Willie Mullins column: Dublin Racing Festival tam

To have four winners on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival - well it was fantasy racing. Energumene, Chacun Pour Soi, Gaillard Du Mesnil and Kilcruit – any trainer would like to have any of them in his lifetime, I think.

It was a superb day’s racing, and I was hoping we might get a winner or two. Things worked out really well.

Here’s a guide to my Sunday team.

SUNDAY

The opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle is obviously a race we’d love to win. It’s proved difficult to do so over the years but we’re throwing six at it this season.

1.10 DYSART DIAMOND

Paul has chosen her from the team. David Mullins gave her a fantastic ride to win here at Christmas but the softer conditions this time won’t suit her. However, when a mare is in form and getting stronger that’s a positive. The extra two furlongs will help but the ground worries me and she got a huge hike in the weights to contend with too.

1.10 GETAWAY GORGEOUS

It’s her first run for a while. She’s had an experience of some big handicap hurdles and that might benefit here but again I’d be a little worried about the ground.

1.10 RUAILLE BUAILLE

She finished third to Power Of Pause at Punchestown in December. She’s going to have a nice day in her somewhere but again the ground might not be ideal. The only good thing about it for all of mine who I’m worried about here is they’ll be on fresh ground for the first race of the day. She has her chance.

1.10 BON RETOUR

She’s been disappointing and has to find her level. She gave us a great day in Galway and I’m hoping she can come back to form. She’ll handle the ground alright.

1.10 LADY BREFFNI

She was 1/8 when winning her maiden hurdle last time and Danny had to be at his brilliant best to get her to win that day. She’s a mare that promises more and track and conditions should be OK. She could have a say in the finish.

1.10 ROBINNIA

She has a lovely racing weight here – I like horses off bottom weight in these conditions. It gives her a small chance but she too may prefer good ground.

1.45 YOUMDOR

He looked unlucky when falling at the last at Fairyhouse. He appeared to be getting the upper hand that day and the form would give him an excellent chance in this. He wears a hood for the first time which I think will help him.

1.45 SAINT SAM

One who came with a good reputation from France. His pedigree would say he might want a longer trip but he ran a better race than his finishing positions suggests at Christmas. I think the soft ground here will be a huge benefit to him and he won’t be far away.

1.45 HA D’OR

Rachael Blackmore rode him at Christmas and was very pleased with how he tackled his first run over hurdles. I’m hoping with that under his belt and on this ground he can pick up some prize money. It will be more valuable experience for the rest of the season.

2.10 APPRECIATE IT

He was good here over Christmas and I’m hoping he can repeat the dose. Ground conditions will be fine for him.

2.10 BLUE LORD

I’m bringing him back to two miles from two-and-a-half. He was very free over that trip at Naas so we’ll have a crack at this prize money over two with Bryan Cooper riding. In his first run at Punchestown we thought two might be too sharp for him but the money on offer and the way he ran last time persuaded us to have a go. We’ll see what happens and he has a chance.

2.10 N’GOLO

He disappointed behind Appreciate It at Christmas but ran better than his finishing position suggests. We have to get the tactics right with him and my worry here is the ground being too soft for a Galileo. That’s why we didn’t go for the two miles and six race on Saturday. He might want a longer trip on decent ground but we’ll try and make him competitive.

2.10 GALOPIN DES CHAMPS

He was found to have an atrial fibrillation with disappointing at Limerick over Christmas. He recovered quite quickly from that and the ground here will suit better than that day. It’s a tough task for him but the horse he was second to at Gowran on his first run has been running well since and tells me my horse deserves a crack at this level. The run will determine where we are in the pecking order.

2.10 MR COLDSTONE

He surprised us with the manner of his win at Tramore on New Year’s Day. He travelled and jumped well for a horse making his hurdling debut. This is a big jump in class for him and again it will help determine where we go for the rest of the season.

2.10 HOOK UP

She came up against a top mare in Royal Kahala at Fairyhouse the last day. She has a serious finishing kick and if Danny can get her in a position to use that then she might get some nice prize-money.

2.40 KOSHARI

He’s the choice of Paul and came back from a long break to win at Cork. He felt he enjoys hurdles rather than fences and if he doesn’t suffer from the bounce factor then he’s going to be competitive here.

2.40 DANDY MAG

He was very good here at Christmas and we’re aiming at the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham but the lure of this prize-money was too much to resist. Bryan Cooper rides him and he came out his last race well.

2.40 LOW SUN

Ran a cracker at Fairyhouse over two miles and I think the three miles here won’t be a problem. He looked to be competitive the last day and that puts him in with a good chance of being so in this.

2.40 SAYO

On his day he’d be very competitive here. He wears cheek pieces and Mikey Fogarty renews his partnership with him. If he brings his A Game he’s another with a chance.

2.40 DOWNTOWN GETAWAY

He came over from England and it might be hard to improve his form from over there. After this race we’ll get an idea of what sort of horse we have.

2.40 MAZE RUNNER

He has a lovely racing weight and will handle the ground. Conor McNamara’s five-pound claim should be a great advantage here and he’s a horse who has a big handicap in him. It wouldn’t surprise me if today was the day. The owner’s husband would be very pleased with the prize money if it was!

3.10 MONKFISH

He’s been very good all season and I hope he can repeat what he’s been doing. Coming back to two miles five shouldn’t be a problem, all this rain will suit him and he’s looked a natural over fences. I’m looking forward to getting him out again.

3.10 ASTERION FORLONGE

Patrick was very keen to take the ride. He won a Grade One hurdle over two miles here so isn’t short of speed and just has to sort his jumping out. He’s inclined to go out a little to his right, which is how he’ll always be. That will suit Leopardstown as the fences are on the straight rather than on a bend. If Patrick can get him jumping he has the ability to be competitive in Grade One company over this trip.

3.10 JANIDIL

Rachael Blackmore rides him. He has to overcome a very bad run at Limerick over Christmas however I think the very testing conditions there didn’t suit him. I think the nicer surface at Leopardstown will help and I’ve been very happy with his homework since.

3.40 KEMBOY & MELON

Both ran crackers in the Savills Chase here over Christmas so we have no fears over the trip or track with them. Kemboy loves be quick out of the gate and bowl along which suits him around here. The rain won’t be a help for him though. In contrast it will be for Melon and with a change of tactics we could see a nice bit of improvement from him.

4.10 BAPAUME

Paul has opted for him. I’d imagine he’s disregarded his run over hurdles at Christmas and is going back to his excellent reappearance over fences at Punchestown in a race that has thrown up some very good results since.

Any improvement from that run would put him in here with an excellent chance.

4.10 BLAZER

He’s had a couple of setbacks since his summer campaign but has a nice weight here and wears cheekpieces. Daragh O’Keeffe had a big win at the track over Christmas on A Plus Tard so he’s no stranger to winning big prizes at Leopardstown. I hope he can work the oracle with this horse.

4.10 FAN DE BLUES

He ran an excellent race in the Dan Moore before getting himself into a pocket and making a mistake three out which seemed to cost him the chance of really getting into the mix. A repeat of that run gives him an each-way chance in this.

4.10 LIVELOVELAUGH

He finished second in this race a couple of years ago. I’ve tried him at every trip since. His jockeys keep saying to me come back to two-and-a-half but I thought he might want three. The ground is the key to him. It could be too soft and he might be better off on a decent surface but the trip at this track should be ideal.

4.40 BRANDY LOVE

This is a tremendous prize for mares and has attracted a very talented field. Patrick has opted to ride Brandy Love who couldn’t have been more impressive in her point-to-point or first run for us at Fairyhouse. The soft ground will be a big benefit to her.

4.40 TAKE TEA

She’s ridden by Derek O’Connor and impressed me greatly when winning at Naas. That form has been franked since and she won’t have any trouble with the ground either. She has to be a big player.

4.40 PURPLE MOUNTAIN

She has summer form and it will be interesting to see if she’s competitive on this ground.

4.40 BROOKLYNN GLORY

She’s run twice – and won twice – impressively too. She’s a tall Fame And Glory filly and has been good so far. This would be another step up in class and we’re lucky to get Barry O’Neill to ride her. She has every chance here.

4.40 GRANGEE

She got Black Type on very heavy ground at Market Rasen last time that mightn’t have suited her. I think she could improve on that and we’ll see where she fits into the pecking order after this.