Willie Mullins column: Weekend runners preview

Absurde, being by Fastnet Rock, didn’t get the two miles in the Lexus Melbourne Cup. Given the way the race turned out he was in front too soon and I’d imagine he’d want to be ridden a lot more conservatively at the trip in the future. He has lots of speed but whether he’ll ever get a truly-run two miles I’m not sure but what he showed me in Melbourne was there is a nice juicy race in him somewhere.

Saudi Arabia might be a place that suits him given what True Self did over there for us. That said, it is his novice year over hurdles and while I know the prize-money is a lot less, there are some fine meetings to go to, and you only have one season as a novice. It’s much easier to travel to an Irish meeting than heading off around the world, too, but we’ll see.

Our tactics probably misfired a little with Vauban. The way Ryan (Moore) rode him was the way we both saw the race beforehand but there was so much pace early on and he couldn’t get him out of the heat of it.

We made the decision to go forward beforehand and it’s very hard to change things mid-stream. We’re going to get both home and make plans from there.

I’m really pleased to get our jumping string up and running too. Allaho, Janidil, Allegorie De Vassy and Instit all ran crackers at Clonmel on Thursday and I’m very, very pleased with how the season has started.

It’s been like an autumn of old with all the rain, proper jumping weather and it’s good to see it. It’s really helped. These things can be cyclical, you get three or four wet autumns then three or four dry ones but this type suits everyone in our game.

I was really pleased with Allaho who will improve for the run – as will all of ours given their level of fitness on Thursday.

Allegorie De Vassy’s jumping was a little odd. She was lucky to stand up at the first and was then overcompensating at the next few fences. She must have thought she was at Aintree as she was giving everything plenty of air.

That takes an awful lot out of a horse, especially one who wouldn’t be fully wound up, that’s why I was so happy with how she finished out the race.

Instit looked like she’s improved and come on for her novice chasing season. She’s one that might make a mark at the top grade in mares’ events this season.

Janidil briefly threatened coming down the hill behind Allaho only to get tired but he’s another who there’ll be a good pot for in the season hopefully.

Saturday

Aintree

13:35 Icare Allen

The trip will suit and I think the track will too. The Final of this series is his objective this season and hopefully he’ll get qualified for it on Saturday.

Gowran Park

11:50 Brandy Love

She starts off over fences here. I know it’s a right-handed track and that’s not her favoured way of going but they might be going a little slower over fences and I need to get her away somewhere. Having a local track to run at with the ground the way it is, for me, is more important than going left-handed this time and at this level. She jumps well and we’ll let her take her chance over fences.

11:50 Eabha Grace

Conor McNamara gets on well with this mare and while it might be a little sharp for her over two miles on Saturday, it’s a nice place to get her started for the season on ground that will suit. She’ll gain more valuable experience over fences.

13:58 Crack The Sky

She has a similar profile to Lot Of Joy having won the Norsk Oaks on the Flat when trained in Scandinavia. She’s also a little free coming off the level so we’ve put a hood on her. She has enough stamina, but I would be a little worried about the ground for her coming off the Flat but we have to start somewhere and she’s ready to go. We’ll probably find it’s a little testing for her, but it will give us an idea over where to head in the future.

14:32 Ile Atlantique

He starts out over hurdles here and I think he’ll really appreciate these conditions. His form in bumpers was good and while this is only over two miles, I’m never worried about that when we start out our potential stayers. There’ll be plenty of stamina required on Saturday around Gowran as we’ve seen over the years. Our fellow is a big, strong chasing type who will probably appreciate a longer trip in time but we’ve got all season to go up in distance.

Naas, Sunday

12:15 Icare Desbois

He’s in good shape and I think this fellow might be a little more forward than a lot of our horses right now. He won the Tattersalls Bumper at Fairyhouse two seasons ago and missed last year. He’s a nice type and the trip will be fine.

13:25 Chosen Witness

A real chasing type who looked very promising when winning at Limerick on his first run. The tactics weren’t right subsequently with him and he’s in our staying division for novice hurdles this time around. It’s two miles three on heavy ground on Sunday but I’d imagine we’ll see him to greater effect over further later in the season. Maybe two and three-quarters or three miles but he might as well get going now with the ground as it is, but he might be one to watch later on with this run under his belt.

13:25 Spread Boss Ted

Another nice jumping type who missed last season. He’s also a stayer who is starting off here and like Chosen Witness you might see him in better light as he goes over further but we need to get him started.

14:35 Sir Gerhard

I decided to start him off here. Jumping over fences might not be his cup of tea and that’s why I wanted to get him out early and see what he can do with a summer’s rest under his belt. He’s not badly treated in this, but it could turn out he wants a trip over fences. He was a Champion Bumper horse and at one stage in his hurdling career I thought he might he a Champion Hurdle type, but his jumping has let him down. We’ve done things a little differently this year so I’m holding my breath to see if the homework we’ve done will show on the racetrack. If not there’s a chance he’ll go back over hurdles in the staying division.

14:35 Dinoblue

She looks well treated at the weights here and will like the track and the trip. The conditions of the race suit this mare and it might be a good opportunity for her to start the season well.

15:10 Grangeclare West

He starts off over fences at two-and-a-half miles and looking at his style of racing that might suit him. He’s another that might go up in trip as the season goes on as he gallops and jumps. He was very impressive in his point-to-point and his bumper and first novice hurdle before disappointing a little. He did finish the season nicely at Punchestown though so there’s a huge engine there and I think we might see the best of him over fences. We’ll find out on Sunday given the quality of the race.

15:45 Fleur Au Fusil

This is a lovely, big jumping mare. I wanted to get her out on the nice ground but, while I’m not sure this heavy winter going we’ll see at Naas will suit her, she takes her chance.

15:45 Shaving

A full-sister to Allaho and a lovely big mare who could carry 12 stone over fences. She has that type of quality. We had a few training problems with her last year so I’m keen to get her out and going early on Sunday.

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