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- Mullins believes Gold Cup trip will suit Lido
Mullins believes Gold Cup trip will suit Lido
Valseur Lido
© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins doesn't think that the distance of the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup will be a problem for Valseur Lido
The seven-year-old looked to have the Irish Gold Cup at his mercy only to unseat Ruby Walsh at the final fence at Leopardstown.
"Valseur Lido looks like he's crying out for more distance. Ruby hadn't asked him a question going to the last in the Irish Gold Cup and an extra two and a half furlongs is going to be right up his street as well," said Mullins.
"I haven't spoken to Gigginstown yet. There's talk they might prefer to go to the Ryanair, but we'll see."
Like Valseur Lido, Don Poli runs in the colours of Gigginstown House Stud, as does the Gordon Elliott-trained Gold Cup favourite Don Cossack who impressed in a racecourse gallop on Sunday.
Mullins said: "Don Poli is in good order and jumped well on Sunday. He loves Cheltenham and loves that hill. He just makes ground round there all the time. I think he has enough speed for a Gold Cup.
"Someone told me Don Cossack galloped well on Sunday, but I didn't hang around to see him."
Valseur Lido's mishap was one of a few recent high-profile exits at the final obstacle for Walsh, but a year on from Annie Power crashing out in the Mares' Hurdle, that is nothing Mullins is losing sleep over.
He said: "Ruby gets it right so many times. Annie Power was a year ago and because that was so high profile I think people are just putting them all together.
"I think he rode five winners in a row last week and came down to the last in front something like eight or 10 times in a row.
"He happened to fall on one and people jumped on that."