Racing

Willie Mullins pencils in 24 charges for Cheltenham’s Neptune Novice Hurdle

Carlow trainer responsible for more than half of the Irish-trained horses in the race

Willie Mullins has Kalkir and Dicosimo up against Peace and Co in JCB Triumph Hurdle. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Willie Mullins has Kalkir and Dicosimo up against Peace and Co in JCB Triumph Hurdle. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Thu Jan 29 2015 - 19:12

Willie Mullins is responsible for 24 of the 44 Irish-trained horses lined up for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on March 11th.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite Douvan, top-class bumper performer Shaneshill, and the Gigginstown House Stud-owned pair of Outlander and McKinley feature in the list for the Co Carlow handler.

Parlour Games is one of the star names among 110 entries for race. The seven-year-old won a Grade Two event of the same name at Prestbury Park in November and followed up in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas.

John Ferguson’s charge appears the chief British contender for the two-mile-five-furlong Neptune.

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Nicky Henderson is responsible for nine entries, including dual Grade Two scorer Vyta Du Roc and Kilcrea Vale, who powered to a 26-length victory on his hurdling debut at Market Rasen on January 15th.

Other contenders include last weekend’s Cheltenham winner Ordo Ab Chao, trained by Alan King, and the Harry Fry-trained and JP McManus-owned Jollyallan.

Red-hot favourite Peace And Co is one of 70 entries for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on March 13th. Unbeaten in three races, he showed a different side to his game at Cheltenham last Saturday when victorious in a Triumph trial.

Realistic hopes

As well as the ante-post favourite, trainer Henderson has other realistic hopes in Top Notch, in the same ownership as Peace And Co, Hargam and Bivouac.

Paul Nicholls numerically has the strongest entry with seven possibles, while Mullins only has four, though his team includes Kalkir and Dicosimo.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Vercingetorix and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Bristol De Mai are also prominent in the betting and, like Peace And Co and Top Notch, are owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Fiscal Focus and Karezak are others among the bumper entry to have shown worthwhile form.

L’Ami Serge appears among 84 entries for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 10th.

A winner of all three of his starts for Henderson, he is the nearest contender to Douvan at the head of the betting for the traditional curtain raiser at the meeting.

Having made a mockery of his opening handicap mark of 132 in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury, L’Ami Serge won a Grade Two at Ascot before successfully stepping up to the highest level in the Tolworth at Sandown.

“He has won all three and won his Grade One, he was very impressive in the Tolworth,” said Henderson.

Serious condition

“He has done seriously well for the break he has had since then.

“He has put on some serious condition. He will have to do his prep shortly as he is doing too well.”

Henderson has three other entries in Cardinal Walter, Hunters Hoof and, perhaps surprisingly, the Triumph Hurdle favourite Peace And Co.

Along with the favourite Douvan, Mullins has 17 other entries, including Alvisio Ville, Kalkir, Dicosimo, Nichols Canyon and Morning Run.

El Namoose and Parlour Games have been given the option by John Ferguson, while Nicholls has Vago Collonges among his team of five.

The Fry-trained duo of Jollyallan and Jolly’s Cracked It, Silver Concorde, Fascino Rustico, Vercingetorix and Beast Of Burden are other interesting possibles at this stage.