Mullins outlines winter plans for Gaelic Warrior and Lossiemouth
Willie Mullins confirms Punchestown returns for Gaelic Warrior and Lossiemouth, with revised winter targets for Fact To File, Il Etait Temps and other leading chasers.
Willie Mullins has outlined his plans for the winter campaign, confirming that Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Gaelic Warrior and Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth are scheduled to return at Punchestown later this month. The champion trainer also provided significant updates on Fact To File, Il Etait Temps and several of his leading novice chasers.
Gaelic Warrior is set to make his seasonal debut in the John Durkan Memorial Chase on 22 November, a race he won last year when narrowly defeating stablemate Fact To File. The pair could meet again, with Mullins considering several other representatives, including I Am Maximus, Kitzbuhel, Final Demand and Kaid D'Authie.
A notable change concerns Gaelic Warrior's Christmas programme. Having finished third in last season's King George VI Chase, Mullins is reluctant to return to Kempton because of concerns about the ground encountered there. Leopardstown is now his preferred destination, although the trainer has not made a final decision.
Fact To File is also expected to begin in the John Durkan, but his longer-term programme is likely to centre on the Ryanair Chase rather than the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Mullins believes the horse could stay three miles and beyond, but considers his previous Ryanair performance a persuasive reason to retain that target.
Lossiemouth will follow a familiar route, beginning with the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on 21 November before engagements at Leopardstown over Christmas and during the Dublin Racing Festival. Mullins reports that the Champion Hurdle winner is pleasing him at home and hopes to maintain the consistency that has characterised her career.
Il Etait Temps, meanwhile, will head directly to the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on 5 December. His intended return in the Clonmel Oil Chase was abandoned because of unsuitable ground, leaving Mullins to prepare him for the Grade 1 without a race beforehand.
There were further developments among the stable's younger horses. Kopek Des Bordes is expected to improve substantially for his defeat at Naas and remains on a Champion Chase programme. Majborough could be tried over a longer distance, while King Rasko Grey is expected to begin his chasing career despite suggestions that he might remain over hurdles.
Kitzbuhel is being considered for another King George appearance, while Final Demand is viewed as a potential staying chaser whose programme will depend partly on finding sufficiently testing ground.
The scale of Mullins' Punchestown team should provide an early assessment of the stable's established stars and emerging challengers. Several plans remain provisional, but the trainer's comments offer a clearer picture of how his strongest horses will be campaigned through the winter.
By TP Editorial
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