Mullins looking to end season on a high
There’s less than a week to go until the season-ending Punchestown Festival with Willie Mullins set to win an 18th Irish Champions Trainers title.
Unlike other years, the Closutton handler’s eyes aren’t solely fixed on Punchestown with the small matter of the UK Trainers’ title coming into his eyeline in recent weeks.
After winning the Aintree and Scottish Grand Nationals on successive Saturdays, Mullins now looks to have one hand on the title and it’d be a bit of a surprise if he didn’t emulate Vincent O’Brien’s feat from back in 1954 at Sandown Park this weekend.
Once Sandown is out of the way, all eyes will be on Punchestown with the Irish Champion Trainer set to bring most of his big guns to a festival that has 12 Grade Ones in total.
After winning nine of the top contests in each of the last three years at the Kildare track, you can expect Willie to continue his dominance of the Irish National Hunt scene.
Apart from the JP McManus-owned pair of Fact to File and Majborough and possibly El Fabiolo who may be Sandown-bound, a huge galaxy of stars is set to reappear including Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and Champion Hurdle winner State Man.
“Galopin Des Champs will go for the Punchestown Gold Cup,” said Mullins, speaking at his yard open day. “It will be tough for him. He got beaten there last year, but I think he and Bravemansgame went at it early and Fastorslow came and took it off him. Paul (Townend) might use different tactics. He seems good and he turns up every day.
“State Man is the same, and if you’re the owner, trainer or jockey, those are the ones you want to be with every day as they’re good, hardy, sound horses. I imagine Impaire Et Passe will take on State Man.”
Apart from those two stable stars, the Kilkennyman will also have a number of talented novices to unleash.
“Ballyburn did everything I hoped he would at Cheltenham and more,” he said. “He impressed me hugely. Everyone was raving about him after his couple of wins in Ireland and he looked a good novice, but I thought he looked much more than that when he came up the hill at Cheltenham.
“He can go any trip, so we’ll see what way the other races pan out. He looks a real good horse. With what he did at Cheltenham, I’d be comparing him to Faugheen or Vautour. It was a real top-end performance.
“Jasmin De Vaux will head to Punchestown and has put on a nice bit of condition since Cheltenham. Lossiemouth will go for the Mares Champion Hurdle, at this point in time.”
The Festival gets going next Tuesday afternoon.