Mullins ran through all of his stars for the 2022/23 season with AtTheRaces
Get updates on Allaho, Galopin Des Champs, Vauban and many more
All quotes taken from AtTheRaces
Willie Mullins poses at Cheltenham Racecourse. (Getty)
Willie Mullins Stable Tour
🌟 Stable Stars
Allaho
Energumene
Facile Vega
Galopin Des Champs
Vauban
➡️ Novice Hurdlers
Champ Kiely
Dark Raven
Gaelic Warrior
Grangeclare West
Hunters Yarn
Icare Desbois
Madmansgame
Seabank Bistro
Shanbally Kid
Spanish Harlem
➡️ Older Hurdlers
Brandy Love
Echoes In Rain
Klassical Dream
Sharjah
Sir Gerhard
State Man
➡️ Novice Chasers
Allegorie De Vassy
Appreciate It
Dysart Dynamo
El Fabiolo
Flame Bearer
Gaillard Du Mesnil
James Du Berlais
Minella Cocooner
➡️ Older Chasers
Blue Lord
Chacun Pour Soi
Elimay
Ferny Hollow
Gentleman De Mee
Jungle Boogie
Monkfish
Saint Sam
Stattler
Tornado Flyer
➡️ Juveniles
Daddy Long Legs
Lossiemouth
Tekao
Zarak The Brave
➡️ Bumper Horses
Absurde
Blizzard Of Oz
Chapeau De Soleil
Fancy Girl
Special Cadeau
The Gunner Yeats
➡️ Injured
The Nice Guy
James's Gate
Redemption Day
More
Ireland's Champion Trainer and the most successful Cheltenham Festival handler, Willie Mullins walked AtTheRaces through his stable for the 2022/23 season this week.
Here's the full Willie Mullins stable tour. All quotes taken from AtTheRaces.
Willie Mullins Stable Tour 2022/23
🌟 Stable Stars
Allaho
We have a couple of different options for his starting point. The Clonmel Oil Chase is one, but much will depend on whether the ground is soft enough. The John Durkan is an option, but that might a bit closer to the Christmas racing than ideal. He seems in great order and I’m hoping to have him ready in time for Clonmel if the ground is right for him there. If he gets to run in one of those earlier options, the timing could work out for something like the King George at Kempton, we’ll wait and see. I haven’t discussed it with the owners yet, but they have A Plus Tard for the Gold Cup, so it might make sense for this fella to go for a third Ryanair Chase, but there is plenty of time between now and those decisions being made.
Energumene
The Hilly Way Chase at Cork is our preferred starting point for him at this stage, all being well. Whether we go back to the Clarence House at Ascot this season, I don’t know, but people got a lot of fun out of that last season, so we’ll consider it.
Facile Vega
Over the last few years, I haven’t had a horse that I’ve been looking forward to as much as Facile Vega. He’s going novice hurdling. The turn of foot he showed in bumpers, he should be a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle horse. With his pedigree, he can be a Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle horse. My main aim this season is not to train him too hard. David Porter rides him out and I keep telling him to not let me work him too hard! I don’t think he needs to be worked hard, once we get all his conditioning work into him, he should be fine. In terms schooling over hurdles, he’s like his mother, a natural.
Galopin Des Champs
I hope he’s our Gold Cup horse for the season. He looks the part and is doing everything right at home. He’s a big horse, though he doesn’t look it. That’s what I like about him. He’s tall, but he doesn’t look it as he is so well proportioned and light on his feet. He had a little setback a couple of weeks ago, but is back in good order now. I’d like to start him off in the John Durkan, but it is coming a bit close to Christmas this season. Tramore could be an option for him on New Year's Day.
Vauban
He could run in the Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas under a penalty, or he could go for the Morgiana Hurdle. The Morgiana will obviously be a tougher race for him, but I might just start him there. It would be good to find out early how he stacks up against the older horses. If he’s going to be a Champion Hurdle horse, maybe that’s where he should start off.
Paul Townend riding Allaho to victory in The Ryanair Chase on day three of The Festival at Cheltenham. (Getty)
➡️ Novice Hurdlers
Champ Kiely
Champ Kiely has been doing everything right so far. We dropped him back to two miles for a novice hurdle at Tipperary and he was a revelation. He’d be an obvious one for the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle and that will give us a good idea of how he measures up.
Dark Raven
He missed last season, but he’s back in work and will go novice hurdling this season. He’s a nice prospect.
Gaelic Warrior
He’s in good shape and looks like he can be a real top-notch novice hurdler this season. He got good experience over hurdles last season and that will stand to him this season. Looking at him, you’d say two-and-a-half miles in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle would be fine for him, but I think he’s sharp enough for two miles. Looking at the size of him now, he’s definitely grown over the summer, I’ll be waiting for a good cut in the ground before I start him back.
Grangeclare West
He is back in training and is a real chaser in the making. He is a six-year-old, so going straight over fences is an option, but we don’t like to miss a novice hurdle season too often. We’ll wait and make a decision later.
Hunters Yarn
He looks a staying novice hurdler in the making.
Icare Desbois
Icare Dubois made a winning debut in the George Mernagh Tattersalls Bumper last spring, and we hadn’t given him a big preparation for it, so it was impressive that he was able to win it. He’ll go novice hurdling this season and two miles might well be his trip.
Madmansgame
He really looks like a chaser, and we haven’t ruled out going straight over fences with him. Whichever obstacles he runs over, he looks a stayer and could run at the Cheltenham Festival.
Seabank Bistro
He is a proper chaser in the making and his pedigree will tell you that. He’s one for staying novice hurdles this season.
Shanbally Kid
He’s one that will go novice hurdling. I’d imagine he’ll be more of a staying type.
Spanish Harlem
He’s a good horse that we bought in Arqana. He won a hurdle race at Auteuil in really good style. He’s a real chaser in the making, a staying novice hurdler for this season.
Facile Vega (right) beating American Mike in The Weatherbys Champion Bumper on day two of The Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. (Getty)
➡️ Older Hurdlers
Brandy Love
She’s still in pre-training and hasn’t come back to us yet. She is one that we’re going to aim at the Mares’ Hurdle. Her form at Fairyhouse last season gives her a favourites chance in a race like the Mares’ Hurdle. She finds it easier to go left handed. We won’t be setting out to look for right-handed races, but sometimes you can’t help it and have to run if the right race is there for her.
Echoes In Rain
She disappointed us at Cheltenham last season. We concluded that we might just have had too much gear on her and that she might be better off with just a normal bridle this season. We’ll aim her back at the Mares’ Hurdle and we’ll be hoping that different tack and different tactics might make a big difference.
Klassical Dream
He was one I had in mind to stay hurdling with, but the option of going back chasing with him has come into my mind in recent weeks. The staying hurdle division looks quiet enough, so it would be hard to walk away from, but we’ll wait and see. I might give him another pop over a fences and then make a decision.
Sharjah
His main aim will be the Grade 1 hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. He was a bit later than the others coming back in, but we’ll try to get him ready to start back in the Morgiana Hurdle.
Sir Gerhard
There are a few horses like Sir Gerhard that I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them. At the start of this season, I thought he was going to be one to send novice chasing, but the more I look at the Champion Hurdle division, I’m tempted to stay over hurdles. I have to talk to the owners to see what their views are before making a decision. My team at home here are split on him.
State Man
He’s one of those that we are in two minds with at the minute. I had him pencilled in as a novice chaser, but the closer we get to kick off, I’m beginning to question whether we should keep him over hurdles and look at the Champion Hurdle. I don’t think we’ve seen the very best of this horse on the track yet. It would be easier to keep him sound by staying over hurdles. He’s one that we need to speak to his owners about.
Paul Townend riding State Man (yellow) clear the last to win The McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle on day four of The Festival at Cheltenham. (Getty)
➡️ Novice Chasers
Allegorie De Vassy
She’s going to go novice chasing. She’s a big, strong mare and is one we are looking forward to seeing over a fence. It’s worth noting that she is probably a bit behind the others at the minute, as she’s a gross mare that looks after herself well and will take a bit longer to get fit.
Appreciate It
He had a small problem that held us up last season and we didn’t want to use up his novice status over fences in the second half of the season. We took our time with him and he’s ready to go novice chasing now. We’ll start him off once the ground softens and he’s ready. I’m imagine with the sort of speed he showed over hurdles that he shouldn’t have any problem going down the Arkle Challenge Trophy route. I don’t think he’ll have any problem staying further, maybe even three miles, but if he jumps fences as sharply as he did hurdles, I think the two-mile route will be the one for him.
Dysart Dynamo
He looks the type that should be a really good novice chaser. His style of jumping, his style of racing, it all suggests that he could be a top two-mile novice chaser.
El Fabiolo
He looks a real Arkle type. You’d have to consider him one of the best potential novice chasers that we have. We’ll get him started wherever we can, then look at Leopardstown at Christmas, the Dublin Racing Festival and onto Cheltenham.
Flame Bearer
He’s a new recruit from Pat Doyle’s that was very good over hurdles last season and will go novice chasing this season. He’s a fine, big chasing type. He’s a very forward-going horse and I can see why Jack Doyle was so keen to cover him up in his races last season. He can be a difficult ride, so the hope is that fences will help settle him down.
Gaillard Du Mesnil
He’s still a maiden over fences, so looks to be a lovely horse for staying novice chases. Patrick will be trying to get him on the National Hunt Chase route! He looks that type, but the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase is there too.
James Du Berlais
He’s a hugely exciting horse that came to us from France and missed last season. He looks like he could be one of our top staying novice chasers.
Minella Cocooner
He’s going novice chasing and I’d have him in the two-and-a-half mile bracket at the minute.
Paul Townend riding Appreciate It clear the last to win The Supreme Novices' Hurdle. (Getty)
➡️ Older Chasers
Blue Lord
He’s one for the Champion Chase. I’d say he’ll start off in either the Fortria or the Poplar Square Chase, then Leopardstown at Christmas, onto the Dublin Racing Festival and then to Cheltenham.
Chacun Pour Soi
He’s in great order. We always kept him to two miles as he’s such a good jumper, but I think at this stage of his career we are best stepping him up in trip. We’ll have a look at him over two-and-a-half miles or further and will be a bit more adventurous with him.
Elimay
She will be aimed at the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. She did very well over the summer and looks in great order.
Ferny Hollow
I’m really looking forward to him. He’s been tough to keep sound, obviously, but it’s a case of so far so good this season. We’ll try to get experience into him in lesser Graded races as he lacks experience over fences.
Gentleman De Mee
I’d like to get a run into him before the Tingle Creek, but I’m not sure I’ll have enough time to do it. Looking further down the line, his connections like to have winners at Aintree, so we will have that in the back of our minds with him.
Jungle Boogie
He’s a huge horse with a huge engine. He’s hard to keep right. We’ll try and get him some experience in lesser Graded races over fences for the time being and he lacks experience.
Monkfish
Monkfish is back in training, but I don’t think we’ll see him on the track until at least the second half of the season or even the last quarter of it. If I can get him ready for Cheltenham, that’s well and good, but I think a more realistic option will be later than that. He hasn’t made the type of recovery we were hoping for, but we’ll be taking it very steady with him and see what happens.
Saint Sam
He’s an interesting type. He’s very keen over his fences and he isn’t the biggest horse in the world. Going back over hurdles is an option. Even though he’s a keen sort, I wouldn’t mind trying him over longer trip and trying to get him to settle under a quieter ride.
Stattler
Stattler won the National Hunt Chase last season and while he wouldn’t have ever been one that sprung to mind as a potential Gold Cup horse, he’s earned the chance to have a crack at being one. His owner Ronnie Bartlett has Galvin for the race, but this fella wouldn’t be a bad second string for him! He handles the track, he jumps, he stays. We’ll set him out on the Gold Cup route, and we’ll see where he ends up. He could be a Grand National horse.
Tornado Flyer
We are aiming him back at the King George VI Chase at Kempton and then will look to the Cheltenham Festival.
Tornado Flyer winning the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. (Getty)
➡️ Juveniles
Daddy Long Legs
He’s a nice acquisition from France. He jumps very well. He’s on a little break at the minute and we won’t be rushing him, so he could be one to get a couple of runs into at the backend of this season with a view to the future.
Lossiemouth
She came from France and is a nice filly. She was impressive at Auteuil and that experience will stand to her in juvenile hurdles. We’re looking forward to getting her started over here.
Tekao
He’s a lovely horse that we got from France. He’s a compact type, a real hurdler in the making that is unlikely to ever go chasing. He should start off around Christmas time and could hopefully run in the Triumph Hurdle.
Zarak The Brave
He’s a lovely horse that has been schooling well over hurdles. He’ll be one to start off around Christmas time and looks a lovely prospect.
➡️ Bumper Horses
Absurde
He’s on a break at the minute. We’ll bring him back later in the season or maybe even next season. He was quite racy looking when we got him, and we wanted to give him time.
Blizzard Of Oz
He ran well in a Listed bumper at Limerick before he was bought and sent to us. He is probably one to keep in bumpers this season.
Chapeau De Soleil
He’s a nice horse that we bought out of a point-to-point. He could be a top-class bumper horse and could be aimed at the Champion Bumper.
Fancy Girl
Fancy Girl is a flashy chestnut that is an eye-catching specimen. She could be one of our better mares in bumpers this season.
Special Cadeau
He’s a lovely type of horse with a very good Flat pedigree being out of a 1000 Guineas winner in Speciosa. He’s doing everything right and will be one for a bumper in November or December.
The Gunner Yeats
He missed a good bit of last season, but is back in training now. He looks a very nice type that will most likely start off in bumpers.
➡️ Injured
The Nice Guy
Unfortunately, he’s been ruled out for the season as of a couple of days ago. He has a problem behind that is going to take a couple of months to come right, so we’ll give him his time and hope to see him back next season.
James's Gate
He hasn’t arrived back to me yet and I don’t think the word is good. I believe he might miss this season.
Redemption Day
He picked up a tendon injury in the Champion Bumper at Punchestown last season and he won’t be running this season.
More
James Du Berlais is another who's been ruled out for the season. French Aseel has been retired.
