Patrick Mullins says Chapeau De Soleil isn't short of speed despite receiving quotes for the Albert Bartlett after winning at Clonmel last week.
The five-year-old was making his debut over timber in the ClonmelRaces.ie (Q.R.) Maiden Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles and in attritional conditions came home nine lengths clear of Chosen Thyme.
Speaking on this week's Get Stuck In programme his jockey said: "He’s not slow, we thought he was our champion bumper horse last year and I’d keep the Neptune open as an option. I do think he’ll be better going left-handed, he does lean a little that way and Cheltenham and Leopardstown should suit him well.
“I wouldn’t be scared of going back to two miles with him either. He’s not a slow horse.”
Mullins was relieved to see Chapeau De Soleil return with such a taking win after a first season under Rules that didn't go according to plan.
"He won a point-to-point very impressively and a schooling bumper for me and as I said I thought he was going to be my champion bumper horse but he gave me a horrendous ride in Fairyhouse, very similar to what Ferny Hollow did to me a few years before," he added.
“I was coming round the home bend and I actually got my outside hand onto the bit, I’ve never had to do that before but I was sure I was going to go straight on.
“I don’t know why he did that but we never got him back right afterwards, he wasn’t working well. We kind of got him half right for Cheltenham where he ran quite well but we never found a reason.
“This season he’s come back in and looks stronger, he’s running straighter and I think he can now fulfil his potential."
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