Patrick Mullins verdict on Final Demand and Kopek Des Bordes

The former was first in action and turned in a slick round of jumping to win the Race And Stay Irish EBF Beginners Chase in a canter at Navan on Sunday.

“He was just so clinical at his fences. He was very measured, he wasn’t rushing, he wasn’t taking any chances. He is just so relaxed in his jumping and quick from A to B. He’s everything you’d want to see," Mullins admitted.

“Navan is a good test for a novice first time. Obviously when it’s very heavy ground that slows everything down and makes it a little easier but you have downhill fences, uphill fences, a big ditch across the top and three fences in the straight. The straight is a real test, they are running downhill over the third and second last and uphill to the last so you really have to know where your feet are around there."

Does the fact Final Demand was a winning point-to-pointer alter how he was prepared for his chasing debut under Rules?

“It depends horse-by-horse but if they’ve done pointing they’ve obviously jumped an awful lot of fences as a three and four-year-old and that’s a huge advantage for a horse going chasing," he added. You could see that in him from the first day we schooled him. He was like quicksilver, you could close your eyes, fold over and let him do the rest.

“And from that day we’ve been crossing our fingers that he can be as good as we think he is. We think he could be the real deal and nothing he did at Navan put us off that thought.”

Kopek Des Bordes was cut to 7/4 for the Arkle at Cheltenham after winning Monday's Pat Sheils Memorial Irish EBF Beginners Chase as he liked.

Last season's Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' winner also impressed with his fencing despite lacking experience in the point-to-point field.

“It’s obviously a bit different with him. When we get them broken as store horses we do plenty of schooling but obviously nowhere near as much as if they were going point-to-pointing." Mullins said.

“Again from day one, Paul’s comment was fences don’t slow him down much. He’s not afraid of them, he takes them on and I thought he jumped very well in the main. Obviously he was a bit fresh over the first couple and was fighting Paul for his head but then he jumped so well and I loved what he did when he was in front.

“He was very good when he got in tight, didn’t do anything silly, and when Paul asked him to race and jump over the last three he responded in kind. There should be even more room for improvement in Kopek’s jumping because of his background but he was as good as we could have hoped for I think.

“He likes to get on with things, likes to rock and roll, he wears the hood. Sometimes when you send horses jumping it slows them down, they back off and are a bit careful. He’s not, he likes to attack, he likes to use his power and I think it might make him a faster horse over fences because of how he jumps.

“I think he has the Arkle written all over him.”

And for the yard it was encouraging to see the first two big guns fired this season hit the target.

“It’s great, a lot of our horses can get beaten at this time of year. We had Fact To File beaten there at Navan, Ballyburn got beat in his maiden hurdle around this time. We don’t get too worried if they get beat around now, we don’t tend to have them fully revved up and there’s plenty of improvement to come," the assistant trainer said.

“So for the two of them to go round and win like that, we’re very excited about both of them.”

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