The eight year old gelding has only been seen on a racecourse four times since May 2019 but the handicapper has seen enough to give him a rating of 156 and allocate a weight of 10st 13lbs.
Mullins won the world’s greatest steeplechase in 2005 with Hedgehunter and came agonisingly close to repeating the feat 13 years later when Tiger Roll just held off a late charge from Pleasant Company.
This year Mullins has eight entries for the world’s greatest steeplechase and rates Burrows Saint as his best chance.
The Closutton handler said: “It is what we’ve been aiming for now for the last 24 months. He’s got a nice racing weight on 10st 13lbs - we can’t complain about that.
“He’s yet to really come into form for me (this season), but I’m hoping that we can do that in the near future. We’ve got a few runs into him and the ground has been unusually heavy – I think he’s always better on spring ground.
“He will be fitter for his last run. I needed to get a run into him and it wasn’t our preferred option on the ground, but we had to go and take our chance and I think he’ll be better once the spring weather comes and the ground dries out a little bit, he’ll be back to himself I think.
“He could have another run before. The Bobbyjo (Chase, Fairyhouse, 27th February) is usually our preferred route, so both he and Acapella Bourgeois could go there.”
Mullins is responsible for eight of Ireland’s 43 entries, and he also assessed the chances of his seven other contenders:
Acapella Bourgeois
“He’s getting on now as an 11 year old, and might be past his best, but we’ll see how he gets on in the Bobbyjo (Chase).
“I thought we might have got a little more leeway with a horse of his age, but the handicapper has a tough job and at least we’re in the race! So we’ll have to see how things will turn out.
“I think both Acapella Bourgeois and Burrows Saint will love Aintree. With their style of jumping and the type of ground you get there, I think both of them will really love it.”
Brahma Bull
“I’m happy enough with his weight. He’ll love the trip I think and keep jumping away, so I’m happy with that.
“He’s by Presenting, so I’m not sure he loved that really heavy ground at Gowran on Thyestes day. A lot of horses by him don’t relish the track, and he’s another who prefers nicer ground.
“I imagine he’ll have a run before April. He might go to the Bobbyjo or head for an alternative, we’ll see what happens.”
Class Conti
“I thought he ran a cracker in the Thyestes, so that’s him coming back into form. I’m sure I’ll try and get another run into him as well.”
Cabaret Queen
“She was disappointing in the same race (the Thyestes) last time out and she will definitely have another run. She’s another who will be suited by drier ground, and whether the trip suits her, who knows? But she loves jumping and gallops on good ground and these are questions that we’ll only get answers to on the day.”
Robin Des Foret
“Hopefully he’ll just squeeze in. It’s something we haven’t really thought of before and was a speculative entry and I think our owners were keen to have a day out.
“Whether they’ll be allowed in by that time I don’t know, but he’s come back to us in good form and should have a run before Aintree as well.”
Saturnas
“I think we’ll probably have to start looking for an alternative for Saturnas, maybe the Irish National, as he’ll need luck to get in.”
Bellow Mome
“He’s got no hope of getting in so we’ll be going down the handicap route I’m sure as well.”
