WillowWarm Gold Cup (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:22 | Winning time: 5m 13.4s

Champ Kiely⁵⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 150| C| D

7/4

Smart chaser. 30/100, career best when winning 4-runner Flyingbolt Novices' Chase at Navan (16f, heavy) 50 days ago by 8 lengths from Jeannot Lapin, readily. Solid claims.

Form: 133/141

Down Memory Lane⁹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 145| C

11/1

Smart chaser. Latest win at Navan in November. 8 lengths second of 4 to Lecky Watson in Grade 3 chase at Punchestown (19.4f, heavy, 6/4) 98 days ago. Needs to raise his game a touch.

Form: 1/13-132

Firefox³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 149| BF| C| D

6/1

Smart chaser. Respectable sixth of 19 in handicap chase (4/1) at Cheltenham (20.6f, good to soft) 38 days ago. Talented though he is, it's likely that he'll find one or two too good.

Form: 2-13236

Ile Atlantique^t⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 153

11/4

Smart chaser. 29¾ lengths fifth of 6 to Majborough in Irish Arkle Novices' Chase (5/2) at Leopardstown (17f, good to soft) 78 days ago. Stepping back up in trip no bad thing but Paul Townend prefers Champ Kiely.

Form: 357-115

Kilbarry Saint^h,t⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: C O'Keeffe| OR: 131

40/1

Fairly useful chaser. 10½ lengths fourth of 5 to Spindleberry in listed chase at this course (21.8f, soft, 11/1) 57 days ago. No reason to believe that she will reverse placings with that rival here.

Form: 6-34424

Spindleberry⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142| CD

3/1

Useful chaser. Career best when winning 5-runner listed chase (8/11) at this course (21.8f, soft) 57 days ago by 6½ lengths from Bioluminescence, comfortably. Paul Townend has opted to partner Champ Kiely but this progressive mare is feared all the same.

Form: 3125-11

Forecasts

Champ Kiely (7/4), Ile Atlantique (11/4), Spindleberry (3/1), Firefox (6/1), Down Memory Lane (11/1), Kilbarry Saint (40/1)

A 1-2-3 for the Willie Mullins yard beckons and SPINDLEBERRY, despite being passed over by Paul Townend, could be the pick of the champion trainer's trio. She was runner-up in a Grade 1 mares' novice hurdle here last spring and has made a seamless transition to fences this season, landing a Cork maiden on return in December and a listed event back here next time. There should be better to come from this 7-y-o and she is preferred to Townend's pick Champ Kiely and Ile Atlantique.