Willie Mullins Cheltenham Stable Tour 2024 – What have we learnt?

Willie Mullins’ 2024 Cheltenham Festival stable tour took place this week and we have picked out the main points from the day at Closutton and tried to work out which Mullins horses will end up in which race.

It is always difficult to predict where the Mullins horses will end up at the Cheltenham Festival and 2024 is no different, but there were some clues from this stable tour and we have outlined our predictions below. There was also some interesting information from some of his biggest stable stars including Galopin Des Champs and Gaelic Warrior.

 

Galopin Des Champs

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – 10/11

“He’s come out of the Irish Gold Cup very well and we’re happy. It’s going to be a tip-top Gold Cup, but he’s in great form and has enjoyed being ridden more prominently on his last few starts. I had wanted him ridden off the pace for two years before that because he was too keen and I felt he’d get drawn into a battle. This year I don’t mind how he’s ridden. He’s stronger and more mature now, and I think he’ll be up for it.”

 

Appreciate It

• Ryanair – 14/1, Champion Chase – 33/1

“He could go to the Ryanair and hopefully we can get him back to his best. He’s just been disappointing this season and he’s one where I’ve had to change something at home.”

 

Ballyburn

• Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – 7/4, Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle – 7/2

“He’s been very impressive. He’s in the Supreme and the Baring Bingham. Pedigree-wise and looking at him I’d be thinking Baring Bingham, but looking at his race record I’d be thinking the Supreme. His owners Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh haven’t shown a preference so they’re very happy to go wherever we decide to go. I’m not going to call it now.”

 

Dinoblue

• Champion Chase – 8/1, Mares Chase – 6/5

“The best bit of work she ever did was in the lead up to the Dublin Racing Festival and I’m hoping she’ll continue to improve over the next few weeks. She made a few uncharacteristic mistakes in the Grand Annual last year. Two and a half miles in the Mares’ Chase shouldn’t be any problem given her pedigree”

 

El Fabiolo

• Champion Chase – 1/2, Ryanair Chase – 33/1

“He was very good at the Dublin Racing Festival and I thought that day, given the piece of work Dinoblue did leading up to the race, that if he missed a beat he’d be in trouble and this mare would be on top of him. But, he didn’t miss a beat and was just so good. Most people probably thought he’d be that good anyway, but when I saw the piece of work Dinoblue did I thought he’d have to be in some order to beat her. I just hope he hasn’t peaked too soon.”

 

Facile Vega

Arkle – 10/1, Brown Advisory – 50/1, Turners – 8/1

“He’s been a disappointment and Paul [Townend] said he’s just not back to his best yet. He’s been frustrating so I’m working on a different training plan for him. With his pedigree he could run in the Arkle, Turners or Brown Advisory. We’ll see after his last couple of bits of work where we stand.”

 

Fact to File

• Brown Advisory – 11/4, Turners – 5/2

“He’s in the Brown Advisory and the Turners. He’s done everything right and has put in a huge trial for either race. I’ve always been leaning towards the Brown Advisory, but I’m just wondering what other horses in those colours are going in that direction. His speed figures are fantastic. I’ve had two different speed men tell me that. One of those guys told me that when he won his beginners’ chase his speed figures were huge. They were going some lick down the back straight at the Dublin Racing Festival and he just kept on jumping and galloping right to the line.”

 

Gaelic Warrior

• Arkle – 10/1, Brown Advisory – 33/1, Turners – 8/1

“He was very free on his way down to the start and was on edge in the parade ring at Leopardstown. He may have just boiled over. Going left-handed didn’t suit him. He’s a bit down in himself but I find that with good horses when they get beaten. A bit like boxers, they don’t like it and get disappointed. We’ll try to have him right for Cheltenham. The Turners was what we were thinking and he still has all the options, but the way he jumps and the speed at which he jumps, I certainly wouldn’t have any problems putting him into a two-mile race going right-handed. We’ll see.”

 

Lossiemouth

• Champion Hurdle – 14/1, Mares Hurdle – 4/6

“She hasn’t done anything wrong and I know a lot of people would like her to go for the Champion Hurdle, but I’m not sure she’d be going down that route even if there wasn’t a Mares’ Hurdle. Five-year-olds win a Champion Hurdle once every 25 to 30 years, and usually in a bad year. This doesn’t look a bad year. Five-year-olds just can’t lie up and are not physically strong enough. She did everything right at Cheltenham the other day and maybe she is stronger, but she’ll have her chance in the next couple of years to have a go at the Champion Hurdle. We’ll let State Man soften Constitution Hill up first.”

 

Maughreen

• Champion Bumper – 8/1

“Faugheen [Maughreen’s half-brother] won his bumper at Punchestown by 22 lengths and I know Maughreen only won by 11, but I think Patrick [Mullins] took a pull after I gave out to him for winning so far on Faugheen. She’ll improve the whole way to the festival.”

 

Minella Cocooner

• National Hunt Chase – 16/1, Brown Advisory – 40/1, Turners – 40/1

“I don’t think the race at Navan worked out ideally. Danny [Mullins] set out to make it and Gordon Elliott’s horse [Favori de Champdou] was on the inside. He wasn’t wrong to go on the outside but he got stuck going too fast. I’m putting a line through that run, but I’m not sure Cheltenham would be his cup of tea either. He might stay at home as he gets very wound up. ”

 

Monkfish

• Stayers Hurdle – 16/1, Cheltenham Gold Cup – 66/1

“He’s in the Stayers’ Hurdle and the Gold Cup and I’m thinking if enough rain comes we seriously have to consider the Gold Cup. He’s got the class and I was happy he came back in good order at Gowran, albeit over hurdles. I’m going to prepare him for the Gold Cup. We’ll have a word with Rich [Ricci] and see what his preference is, but the horse is in great order. Is he as good as he once was? I haven’t asked him all those questions, but I thought he went a long way towards answering that question at Gowran. Come Cheltenham he’ll be better again.”

 

Mystical Power

• Supreme Novices Hurdle – 6/1, Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle – 5/1

“I’ve been very, very pleased with what he’s shown us over two miles. With his pedigree, he could be a two and-a-half miler or even further, but he’s shaped more like a two-miler. That wasn’t what he looked like in his home work, but he’s a late developer. Mark [Walsh] rode him in his last bit of work before he was supposed to go to Naas, and was amazed at how much he’d improved. The Naas race was put back a week, so we switched to the Moscow Flyer at Punchestown. He was very good there and we were very happy. You’d have to think Supreme.”

 

State Man

• Champion Hurdle – 3/1

“He’s in great order. His performance at Christmas was huge against Impaire Et Passe, who was much more competitive there than he was the other day at the Dublin Racing Festival. He’s going to be really race-fit. Nicky Henderson might not think so, or Constitution Hill fans might not think so, but I think we’re stronger this year.”

 

Cheltenham Bookies Offers 2024

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