Willie Mullins' stable tour ahead of the 2024 Punchestown Festival
Mullins spoke to AtTheRaces recently
Read exclusive quotes about Galopin Des Champs, State Man, Ballyburn and more
Trainer Willie Mullins talks to the press at Cheltenham. (Getty)
Contents
Willie Mullins Punchestown Festival 2024 Stable Tour
Ballyburn
Gaelic Warrior
Galopin Des Champs
Lossiemouth
State Man
Absurde
Asian Master
Dancing City
High Class Hero
Jade De Grugy
Mirazur West
Mystical Power
Tullyhill
Bunting
Kargese
Storm Heart
Jasmin De Vaux
Blood Destiny
Embassy Gardens
Il Etait Temps
Dinoblue
After being crowned British Champion Trainer at Sandown on Saturday, Willie Mullins spoke to AtTheRaces. Read key quotes about his possible runners at the 2024 Punchestown Festival.
*All quotes attributed to AtTheRaces*
Willie Mullins Punchestown Festival 2024 Stable Tour
Top Stars
Ballyburn
He did even more than I hoped he would do at the Cheltenham Festival. He really impressed me. Everyone was raving about him after Leopardstown, but I wasn’t necessarily fully on board. When I saw how he came up the hill at Cheltenham, that changed. What he did, I would be comparing him to the likes of Faugheen or Vautour. A real top-end performance. He can go any trip we need him to at Punchestown and we’ll slot him in whichever race suits best closer to the time.
Gaelic Warrior
He just lost the plot a bit at Leopardstown. There was a lot of music there that day and I don’t think he wanted to face the music! We put the hood on him as well as dropping him in trip at Cheltenham, which is sort of contradictory, but it seemed to work well. He was a much easier ride and put up a professional and impressive performance. He has the Celebration Chase at Sandown as an option, but if El Fabiolo goes there, I’d say Gaelic Warrior will probably stay home for the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase. We wouldn’t usually put a novice into open company like that, but we’ll keep our options open.
Galopin Des Champs
We’ll go again with him, and the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup is his target. It’s going to be tough for him, he was beaten in the race last year, though himself and Bravesmangame probably went at it from a long way out and made themselves vulnerable. He seems in great form. He turns up every time we run him and runs his race. He’s hardy and has a brilliant constitution.
Lossiemouth
I was absolutely delighted with her at Cheltenham, and it looks like she’s coming on-song in her bid for the Champion Hurdle next year. She has an entry in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, but the Coolmore N.H. Sires Bolshoi Ballet Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle is her target. When you look at her on the track you think she’s a little grey mare, but when you stand into her you get a fright! She’s more like 16-2. She’s very well proportioned.
State Man
State Man turns up to every dance and runs his race. He’s a wonderfully straightforward horse in every way and is building up a serious list of wins. We’ll go again with him in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle and I’m sure he’ll do us proud again.
Paul Townend riding Galopin Des Champs (yellow/brown) win The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase during day four of the Cheltenham Festival 2024. (Getty)
Novice Hurdlers
Absurde
We were delighted with him in the County Hurdle. He’s entered in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle over two miles at Punchestown and he’ll be in the mix for that. He’d also have the option of a handicap hurdle too. Longer term, we’d like to get him back to Australia. He ran great in the Melbourne Cup, but we might have a look at the Caulfield Cup over a mile-and-a-half too.
Asian Master
We’ll give him entries in the Grade 1 novice hurdles over two miles and two-and-a-half miles and we’ll make a decision closer to the time. He ran really well in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and I came away wondering whether we should have run him in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle instead. He’s going to be a lovely novice chaser next season.
Dancing City
Stepping up to three miles has made a huge difference to him. We had a very big opinion of him when we bought him and we finished last season a little bit disappointed, but splitting Ballyburn and Slade Steel in a winner’s bumper at the Punchestown Festival doesn’t read too badly in hindsight! He’s entered in the Channor Group Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, and we’d like to run there if he’s in good form.
High Class Hero
We were obviously very disappointed with him at Cheltenham. He scoped clean afterwards, so we aren’t sure what the issue was. He’s entered in the Channor Group Novice Hurdle and can hopefully get back on track there.
Jade De Grugy
We’d like to go again with her, and we’ve entered her in the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
Mirazur West
I think the switch back to front running was a big help to him last time. He’s entered in the Grade 1 novice hurdles over two miles and two-and-a-half miles. His mark gives him options in handicaps too, but we’ll see what the lads want to do. He looks a lovely novice chaser in the making for next season.
Mystical Power
We’ll see how he is closer to the time, but I’d like to run him again at Punchestown. His only entry is in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle over two miles, and we’d like to run him there if he’s in good form.
Tullyhill
He is an intended runner at Punchestown and has entries in two of the Grade 1 novice hurdles. We never got to the bottom of his run at Cheltenham. He went out like a light, and we were very disappointed. We couldn’t find anything wrong with him afterwards. He worked particularly well the week before Cheltenham, maybe he left his best behind him in that gallop? He was in serious form on the gallop yesterday, he was pulling his rider’s arms out. Hopefully he comes back to himself at Punchestown and we’ll sort out his target closer to the time.
Ballyburn winning at Cheltenham. (Getty)
Juveniles
Bunting
He’ll run in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle. We were a bit disappointed with his finishing effort in the Triumph Hurdle, but he’s better than that.
Kargese
She has some engine! To pull so hard and still give Sir Gino such a race at Aintree was something else. We’re going to have to change a few things with her. If we can get her to settle in a race, she is a real machine I’d say. She’s big enough to go chasing in time and those horses often settle way better over fences. She’s entered in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle and we’ll see how she is closer to the time.
Storm Heart
He’s an intended runner in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.
Bumper Horses
Jasmin De Vaux
The plan is to run him in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race at Punchestown. He’s put on a nice bit of condition since Cheltenham and I’m very happy with how he looks.
Novice Chasers
Blood Destiny
He’s an intended runner in the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase and looked in great order this morning.
Embassy Gardens
We would like to run him at Punchestown, and he has an entry in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase over three miles. I wouldn’t be against trying him over an even shorter trip.
Il Etait Temps
I don’t think he underperformed that much at Cheltenham. I think he’s just learning all the time and settling better. He is getting more relaxed as the season progresses and looked much more like the finished article at Aintree. To look at him, he’s not a traditional chasing type at all. He’s only 16 hands, maybe 16-1, and is a real French type in that he is quite narrow. When I saw him walking around the parade ring at Aintree, I remember thinking to myself that I might not have ever seen a horse move so well in a parade ring. The way he was striding out hugely impressed me. The little break he got after Cheltenham really seemed to stand to him. I know he’s been beaten a few times at Cheltenham and maybe a flatter track suits him best, but I’m not sure about that. I think we’ll go again with him, and the Punchestown Barberstown Castle Novice Chase would look to be the race for him.
Older Chasers
Dinoblue
She’s entered in the William Hill Champion Chase and coming back to two miles won’t be a problem. She ran very well when second in the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham and it might have been a different result with different tactics.
Verdict
Willie Mullins' Top Chances:
Best Bet1: Galopin Des Champs Punchestown Gold Cup @8/11 at bet365 - 5 Units
Best Bet2: Lossiemouth Mares' Champion Hurdle @1/3 at Betgoodwin - 5 Units
Best Bet3: State Man Punchestown Champion Hurdle @1/3 at BoyleSports - 5 Units
Best Bet4: Ballyburn Champion Novice Hurdle @5/4 at Unibet - 5 Units
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