Since National Hunt racing’s elite performers invariably target Cheltenham in March there can be a “phony war” atmosphere to much of the pre-Christmas action, but there will be little phony about Fairyhouse’s triple-Grade 1 ‘Winter Festival’ card on Sunday, even for Willie Mullins.
The champion trainer has never made a secret of how he prioritises the spring festivals, a prism through which early season efforts such as Vautour’s comparatively underwhelming Ascot reappearance last weekend can often be viewed.
Mullins has stressed the point again by saying about Vautour: “March is a long way off: you just try and pick the competitions you might win on the way ahead of one of the big ones in March.”
That policy notably paid off at the 2015 Cheltenham Festival with a record-breaking eight winners, yet such is the power of the Closutton yard it can still be argued only a fall by the hot-favourite Zaidpour in last year’s Bar One Hatton’s Grace prevented a Mullins clean sweep of all three Grade 1’s at the Irish season’s first major jumps fixture.
Sure enough, the sport’s dominant figure is targeting Sunday with an even hotter Hatton’s Grace favourite in Arctic Fire, a pair of prolific winners in Long Dog and Bachasson who look to dominate the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, and Outlander who is part of a hugely strong Gigginstown Stud team in the Drinmore Novices Chase on Sunday.
Gigginstown edged even closer to a notable triple-Grade 1 result last year with only Nichols Canyon beating them in the Royal Bond. But for a race which has received a warning about failing to reach top-flight rating parameters in 2014, a five-runner turn-out on Sunday will cause some concern.
Groundless
In contrast any worries that Hatton’s Grace might be feeling the impact in Pattern terms of a succession of small fields – and some less than household names winning it – are likely to continue to be groundless since Arctic Fire is due to line up.
He might not win very often but the horse who spent most of last season chasing home his outstanding stable-companions, Faugheen and Hurricane Fly, boasts a 169 handicap mark that gives him almost a stone and a half in hand of his nearest rival on ratings.
That’s hardly a guarantee of success, especially if ground conditions turn very testing, but he looked to have Jezki covered at the trip in last season’s Aintree Hurdle until falling at the last. Considering Mullins’s steady approach to a long campaign, he should strip a lot sharper for his recent Lismullen victory.
Michael O’Leary is chasing a fourth Drinmore success in five years and has half of the eight runners on Sunday.
Ruby Walsh stepped in for a notable Drinmore spare on Bog Warrior in 2011 and Bryan Cooper hopes there won’t be a repeat after picking No More Heroes from the Ryanair boss’s quartet.
Chasing debuts
Both No More Heroes and Outlander won on their respective chasing debuts at Punchestown but Cooper’s decision looks sound, especially if ground conditions turn very testing.
“He was a nice horse last year, but he always had the look of a chaser. He got off to a good start. He jumped well but he [Gordon Elliott] left him with plenty of improvement to come,” the Kerry-born jockey said.
Cooper’s Gigginstown connection means Walsh does come in for the ride on Elliott’s impressive Down Royal scorer Miss Tata in the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle.
Monksland is Noel Meade’s principal Grade 1 hope of the weekend, but the local trainer could score with Sunrae Shadow in his first handicap and Tulsa Jack who should relish a greater stamina test in the handicap chase.
