HURRICANE FLY was brilliant on Tuesday and this afternoon Willie Mullins pulls out the other two elements of his star novice triumvirate as Mikael D’Haguenet and Cousin Vinny clash in a mouth-watering Grade One Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle.
The champion trainer has elected to allow both take their chance with Cousin Vinny on a retrieval mission after his unhappy Cheltenham experience, but he is facing a colossal task against his hugely impressive stable companion.
Mikael D’Haguenet stunned even Mullins with his Ballymore Properties victory at Cheltenham. On a quicker surface than he had faced up to then, the ex-French star actually appeared to change his stride pattern and to such effect that he overcame interference before the turn-in to swamp two high-class opponents in Karabak and Diamond Harry.
Mullins said afterwards he has rarely, if ever, seen a horse perform such a feat but that has been Mikael D’Haguenet’s form this season: stylishly overcoming any obstacle put in his way.
It’s a measure of the regard Cousin Vinny was held in then that he went to Cheltenham as the Mullins festival banker for many. It proved a disaster, though, with the horse refusing to eat for two days at Prestbury Park and eventually managing only fifth to Go Native in the Supreme.
His jockey, Patrick Mullins, is hopeful of a lot better now and said yesterday: “I think he is in better form than at Cheltenham. I was off the bridle at the top of the hill there and he still only ended up being beaten less than five lengths. His work is very good and I think he can improve again.”
His father agrees but doesn’t underestimate Cousin Vinny’s task either. Mullins Snr said yesterday: “Cousin Vinny is in much better form than he was at Cheltenham. Mikael is good, too, and the ground and everything has come up for him.”
The seven others in the field include a pair of four-year-olds led by the Aintree Grade Two winner Bouggler. Copper Bleu was declared in error at Horse Racing Ireland and runs instead in the following novice hurdle.
Whatever the opposition, it is very much Grade One opposition and since he is officially rated a full 9lb clear of his stable companion, it is very hard to see past Mikael D'Haguenet.
The big novice hurdle was won by Tranquil Seaon this day last year and after a relatively disappointing novice chase campaign to date, Edward O'Grady's horse can make up for lost time in the €90,000 Betfair Novice Handicap Chase.
Another highly talented horse whose season has been something of a let down is Zaaritowho at his best should be very hard to beat in the novice hurdle.
Colm Murphy’s horse was ante-post favourite for the Supreme for much of the winter but failed to even make Cheltenham. However, the stable were out of form at the time and it’s a different story now.
Ruby Walsh is on Ballytrim for Willie Mullins in the long distance handicap chase and that could mean losing out on Lochan Lachawho could also relish this marathon trip.
The combination of a Dermot Weld trained-JP McManus owned newcomer New Rulesin the bumper looks interesting.
