LAURINA provided Jared Sullivan with his fourth Cheltenham Festival winner last March when running away with the Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle by a massive 18 lengths.

The formerly French-trained filly was the leading owner’s first winner at National Hunt’s Olympics for four years following the successes of Sanctuaire (Fred Winter 2010), Zarkandar (Triumph Hurdle 2011) and Lac Fontana (County Hurdle 2014). The Unibet Champion Hurdle is firmly on her agenda, pending a trip to Punchestown for the Quevega Mares’ Hurdle beforehand. But there is no doubt that Laurina is one of the hottest properties in jump racing at present.

POWERFUL

Unbeaten in five races since joining Willie Mullins during the summer of 2017, the big powerful daughter of Spanish Moon has swept all before her, including her 18-length trouncing of 13 rivals last spring.

It is now time to take on the boys and find out how good the six-year-old really is as her owner explains: “She has done everything very easily so far. Ruby (Walsh) liked her a lot at Sandown and I am hoping he will ride her at Cheltenham.

“No disrespect to the opponents she has faced so far, but she will be taking on a different level of opposition in the Champion Hurdle and we will find out if she is good enough.

“Willie wouldn’t be running her in the Champion Hurdle though if he didn’t think she was up to it and he has trained some top-class mares, including Annie Power who won the race three years ago.

“I don’t think the ground will be too much of an issue. She has a knee action and is very effective in testing ground but Cheltenham will ensure the ground is safe and won’t allow it to be too quick on the opening day of the festival.”

DUAL CHAMPION

Ironically, Laurina’s biggest threat is expected to come from reigning dual champion Buveur D’Air, who Sullivan previously owned having also arrived from France. Third behind stablemate Altior and Min in probably the strongest renewal of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in recent times three years ago, Nicky Henderson’s gelding went on to gain compensation at Aintree before being sold to J.P.McManus and the rest is history in the making.

Indeed, the founder of recruitment firm Potensis Limited has been associated with a succession of top quality horses since getting involved in ownership.

“The first decent horse I had was Shining Gale who was originally trained by Noel Fehily’s brother Eamon in Ireland.

“He joined Charlie Mann and finished runner-up in a Grade 2 novice chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

“The following season he won at Haydock and then developed a foot problem and never raced again. It was during that time when I got to know Noel and we have been friends ever since.

“He was my retained rider when all my horses were trained in England and he still looks after the horses I have over here during the summer at his farm.”

LUCKY OWNER

“I have been lucky over the years with the horses I’ve owned. Silviniaco Conti is the best I’ve had. He won seven Grade 1s, including two King Georges, two Betfair Chases, two Aintree Bowls and a Charlie Hall Chase. When he was winning all those big races, I probably took it for granted and didn’t appreciate how good he was at the time.

“Zarkandar was another great horse – he won four Grade 1s, including a Triumph Hurdle and was unfortunate not to win a World Hurdle when making a bad mistake at the second last.”

With around eight horses in training with Richard Hannon, including Listed Redcar Two Year Old Trophy runner-up Beat Le Bon, the 45-year-old has enjoyed big race success on the flat, too.

“Tiggy Wiggy is the best horse I’ve owned on the flat. She was a top-class two-year-old winning six times in 2014, including the Super Sprint at Newbury by six lengths, the Lowther and Cheveley Park Stakes.

“Third in the 1000 Guineas the following year, she was named after my daughter. She was a great filly who we sold to Coolmore (2,100,000gns) at the end of her three-year-old career.”

As well as Buveur D’Air, there are plenty of others who are heading to Cheltenham in March who previously sported Sullivan’s silks, before being sold on.

These include the Gold Cup bound pair, Clan Des Obeaux and Frodon. The former, of course, provided Paul Nicholls with his 10th win in the King George at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Stablemate Topofthegame is another he was involved in along with fellow owner Chris Giles during the infancy of his career.

IRELAND

Having tasted so much success in Britain, it begs the question why have 25 of his 40-odd string trained by Willie Mullins in Ireland? Sullivan responds: “The prize-money in Ireland is a major factor and the other is sourcing horses.

“I think Harold Kirk is the best of his kind and he buys horses for Willie Mullins. Willie is a fantastic trainer and in my view the best.”

“I currently have 25 horses with Willie Mullins and a share in one with Jessica Harrington in Ireland. In England, they are trained by Nicky Henderson, Olly Murphy and Dan Skelton.

“I think they are all great trainers but they all have different methods. Willie has a circular round gallop which gets the horses very fit.

“It’s like running in quick sand and they do that twice a day.

“Nicky tends to bring them to the boil as the season goes on and peak in the spring.”

ANOTHER MARE

While there’s no doubt Laurina is Jared’s number one hope for Cheltenham, he is hoping he will also be represented by another mare on the opening day, namely Stormy Ireland in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle.

“She fell at the last in the Triumph Hurdle last season but is settling much better now and we think she is a pretty good filly.

“Ruby changed the bit on her when she won a listed hurdle at Punchestown in November.”

Runner-up behind Espoir D’Allen at Limerick over Christmas, the form has been boosted since and she will appreciate the step up in trip.

“There are some very good mares in Ireland at the moment and she is probably about the fifth best, behind the likes of Apple’s Jade and Laurina.”

“Real Steel is a possibility for the JLT Novice Chase. I thought he was unlucky on his chasing debut at Leopardstown but made amends at Fairyhouse next time.

“Willie has also mentioned the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse over Easter because they think he may be better racing right-handed.

“Saglawy is likely to be entered in the County Hurdle. A Grade 2 winner last season as a juvenile, he ran well on his reappearance finishing third in a very competitive handicap at Fairyhouse before finishing third behind Espoir D’Allen and Stormy Ireland at Limerick.

“Duc Des Genievres finished fifth in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle last season and he holds an entry in the Arkle.

“Placed in both his starts over fences this season, he still hasn’t won for us since coming from France but has run some good races in defeat. The jury is still out regarding his optimum trip.”

FAVOURITE MEETING

And finally, what does the Cheltenham Festival mean to Jared Sullivan?

“It’s my favourite meeting of the year and it’s great to be going there with a chance. We will find out how good Laurina really is. Aintree has been lucky for me, too. All Yours, Buveur D’Air, Lac Fontana, Silviniaco Conti and Zarkandar all won Grade 1s there.”

His red and pink silks have become an increasing familiar sight on Irish racecourses during the last couple of seasons but they might just be seen entering the winner’s enclosure on the biggest stage of all on Tuesday, March 12th, if Laurina proves as good as they think at Closutton.