FOR most trainers, it might be getting late in the day for a final run before the Cheltenham Festival, but Emmet Mullins has proved time and again that he thinks differently to most trainers - and that makes his Dublin Racing Festival heroine Vischio an especially intriguing contender in today’s £120,000 Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle (3.30) at Kelso.

The Grand National-winning trainer has some history in the Scottish borders. It was in this very race back in 2021 that he sent out The Shunter to land the spoils, before collecting a £100,000 bonus for following up with the same horse in the Plate Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

This year’s Kelso mission comes with a similar intention. Vischio, who made a poignant winning stable debut in the Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown, also holds entries for the Coral Cup, County Hurdle and Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Already a listed winner on the flat and now unbeaten in the colours of Syndicates.Racing since her shrewd purchase by Jack Cantillon for €52,000, the talented eight-year-old looks set to continue an exciting - and potentially lucrative - spring for connections.

“We’re very excited to be heading to Kelso with Vischio,” Cantillon told The Irish Field.

“It’s a great pot to be targeting and this is obviously a race where Emmet has had success before, following up at Cheltenham to land the £100,000 bonus. He was very keen to come here.

“Thankfully she seems to have come out of her race well. I think what’s attractive about her is that she’s a mare who has shown time and again that she enjoys racing - she thrives on it. I think when you have a mare with that tendency, she’s right to try for the bonus.

New challenge

“Whether or not she can do it, that’s another thing. She’s up to a career-high mark over hurdles and Danny gave her a great ride to win last time at Leopardstown. We’re optimistic, though, and are looking forward to running her.”

After declarations were made for Kelso’s card (with impressive prize money of £341,500 up for grabs across the seven races), Vischio was installed as the clear favourite, with regular partner Danny Mullins travelling across the Irish Sea for the ride.

At the time of writing, the 10-time-winning mare is 14/1 for the Coral Cup and Martin Pipe, and 16/1 for the County Hurdle.

Cantillon added: “It was a good day’s work when we bought her for €52,000 at Goffs in November. I think Dick Donohoe and his team did a great job with her previously. To win a race with a first prize of €60,000 to the winner on her first start for us was just brilliant. Let’s see where else this journey will take us.

“I’m not sure where she could potentially line up at Cheltenham, if we do get there, but I thought it was an interesting comment from Emmet that maybe the Coral Cup could suit her, that she could even enjoy the rough and tumble of a race like that. She likes the battle of a handicap hurdle. Hopefully that can be the case at Kelso too.”