Willie Mullins shows off his stable stars© Photo Healy Racing
On the day the entries were revealed for the Coral.ie Hurdle and Coral.ie Leopardstown Handicap Chase the UK bookmaker held a 'soft' launch of its first step into the Irish market with a press gathering at Willie Mullins' stables.
Mullins took time out of his busy schedule to field questions about all his stable stars - no breaking news - just all is well at Closutton and the horses that raced over Christmas are firmly on track for their big assignments later in the season.
"They have all come out of Christmas well. No Setbacks," said Mullins.
"Un De Sceaux is as fresh as paint after his fall and I am keen to run him soon. There are two races towards the end of this month that he is entered in, one in Ireland and one in the UK.
"Long Dog has had a busy season so we might just go easy on him now. He is unlikely to race again until Cheltenham.
"Another run before Cheltenham would be ideal for Vautour, but I'm not sure where yet.
"Faugheen, Nichols Canyon and Arctic Fire are all likely to run next in the BHP Irish Champion hurdle.
"Annie Power is coming on slowly but nicely. I'm happy with where she is at the moment. We won't know until she steps up to the next stage of training whether she will have a run before Cheltenham, but the aim is Cheltenham.
Mullins has multiple entries in the two big Coral sponsored races on Sunday 17th January at Leopardstown and expects to have runners in both events.
Mullins is responsible for nine of the forty entries for the Coral.ie Hurdle. He has won the race on three occasions, most recently with 16/1 shot Abbey Lane in 2013.
One horse the trainer seemed quite keen on for the event is recent recruit Herminator who sneaks into the bottom of the handicap on 10st 2lbs.
Willie Mullins is responsible for five entries in the Coral.ie Leopardstown Handicap Chase as he aims to win the race for the second time. Sir Des Champs is the highest rated of the quintet and would carry 11st 9lbs. Mullins feels that a race of this type is well within his scope and that the handicapper has given the horse a chance.
Simon Clare, Coral PR & Broadcast Director, said, “We are very proud and excited to be embarking on Coral’s inaugural sponsorship of these two historic races, and looking forward to our partnership with a racecourse of the stature and heritage of Leopardstown. To that end we have agreed with the racecourse to give the Handicap Chase back its historic race title, and be known once again as the Coral.ie Leopardstown Handicap Chase. Over the next few years we are determined to work with Leopardstown to raise the profile and appeal of these great races, under the Coral.ie banner.”
Coral have also put up a €100,000 bonus for any horse that wins their Leopardstown Hurdle race and goes on to land the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The Tony Martin trained Xenophon completed the double in 2003.
