Mullins' Cup runneth over
We found out on Wednesday that Willie Mullins had one horse for the 2016 Gold Cup, and we found out yesterday that he had another. Today the question is, does he have one for the 2015 Gold Cup?
He could well have. Djakadam has been held in high regard by the champion trainer and by rider Ruby Walsh for some time. Just below the very best juvenile hurdlers two seasons ago, it was always as a chaser that the strapping Saint Des Saints gelding was going to make his mark. Sure enough, he won his first two chases last season, the latter a Grade 2 contest at Leopardstown in January.
He fell at the fourth last fence in the JLT Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival. It was a real novicey fall, he didn’t even really make a mistake. He just clipped the top of the fence, and he didn’t manage to get his landing gear down on time.
It was a real shame because, up to that point, he had been travelling and jumping well. He had settled into a lovely rhythm for Paul Townend, it appeared that he was taking the track and the undulations and the fences and the occasion in his massive stride.
He started off this season in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. Racing off a lowly mark of 142, he could have been one of the best-handicapped horses in training. Alas, after travelling and jumping well, he started to fade from the fourth last fence, ultimately finishing eighth, some 30 lengths behind the winner Many Clouds.
He had had a rushed preparation for the Hennessy, however, and he proved that run to be all wrong with a monstrous performance to win the Thyestes Chase. The Thyestes is just a handicap, he will have to step up markedly from that if he is to win a Gold Cup, but it is a strong handicap, and it was a fine performance from a six-year-old to carry 11st 10lb through the soft ground and win as easily as he did.
To put the Thyestes into context, Djakadam’s stable companion On His Own won the Thyestes last year off a mark of 142, and he was just beaten a short head in the Gold Cup. Djakadam won the Thyestes off a mark of 145, so 3lb higher. Also, On His Own was a 10-year-old last year. Djakadam is a six-year-old who was running in just his fifth chase when he won the Thyestes. He has bundles of scope for progression.
The final piece of the jigsaw is the overnight rain. Fast ground was a slight concern, even though he did seem to travel well on it last year. He is proven on soft ground, and any easing of the ground is in his favour. Add the fact that he is trained by Willie Mullins and that he will be ridden by Ruby Walsh, and he has a real chance.
Martello Tower also has a real chance of winning the Albert Bartlett Hurdle. Winner of his maiden hurdle over two and a half at Killarney in May, Barry Connell’s horse improved for stepping up in trip this season.
He stayed on well to land a Grade 3 contest at Cork in November, and he got the better of a good duel with the talented Outlander to win another Grade 3 three-mile hurdle on heavy ground at Limerick at Christmas.
Outlander got his revenge at Leopardstown in January, but that was over two and a half miles, and Martello Tower stuck to his task well after coming under pressure early to fill the runner-up spot, in front of high-class novices like Windsor Park and No More Heroes, who re-opposes today.
No More Heroes scoped poorly after that, and he is a big player today's, but he is short at less than half Martello Tower's price. The value lies in the Mags Mullins-trained gelding.
The step back up to three miles today will suit Martello Tower well, and the forecast overnight rain will be no hindrance. He is all stamina, and he should be going on up the hill when a lot of his rivals have had enough.
Donn McClean
