That Willie Mullins has 11 runners in Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham is remarkable. That none of them is in the first three in the betting might be even more astonishing. But this could prove to be an exceptional edition of the juvenile championship in every respect.
Mullins has won the Triumph four times in the last five years and never come into it with more than 60 per cent of the runners. His problem is how a sound argument can be made for the best quality lying elsewhere.
Hello Neighbour has been Ireland’s leading four-year-old so far this season. However, even Gavin Cromwell’s star is preferred in most markets to a pair of outstanding British candidates in Lulamba and East India Dock that may end up fighting it out.
East India Dock has followed a classic route to the festival, winning all three of his starts including twice at Cheltenham. Lulamba has come from winning a race in Auteuil last year and parachuted into the Triumph reckoning through a massively impressive debut for Nicky Henderson at Ascot in January.
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They’ve got here differently but either way they represent a formidable challenge to Cromwell and team-Mullins.
It is impossible to crab East India Dock’s career over jumps to date and he looks an entirely admirable juvenile. Nevertheless, there was a swagger to Lulamba at Ascot that suggested a potentially exceptional recruit.
Mullins has half-a-dozen hopefuls for Friday’s other Grade One, the Albert Bartlett Hurdle, although a notable runner here is the sole mare, The Big Westerner.
No mare has won this in two decades, but not many could boast The Big Westerner’s win in a Limerick Grade Two over Christmas that in the past has been signpost to previous winners of this race such as Penhill and Weapon’s Amnesty.
Ground conditions will be quicker here but Henry de Bromhead’s novice is unbeaten and still unexposed so some smart males could get put in their place.
There are 28 Mullins runners in total on Friday and while Galopin Des Champs is the obvious headline act, for many punters Dinoblue will be a focus of interest in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase.
Runner up to Limerick Lace a year ago, Dinoblue is 3lbs better off for three-parts of a length and doubts about her stamina for the task have been banished. Throwing in how Limerick Lace’s form has dipped – she has first-time cheek pieces to try to rejuvenate her – and how ground conditions are quicker will make Dinoblue something of a hotpot for some.
It will be fascinating to see if the same applies to the festival’s “talking horse” Kopeck de Mee in the concluding Martin Pipe Hurdle.
This is the race with a pedigree of unveiling stars such as Galopin Des Champs (2021) and Banbridge (2022). On reputation Kopeck de Mee is apparently in that sort of company despite not having run for the Mullins team since transferring from France.
Given an official rating of 136 by the British handicapper there is every possibility the horse could be thrown in here. Or he might be another big reputation set to be shot down. Aidan Kelly, winner of this race on Iroko in 2023, is in the hot seat.
Paul Townend has opted for the Grade One winning mare Kargese in the annual County Hurdle puzzle. It leaves Danny Mullins to team up with last year’s winner Absurde who is 8lbs higher in the ratings this time.
The logic behind Kargese appears to be that the usual furious County pace will mean her keen way of racing won’t be such a negative. That may be the case, or it may not, since habits of any kind are hard to get out of.
Lark In The Mornin has run just twice since scoring at last year’s festival and a more straightforward proposition may be McLaurey. The sole JP McManus hope got a ratings hike for his victory at the Dublin Racing Festival but won there with some authority.
His stable companion Its On The Line tries to make it third time lucky in the Hunters Chase. Runner up for the last two years, the quirky sort has Derek O’Connor on board. Other big Irish hopes include Willitgoahead and Angels Dawn.
Music Drive looks an interesting alternative to all of them. A three-time winner with some smart form for Gordon Elliott, he recently returned from over two years off to comfortably win a pair of English point to points for his new connections. At eight Music Drive’s best may still be ahead of him.
Cheltenham: 1.20- Lulamba (Nap) 2.00- McLaurey 2.40- Dinoblue 3.20- The Big Westerner 4.00- Galopin Des Champs 4.40- Music Drive 5.20- East India Express
Nap and Double: Lulamba & Dinoblue
