5 Willie Mullins Horses to watch this season
Willie Mullins is the dominant force in National Hunt racing right now, with the Irish powerhouse simultaneously holding the title of champion trainer at home and in Britain following the majestic spring campaign he enjoyed.
Mullins is a 17-time champion in Ireland and has the ante-post favourites for many Cheltenham Festival races in March.
The Closutton chief is sure to land major races on both sides of the Irish Sea in the months to come, all the way to Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown in the spring and here we have picked out five Mullins-trained horses to keep a close eye on.
Willie Mullins Horses: Ballyburn
Ballyburn was the most exciting novice over hurdles last season, winning at Cheltenham in March, while he made a pleasing start to his career over fences by winning at Punchestown. Mullins has stated he will have options in Ireland and England in the New Year for his next start and the Ronnie Bartlett-owned star looks set to be amongst the most talked-about horses of the season once more.
Willie Mullins Horses: Fact To File
Some well-placed judges felt that Fact To File could have won the Gold Cup last season if he had contested it. Instead he went the traditional route by winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on his first crack at three miles. He is a very exciting prospect for owner JP McManus and his winning comeback in the John Durkan at Punchestown has only served to heighten the talk around him.
Mullins says he could be supplemented for the King George on Boxing Day, while the Gold Cup in March is the ultimate aim.
Willie Mullins Horses: Fishery Lane
Possibly a dark horse worth considering. Fishery Lane was 0-3 in bumpers last season but Mullins reported that his work at home was strong. He races in the colours of Bryan Drew, the same silks carried by Bravemansgame, and his trainer believes he will be holding his own at the top level in novice hurdles this season as a horse with lots of potential. All three Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 novice hurdles are possible targets and he can backed at fancy prices in the ante-post markets.
5 Willie Mullins Horses: Galopin Des Champs
The winner of the last two Gold Cups at Cheltenham, it would be folly to start writing Galopin Des Champs off after he was beaten on his comeback in the John Durkan. He did the donkey work on the front end and was always likely to be caught out over an inadequate 2m4f trip.
Mullins is plotting a regular path of the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and then on to the Irish Gold Cup and back to Cheltenham in March and, with all three races over proper staying trips, the champ isn’t going to be on the canvas for long before he’s back up punching hard again.
5 Willie Mullins Horses: Il Etait Temps
If consistency is your measurement of choice, look no further than Il Etait Temps. He was a Grade 1-winning novice hurdler at the Dublin Racing Festival in February 2023 and held his own amongst a good crop and then last season he posted figures of 12131 in his first campaign over fences. The last four of those were in top level company, twice behind the high-class Gaelic Warrior including in the Arkle at Cheltenham, before he signed off by beating top UK novices Ginny’s Destiny and Grey Dawning at Aintree in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase.
The Ryanair could be his target in the spring at Cheltenham, but he showed last season that he can be kept busy and still hold his form and he could be one who pops up in a variety of places for Team Mullins this season.
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