There may be no Galopin Des Champs, but Willie Mullins still holds a formidable hand in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, with defending champion Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior set to go head-to-head on Sunday.
The Closutton handler is also responsible for two Grand National winners and a further Cheltenham Festival winner among his seven-strong assault on a race he has won a record 10 times – and one that also features Gavin Cromwell's Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin and Martin Brassil’s 2023 race winner Fastorslow.
"I think it will be one of the races of the season, as it was last year," said Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer to his father.
"You’ve got a Gold Cup winner taking on a Ryanair winner, taking on an Aintree Bowl winner, two Grand National winners and a Brown Advisory winner – it’s a race not missing much.
"It’s a brilliant race to start the season for those horses over two and a half miles, rather than gutting them over three-miles-two at Haydock or somewhere else.
"It looks like it will be a shootout between Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior from our point of view.
"Then obviously you’ve got Inothewayurthinkin, who you would think will improve as the season goes on, and Fastorslow. It won’t be easy you’d think for him (Fastorslow) coming back from an injury, but if he’s back to his best, he will be a huge contender as well."
Fact To File saw off Spillane’s Tower and his dual Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning stablemate Galopin Des Champs in an enthralling edition of the Kildare track’s early-season feature last year, and it is again deemed the perfect starting point having dazzled over the intermediate trip in the Ryanair at the Cheltenham Festival.
Meanwhile, Gaelic Warrior has excelled since being upped in distance in the latter part of last season and Rich Ricci’s seven-year-old now returns with King George VI Chase and possible Gold Cup aspirations this term.
Mullins continued: "I think Fact To File will probably have the advantage on Sunday and maybe Gaelic Warrior as he has got older wants further, whereas Fact To File is a crack two-and-a-half-mile horse. He won it last year and you would think is the one to beat.
"We’re hoping to go to the King George and then maybe the Gold Cup with Gaelic Warrior after that and all the dreams are alive at the moment."
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Others from Closutton include Brown Advisory winner Lecky Watson, James Du Berlais, Grangeclare West and the two most recent Grand National winners, I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett.
The latter provided a magic Aintree moment for father and son when Patrick Mullins steered the 33-1 shot to victory on Merseyside and although this may be plenty short of his optimum, it is no surprise to hear the decorated amateur pilot is relishing rekindling the partnership.
"It is probably going to be a bit short for Nick Rockett and I Am Maximus and likewise maybe Lecky Watson, but it will be interesting to see how he measures up against the open horses," added Mullins.
"Personally I’m really looking forward to getting back on Nick Rockett. I rode him work during the week and he’s in really great form and hopefully we can get a really good run into him and build back towards Aintree."
Away from the Mullins battalion, most eyes will be on the seasonal bow of Inothewayurthinkin, who finished seventh in this 12 months ago before going on to bring his campaign to a crescendo in the Cheltenham Festival blue riband.
Owner JP McManus’ racing manager, Frank Berry, said: "He’s in good form and the trip might be a bit short form him, but he’s got to start somewhere.
"Gavin is very happy with him and it’s great to get him started. He’ll be a better horse up in trip later in the season, but we’ve got to go somewhere and we’re hopeful of a good run."
Henry de Bromhead’s recent course winner Heart Wood and Vincent Halley’s Senecia complete the line-up.
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