A supremely successful 2024 for Willie Mullins winds up at Punchestown’s New Year’s Eve fixture with some rare uncertainty surrounding the champion trainer’s string.
Although Galopin Des Champs’ superb Savills Chase victory on Saturday was a Christmas festival standout, sub-par performances by other Mullins runners over the festive period prompted concerns about stable form.
A dividend of seven winners from almost 80 Christmas runners was a significant percentage dip for the sport’s most dominant operation. Mullins had 16 winners during the 2023 Christmas period.
Sunday’s performance by Champion Hurdle winner State Man was perhaps the most notable disappointment.
A 4-9 favourite for the Neville Hotels Hurdle, he could never get near the impressive winner Brighterdaysahead and missed out on second behind his 66-1 stable companion winter Fog. Examination after the race found the horse to be post-race normal.
“I was in trouble from an early stage. He was never really travelling,” reported Paul Townend. The rider also gave a “never travelled” report after the odds-on Argento was pulled up in Sunday’s opener. Another Mullins runner on Sunday, Lot Of Joy, stopped quickly in her race.
It means plenty focus will be on the seven Mullins declarations for Tuesday’s Punchestown fixture that traditionally brings the year to a close.
The reigning champion trainer in both Ireland and Britain has also made 14 declarations between Fairyhouse and Tramore on New Year’s Day.
Townend has opted for Saint Sam in Tuesday’s five-runner conditions hurdle, that also features stable companion Sir Gerhard.
Winner of a Grade Two Chase on his last start, before that Saint Sam won in Auteuil and ordinarily would shape for many punters as one to get stuck into.
In the circumstances, perhaps Ballyadam in receipt of 8lbs, and from the very much in form Henry de Bromhead team, might be an option for those seeking an alternative.
After his ultra-successful Christmas filling in for Jack Kennedy, Sam Ewing misses out on Punchestown due to suspension. Jordan Gainford steps in on Shannon Royale in the opening Beginners’ Chase.
On Monday, Mullins left eight entries in at the latest acceptance stage for the opening Grade One contest of 2025, the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle this Sunday.
A dozen horses in all remain in contention for the two-and-a-half-mile contest, won last season by the Mullins-trained Readin Tommy Wrong.
His owners, Simon Munir and Isaac Soude, have a pair of entries this time, including the Cheltenham Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux. He impressed on his hurdling debut at Navan when beating The Enabler.
Sunday’s other Naas feature will be the Grade Two Racing Post Novice Chase, the former top-flight contest switched from its former slot at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day.
The prime Arkle contenders Majborough and Ile Atlantique are among the nine left in it. They also include Gordon Elliott’s Firefox, a beaten favourite behind Croke Park in the Drinmore, who is set to step back to two miles at the weekend.
Inthepocket, a Grade One winner over hurdles, and successful over fences at Wexford in October, is another possible contender.
In other news, Co Cork trainer Jimmy Mangan could target February’s Irish Gold Cup with his stable star Spillane’s Tower, who ran fifth as an 11-4 favourite in Kempton’s King George VI Chase on St Stephen’s Day.
“He’s come back fine and to be fair, Mark Walsh said he just didn’t act on the course,” Mangan reported on Monday. “I see Willie [Mullins] was saying the same thing about his mare [Lossiemouth] as she didn’t perform on the track either [in the Christmas Hurdle]. She was in trouble early on Paul Townend said, and that’s not like her.
“We were very pleased with our horse, especially when Mark Walsh said he didn’t act at all round the track.”
Mangan feels Leopardstown might have been a better fit for Spillane’s Tower whose owner, JP McManus, saw another of his Blue Riband hopes Fact To File finish runner-up to Galopin Des Champs at the weekend.
“I think if we’d gone to Leopardstown, he might have been second to Galopin Des Champs. We’ve seen two stars here in Leopardstown in Galopin Des Champs and the mare yesterday [Brighterdaysahead],” he said.
“I’ll be speaking to Frank [Berry, McManus’s racing manager] and see where we go, but he probably will have an entry in the Irish Gold Cup. There’s not a whole lot for him other than that, the odd conditions race or something over two and a half miles, so we’ll see,” Mangan added.
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