LEOPARDSTOWN GALLOPSLEOPARDSTOWN'S eve-of-festival gallops session has a history of throwing up major Cheltenham hints, but yesterday's significant result could have come 100 miles away at Clonmel.
Apt Approach, one of four Willie Mullins hopes to extend the trainer's remarkable winning streak in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper to six, worked after racing at Leopardstown, but Grancore Girl, the mare he beat well on his debut last month, won easily at Clonmel just minutes before that.
It was a major form boost for the Cheltenham second-favourite, and, significantly, Ruby Walsh rode Apt Approach in his gallop with another bumper contender Drive On Regardless.
"Ruby liked him a lot but we won't make a decision on who rides what until everything becomes more clear," said Mullins, who worked eight horses in total after racing. "The mare who won in Clonmel must be pretty fair, so the form looks good. But you need a lot of luck in the bumper. It's always closely fought and the winner usually gets the best passage."
Along with a squad from Dessie Hughes's yard that included former double Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace, the Mullins team made up a sizeable portion of the horses on view yesterday.
But with just eight days to go to the festival, there were no major ante-post betting shifts in the fashion of Total Enjoyment (2004) and Sky's The Limit (2006). Only Robin Du Bois's odds for the Pertemps Final were cut by William Hill to 8 to 1.
Dessie Hughes said it is "60-40" about Hardy Eustace running in the World Hurdle rather than the Champion this time round.
"Conor (O'Dwyer) said he was happy with the way he moved so I'm happy. He will probably run in the Stayers."
Andrew McNamara, who schooled the Arkle hope Clopf down the back straight, said: "We jumped six steady enough. He was fine."
Sizing Europe's jockey has also picked up the mount on the Grade One-winning Triumph Hurdle hope Won In The Dark, trained by the Curragh-based Sabrina Harty.
Tony Martin's Cheltenham plans could yet include a County Hurdle bid by Psycho, who will work later in the week.
But the Cesarewitch winner Leg Spinner looked to book his ticket for the Coral Cup with a piece of work that also included his stable companion Robin Du Bois.
"If it gets too soft Leg Spinner won't run and we'll switch Robin Du Bois from the Pertemps," Martin said. "Wonderkid could also run in the cross country race."
Davy Russell rode the Champion Hurdle outsider Farmer Brown in a gallop yesterday, while another Mullins horse to work well was the novice Cooldine.
He could carry the Florida Pearl colours in Thursday's Grade Two novice hurdle at Thurles, but there is also the option of the Albert Bartlett novice hurdle at the festival, a three-mile event formerly known as the Spa.
