Patrick Mullins still feels Chapeau De Soleil is “a very good horse” despite his defeat at Fairyhouse last Sunday.
Susannah Ricci’s charge was favourite for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham going into his Rules debut but was beaten by Better Days Ahead after giving his rider a testing time.
Speaking on this week’s Mullins It Over Podcast, Patrick said: “He gave me a very hard time. It’s strange I rode him in a schooling race at Thurles and he didn’t hang at all. He went to the start at Fairyhouse and he didn’t hang at all. Then the tapes went back, no one went on and my fellow had won a point-to-point, I’d ridden him in a schooling race, so I said I’d make the running.
“After about ten strides he started hanging. I had my stick in the right hand and because we were making the running and there was no inside rail for a fair way I pulled it through to the left and just about got him around the first bend and from there he’s hanging out the whole way.
“What I’m hoping for is something will come outside me. He might give him a bump and horses then usually change legs and run straight from there. But when they’ve come alongside me around the home turn he’s gone to bolt left and I’ve had to have both my hands on the right rein to get him round the bend.
“Of course it’s knocked his momentum and three horses have come past him and as soon as they have he’s ducked out left again.
“In the last furlong there’s an outside rail and as soon he’s got across to that he’s obviously run on. I don’t know why he did that, no physical issue came to light, there didn’t appear to be a tack issue.
“I know Ferny Hollow did something similar in that race a couple of years ago but he did that because he was keen and starting hanging out. It was slightly different but ended up with the same result.
“I just hope this fellow can maybe follow in the Ferny Hollow footsteps from here. I think he’s a very good horse. I don’t know why he did it, maybe we’ll ride him a little differently next time, but I still think he’s very good and hopefully he can get back to winning ways, maybe at Christmas or just after.”
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
