Outlander finally snapped Willie Mullins’s winning streak in the Grade One races at Leopardstown this week in the Lexus Chase on Wednesday, but Ireland’s champion trainer should take at least one of the main events on the final afternoon of the meeting, which would leave him with five out of seven Grade Ones in just four days.
Mullins’s brilliant hurdler Faugheen, the 2015 Champion Hurdle winner, was entered for Thursday’s Ryanair Hurdle but did not make it past the final declaration stage. He has a very able deputy, however, in Nichols Canyon (2.30), who will start at odds-on and should beat a sub-standard field for a Grade One race with some ease.
The Grade One novice chase at 1.55 is the race that might trip Mullins up, as his two entries, Briar Hill and Bellow Mome, both have something to find in a race that includes Coney Island and Alpha Des Obeaux, two of the first three home in the Grade One Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse this month.
A Toi Phil, one of the 60 or so horses who left Mullins’s stable in September when owner Michael O’Leary stomped off in a dispute over training fees, is also in the field, but he was sixth in the Drinmore and there’s no obvious reason why he should trouble the principals.
For that matter, since Anibale Fly, who split Coney Island and Alpha Des Obeaux at Fairyhouse, has since run poorly in the Kauto Star Novice Chase at Kempton, the value of that form is still open to doubt, and Our Duke (1.55) may be overpriced as a result. Jessica Harrington’s runner has won only a beginners’ chase over fences so far, but he was placed in Grade Two company over hurdles and looks like the value bet in today’s field at around 5-1.
A Listed chase for mares at Doncaster is the feature event on the domestic cards and Briery Belle (2.05) looks like a worthy favourite to maintain her unbeaten record over fences. Adam Du Breteau (3.10) put up a career-best performance to win at Fontwell last time and can follow up today, while at Southwell, the remarkable Stand Guard will attempt to win his 28th race on the all-weather and take sole ownership of the all-time record for successes on the artificial tracks. He has it to do under a penalty, however, and Hydrant (12.45) makes more appeal at around 9-1 to back up his return to form last time out.
