Willie Mullins column: Fairyhouse Monday team
Willie Mullins was among the winners again at Fairyhouse on Sunday and he provides a guide to his Easter Monday team including a horse who 'could be thrown in'.
ELIMAY did what she had to do on Easter Saturday, she's probably not a mare that likes to win further than she has to. She always keeps plenty up her sleeve and she has a very measured way of jumping.
She can be flamboyant when she needs to be, but at Fairyhouse it was a case of getting the job done and that's what she appeared to do.
LADY BREFFNI just shows what a difference the ground can make. She had been running well but not getting home all year. She has a good staying pedigree but even the testing conditions weren't helping her.
Danny (Mullins) came from quite far back to snatch victory on the line and once he got her running she flew, and jumped much better in the closing stages on the ground as well.
FAIRYHOUSE, MONDAY
KLASSY KAY - 3.15
She gets in at the bottom of the weights and Conor (McNamara) takes a few pounds off her which will be valuable. I think going out in trip will suit her.
I'm giving her a good chance in what looks an open race.
SCARPETA, STORMY IRELAND - 3.50
SCARPETA hasn't exactly set the world of fire this year. I'm hoping better ground will help him and he's one to watch to see if he's returning form.
I think STORMY IRELAND might have a chance if she comes back to her Irish form. She gets in here off a lovely weight and we've been happy with her work at home.
You have the likes of Beacon Edge, The Bosses Oscar and French Dynamite with the ratings that they have (157, 150 and 150) up the top but my filly has a chance if returning to her best.
We're very pleased with how she's been since she came back and how she's looked.
EASY GAME, ANNAMIX - 4.20
EASY GAME wants this type of ground and trip and everything suits him. Everything suits both of ours here but Easy Game is the higher rated. He has the better chance of coming home in front.
ANNAMIX will be suited by the ground as well. He needs to rekindle his form a bit but he has a chance at the weights.
BRAHMA BULL, SALSARETTA, AGUSTA GOLD, DRAGON D'ESTRUVAL, ROBIN DE CARLOW – 5.00
We declared five for Monday's BoyleSports Irish Grand National, a race I won for the first time with Burrows Saint when it was last staged in 2019.
Easter Monday in Fairyhouse is a huge tradition in the Mullins household, my father having won it four times, and we were able to win it two years ago.
Hopefully we can go close again this year in a race that BoyleSports have put huge money into in order to raise the rating of the race, attracting the likes of leading novice Latest Exhibition who stays at home to run here having not gone to Cheltenham.
BRAHMA BULL is one who should like this ground and trip, being by Presenting. I'm not sure the big field will suit him but we'll take our chance given the prize money.
SALSARETTA ran a big race in Cheltenham. I think she might like softer ground but the extended trip will bring out her stamina ability.
I'm hoping she could step up a bit.
AGUSTA GOLD was bought with Nationals in mind. She has a good record around Fairhouse and she takes her chance here under Paul Townend. Even though she won around here on heavy ground, looking at her pedigree one could reasonably assume she'd be better on better ground.
If that is the case then she gets in here with a really good chance.
DRAGON D'ESTRUVAL was brought over here to go hunter chasing but he didn't get qualified for Cheltenham or Liverpool. He'd always shown that he stays and jumps.
He might want softer ground but a test of stamina is what he needs. This should suit him.
ROBIN DE CARLOW is very interesting here. She hasn't run since October 2019, where she beat Put The Kettle On and that form would be very good.
She could be well in on her handicap mark. However, having not run for so long it's very difficult for the horse to come out and be match-fit in a race like this over this trip. But she could be thrown in at the weights if she has improved.
AINTREE, THURSDAY
BILLAWAY - 4.05
BILLAWAY runs at Aintree in the Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase on Thursday. Patrick was very keen to ride him around there and he'll be a good conveyance for him.
He had a hard race around Cheltenham but most of the other hunter chasers did as well. I think he'll love the big fences and he'll enjoy the better underfoot conditions.
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