Mullins’ powerful raiding party poised for record haul at Olympics of jump racing

NICKY Henderson’s record haul of seven winners – headlined by Champion Chase hero Finian’s Rainbow – at the 2012 Cheltenham National Hunt Festival is at the mercy of Willie Mullins’ powerful string next week if the ante post prices for many of the meeting’s 27 races are taken as a reliable guide.

Though the bookmaking industry is regularly prone to wild bouts of exaggeration, pre-festival fears about a financial wipe out for the layers, especially on Cheltenham’s opening day, are hardly misplaced and there could be carnage in the betting ring as Ireland’s champion trainer is set to unleash a string of ‘hot pots’ in the Cotswolds.

Having saddled a total of nine winners at the last two Cheltenham festivals and crowned the meeting’s top trainer in three of the last four years, Mullins’ growing dominance of National Hunt racing’s showcase event has the potential to reach unparalleled levels in 2015.

Take Monday’s opening day’s card, for instance. As it stands Ireland’s champion trainer is set to saddle four perceived bankers in the shape of Douvan (Supreme Novices), Un De Sceaux (Arkle Chase), Faugheen (Champion Hurdle), and Annie Power (OLBG Mares Hurdle).

Furthermore, Mullins will have strong back up in most of those races while the Co. Carlow based handler has no shortage of artillery to fire at the rest of the festival either as Nicholas Canyon (Neptune Hurdle), Black Hercules (Albert Bartlett), Champagne Fever (Champion Chase or Ryanair), Vautour (JLT Novices Chase), Djakadam (Gold Cup), Don Poli (RSA or National Hunt Chase) and his host of challengers for the festival bumper underline the yard’s current awesome strength indepth.

Even allowing for the fact that Cheltenham in March is the sport’s most competitive arena and there are always unexpected results, Mullins clearly has the potential to rip the record books to shreds next week. He has already saddled a total of 33 winners at the festival, although curiously only five of those triumphs have come over fences.

Against that background, it comes as no surprise that Mullins has yet to savour glory in the meeting’s flagship race – the Gold Cup – but he is likely to be triple-handed this year even if Boston Bob, slightly below top class, and 2014 gallant runner up On His Own are now in the veteran stages.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Djakadam will be striving to become the first six-year-old to land chasing’s blue Riband event since Mill House in 1963. A faller at the top of the hill when still travelling strongly in last year’s JLT and disappointing on his seasonal bow when looking well handicapped in the Hennessy Gold Cup in Newbury last November, the Rich Ricci owned gelding remains in the ‘could be anything’ category.

There are bullish whispers coming from the Mullins stable about Djakadam, especially in the wake of trouncing his rivals off top weight in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park last month. It was a foggy afternoon and visibility was seriously restricted, but Ruby Walsh’s mount destroyed the field and could be a real improver even if there remains slight stamina doubts.

The Gold Cup betting is dominated by Silviniaco Conti, a faller at the third last in the 2013 edition before being run out of the places after leading over the final obstacle 12 months ago. Paul Nicholls’ stable star has since undergone treatment for ulcers and has looked an improved performer in the interim, especially when easily retaining the King George in Kempton at Christmas.

Supporters of Silviniaco Conti will be hoping he can make it third time lucky in the Gold Cup and, doubtless, should draw encouragement from The Fellow finally landing chasing’s most prestigious race at the fourth attempt in 1994. Dangers abound, however, not least in the shape of the last two winners of the Galway Plate, Carlingford Lough and Road To Riches.

Both horses have been thriving since their Ballybrit triumphs. Carlingford Lough may have taken longer than anticipated to make his mark over fences, but John Kiely’s charge has tumbled in the betting since getting the better of Foxrock in the Irish Hennessy at Leopardstown in February . . . the same venue where Road To Riches continued a stellar campaign by landing the Lexus Chase at Christmas.

Both Plate heroes go to Cheltenham with obvious chances and are currently trading at shorter odds than defending champion Lord Windermere. Jim Culloty’s nine-year-old edged out On His Own in a messy finish to last year’s Gold Cup, but having also won the RSA in 2013, the horse’s liking for Cheltenham’s undulations shouldn’t be under-estimated. The festival highlight has no amount of genuine contenders, including the progressive Many Clouds, but overall preference is for Holywell.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.