposition from within his own camp, three runners all owned by JP McManus – the improving mare Dinoblue, Gentleman De Mee and Saint Roi.

“El Fabiolo was supposed to go to England and then the Clarence House was rerouted to Cheltenham and we said we’d skip that and come to the Dublin Racing Festival,” said Mullins.

“He’s in great form. Dinoblue is a mare that’s improving all the time and then Gentleman De Mee’s there, he will also give a good account of himself and he likes this track. It’s shaping up to be a hot race, it’s not a foregone conclusion.”

“Dinoblue and Gentleman De Mee are really strong opposition and it is certainly not going to be easy,” said Bromley.

“The ground should be fine, he’s a course and distance winner and rated to win it, but I was hugely impressed by Dinoblue at Christmas in proper soft ground and there could be a big danger there.

“Let’s hope we can just get through it and then plan for Cheltenham. He is our big hope for Sunday and the weekend really.”

The only non-Mullins runner in the race is Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guinness, who was desperately disappointing behind Dinoblue at Christmas and has frequently come up just short in Grade Ones in the past.