WILLIE Mullins was very positive on Wednesday morning, and why wouldn’t he be? Fresh from six Grade 1 wins at the Dublin Racing Festival, he watched some of his leading hopes for Cheltenham walk around the yard, the likes of Galopin Des Champs, Final Demand, Kopek Des Bordes and State Man among them.

After the string headed out to the gallops, the champion trainer reflected: “I have to thank Leopardstown for how well everything looked in preparation for the meeting. The ground was good. The facilities were fantastic.

“There was a huge amount of English visitors, which I think everyone loved, and the atmosphere that the English visitors gave Leopardstown was tremendous. The reception that Galopin Des Champs got was huge, never seen anything like it, it was just a tremendous reception.”

It was therefore unsurprisingly, that morale is high at Closutton as the Cheltenham Festival nears. “I think the string couldn’t be in better order, we’re very happy with how it how it is,” Mullins confirmed.

“Most of the horses we want to get to Cheltenham are on course, and I think maybe unlike other years, we have a lot of our plans fairly well made. I think there are very few horses that are 50-50 for different races. At least in my mind, anyhow!”

Allegorie De Vassy

“She definitely goes back for the Mares’ Chase. She’s in the Opera Hat [Mares Chase at Naas on Saturday]. We’ve done things different this year and I think it’s paying off. I’m very happy with her.”

Aurora Vega

“I was really taken with what she did around Fairyhouse, and I love horses for courses. I know the owners would dearly love to go to Cheltenham, but the Grade 1 in Fairyhouse would look to be staring her in the face.

“At this stage of her career, ground is huge for her. The ground was way better the other day than I think the description gave it, the jockey was saying it was way better, so that would be the only thing.”

Ballyburn

“He is in the Brown Advisory and I think it would take a bit from Paul to get off him. He needs to settle a little bit now, he was fairly keen at Leopardstown, but I think that experience will be good.

“Remember what happened at Kempton - Paul gunned him out the gate and they had to gun him down every fence. When you’re doing that, that puts into the horse’s head. So, we’ll be settling him at home here, but I think with the size of the Cheltenham fences and everything, it will be fine. I hope so.”

Bambino Fever & Future Prospect

“My choice would be to go straight to the bumper at Cheltenham with Bambino Fever. She has a lovely pedigree which goes back to Shannon Spray, Austin Leahy’s good mare. She’s a chesnut like Shannon Spray was.”

On the opinion that the Irish bumper horses aren’t as good this year: “Other people in my yard are saying we haven’t any bumper horse, but they say that every year, and then we come out and something pops up somewhere. Is Bambino Fever the one this year, I don’t know.

“I was very disappointed with Future Prospect the other day, so she didn’t turn up. She’s a lot better than what she looked. She pulled too hard, so I don’t know whether she will go or not.

“But we don’t seem to have the same class of bumper squad this year. Normally, we’d be sort of mob-handed at this stage, but I’m not. I think we have one or two nice ones to come, but we’ll see, it’s getting very late.”

Charlus

“He really impressed me at Naas, because I’ve had an in-and-out season with him at home here and I only sent him up there for a run. For a flat horse, I was impressed at how he jumped first time out and how he settled, because he was a mile-and-one horse, rather than a mile-and-a-half horse, and those horses are usually harder to settle in hurdle races.”

Dancing City

“Dancing City goes for the Brown Advisory. I hope the ground is soft over there as he’s a four-wheel-drive horse. He just gallops and jumps and he is a nice type going for that type of race.”

El Fabiolo

“It was disappointing that he came down the other day. He’s in the Champion Chase, and he’s in the Ryanair, but my feeling at the moment is that he should probably up trip in trip for the Ryanair. I think it’ll help his jumping. He might go the Red Mills for a pop around before, but we’ll see.”

Energumene

“It will be the Champion Chase for Energumene. Jonbon is way better at Ascot and Energumene is better at Cheltenham, that’s my hope. Softer ground will suit him too.”

Fact To File

“He’s in the Gold Cup. I’d have to go back and look at the tactics from the other day, and I’m not sure it showed him in the best light, so I wouldn’t rule him out.

“He’s a very big, good jumper, and, maybe more use could be made of his jumping. They’re all things that have to be worked out and we will look at other opportunities for him, like the Ryanair, but that hasn’t been touched on since.”

Final Demand

On whether the Albert Bartlett would be considered, given the way he finished on Saturday: “I don’t think I want to put him under that stress. I’d like a horse that started earlier in the season for the Albert Bartlett. I think it’s a tough race on horses for the rest of their career, and I don’t think he needs that.

“I think two miles, five furlongs on that track in Cheltenham in the Turners - that’s very tough on a horse, and that’ll be a big enough question to ask at this stage.

“Looking at him, he looks real chaser. He must be about 17.2hh, he’s as strong as any horse I’ve had. Strength wise, he probably looks more like Florida Pearl, he’s just so strong through the body. Whereas Galopin Des Champs is a different type of horse; he’s much more evenly balanced through the body and a lighter framed individual. This fellow’s a big unit, and I’m happy to do that (Turners’ Novices Hurdle) before I go novice chasing next year.”

Gaelic Warrior

“I was disappointed with Gaelic Warrior on Sunday. Disappointed overall, but also the fact that he looked to be going so average, at about the fifth last and it looked like Paul may pull him up. Then he just seemed to get his second wind and stayed on well.

“The Ryanair Chase comes into the equation after that. I’m just wondering has he some other issue, which I’m trying to be looking into at the moment. Maybe he could go to Aintree or Punchestown instead.”

Galopin Des Champs

“For me, his performance the other day in the Irish Gold Cup was very good, but I thought Christmas was better. I don’t know what the experts on times say. [On Saturday] they jumped off very fast, and then Paul got to the front, and he very steadily slowed it down.

“He always said to me that this horse gallops and jumps, and in his first Gold Cup, I wouldn’t let him do that. I wanted him held up and I didn’t want them to get him into a race, because at that time he was very free and he was keen. He learned a lot from that and now he’s very malleable, for the want of a better word, and you can put him anywhere in a race and he settles. Paul is able to ride him wherever he wants.

“The Gold Cup is five weeks from Friday and I’d really love another week. For those three-mile chasers, I’d like a minimum of a six-week break, but it’s our Irish Gold Cup. To me, if you have a horse good enough for it, you go for it.

“Some people don’t run; they prepare the horse in the autumn and then give them an easy spring. It’s a different way of doing things for different people. When HRI have gone to the trouble of making that weekend, shifting races around, I think it’s up to Irish trainers to support it.

“He has got tremendous owners, Greg and Audrey Turley, and they really appreciate it and they’re living it and enjoying it. To us here, it’s unbelievable that we have a horse that’s going for a third Gold Cup win and could be in in the Best Mate and Arkle category. To be associated with a horse like this, who is so well known now, it’s a huge honour and we just hope the dream stays alive.

“Every morning I wake up and hope I don’t get a bad report from Adam [Connolly] or Virginie [Bascop] in the yard about any of the horses. I’m not wishing bad luck on me and I’m also not wishing bad luck on my competitors, because I know what it’s like.

“Most yards have one horse, and that horse gets you up every morning. To go out in the yard and your head lad tell you that the horse is injured, that’s just a sucker punch. I hope we all get there, and we all have fun, and may the best horse win.

“It’s a once in a lifetime job, isn’t it. I mean, Arkle, Best Mate, hopefully this horse, if he can do that. You know, there were many years between the first two, so maybe we’re 20 years too soon!”

Grangeclare West

“I left him in the Gold Cup. We were sort of looking at the Grand National for him, but we’ll see what weight he gets.”

Ile Atlantique

“Two horses disappointed at the weekend – Supersundae and Ile Atlantique. It came too soon after Naas, so we won’t do that again.

“Ile Atlantique wants softer ground, and the ground was too good, but both jockeys felt they suffered from it [quick return from Naas].”

Impaire Et Passe

“There’s a good chance he might miss Cheltenham. He’d have gone for the for the two-and-a-half-mile race at Cheltenham if it was there, but he’ll either go to Aintree or to the WillowWarm Gold Cup [at Fairyhouse], but my preference would be for Aintree.”

Jade De Grugy

“She hasn’t been seen out this year, as she got a set-back. I’ve pencilled her in for the Quevaga Hurdle in around 10 days’ time, which we have used as a prep before for the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. I’m very happy with all her homework.”

Jasmin Du Vaux

“He could be an Albert Bartlett horse, I think he just needs time.”

Kaid D’Authie

“He was disappointing at Leopardstown. He’s not a two miler, so he’ll go out in trip if he goes to Cheltenham.”

Kargese

“I’d imagine she’ll go for the Mares’ Hurdle. She’s a very keen horse, and runs away, but I think she’s fine.”

Kawaboomga

“He could run in either [the Turners or Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.] I think I’d probably go Turners, but I don’t know what connections want to do, we haven’t discussed it. He’s a good horse in anyone’s language, and he could go for either race.

“I thought he ran a cracker at Christmas, and then confirmed that the other day, which booked his ticket. The Christmas form has come out, and really confirmed that.”

Kiss Will

“I think he’s good enough to go [to the Supreme]. He’s a nice type, probably a chaser down the road as well.”

Kopek Des Bordes

“Ted Walsh rang me the following morning and said he hasn’t seen a performance like that since Golden Cygnet, which is huge for someone like Ted to say. Paul (Townend) got down off the horse after the race and said he ran away with him three times in the race. Most normal horses, if they run away with a jockey once, that’s enough, their winning chance is gone.

“It was a huge performance. We would never ask a horse that question at home, but it blew my mind what he did at Leopardstown against a field of top-class horses.”

On how it compares to Ballyburn’s performance when winning last year’s running: “To me, what [Kopek Des Bordes] did the other day was way ahead. Ballyburn didn’t impress me when he won it. He’s a good horse, but last year they missed out the last hurdle because of the sun, so the straight with a bit higgledy piggledy.

“He did what he did. We always thought he was a nice horse and then when he won at Cheltenham, he impressed me. I said, ‘Wow, this is a good horse,’ but the other day I said, ‘Wow, this guy is something else.’”

Lady Vega Allen

“I think she’s top-class. She’s Triumph Hurdle material, isn’t she? Rather than the mares’ novice.”

Lecky Watson

“He will take his chance in the Brown Advisory. He will probably need a bit of luck to win it, but that’s what happens around at Cheltenham. He’s there with his chance and deserves to take his chance.”

Lossiemouth & State Man

“It was going to be a hell of a race with Lossiemouth and State Man [at Leopardstown]. I don’t know what happened to Lossiemouth. I got a head-on video and there was a flock of seagulls took off just before…. Something took her eye off because she just pricked her ear, too, straight before it and then just didn’t get up.

“It was if she was looking at something ahead of her and she just didn’t get up high enough. Thankfully, she’s good after the race and Danny (Mullins) is good - he was just winded.

“When you see the head on, how lucky was State Man not to fall, or even get a serious injury, because Lossiemouth turned upside down and when you have four metal shoes sticking up in the air… I’ve seen lots of horses get bad injuries from the fallen horses just hitting them on the way by.”

On whether there’s a chance she was taken out of her comfort zone by Paul sitting so close to her heels: “Everyone was saying that we were taken out of a comfort zone in Kempton, only because she’d not used to running over two miles. She was upsetting Paul [on Sunday], because when she was taking off, State Man was taking off with her, and I was afraid Paul would get a fall, because he was taking off a good half stride before his natural stride.

“That’s what a good jockey will do - he’ll try and half length the one behind them and get them to make a mistake or fall. And that’s what was happening there, but she was traveling. When you look at her pedigree, she is bred to be a mile-and-a-quarter horse on the flat. We’ve been training her to steady her up, not to make her go faster. I’d say, in a flat face, she beat them all.”

On whether she will run in the Champion or Mares’ Hurdle: “We’re going for the Champion. You know, we’ve been training her this for two years and I don’t think my owner has ever said, let’s think about it. We’re just going to be stubborn.”

Who do you think Paul will ride: “Paul has never hidden his admiration for State Man. Obviously, a lot will happen in the bits of work we do between now and then, we’ll see how both horses are, but I can’t see Paul getting off State Man.”

On if he has a plan to beat Constitution Hill: “Well, I have my own plan. I made that plan when he beat State Man the first year, and I still have it in here [taps head], and that’s where it will stay.”

Is State Man back to himself, or is it inconclusive? “It was inconclusive because, the minute State Man had no company, I thought he pulled up. He only does what he has to do – he only beats a horse by a length, a length and a half. He’s never flashy, so I’m hoping he has a lot more reserved. Paul certainly thinks he does all the time.”

Majborough

“The Arkle looks the thing for him. He looks a really nice horse in the making. He’s only five and he does things so naturally.

“Last week I wanted to school him and Mark (Walsh) wasn’t around, so Paul got up on him. He just couldn’t get over the power of him. So, when he’s impressing someone like Paul, I thought that was a huge statement, just on a schooling morning. On his jumping at Leopardstown: “I thought he got a bit close, but he lifted. He did everything right, looking at him from the side, but obviously looking up from the front, it looked way worse. So, I’m happy with the jumping, and I’m happy that he learned a huge amount there the other day.”

“Sir Gino looks the real deal over fences, he could be anything, so he’s going to be a tough nut to crack in Cheltenham.”

Maughreen

“I think Maughreen put in a huge performance the other day, on her first run over hurdles. She jumped like a handicapper, taking on a very experienced horse in Familiar Dreams.

“Cheltenham is going to be a big ask for a horse having their second run over hurdles. Since we started schooling her, and she done a bit of schooling before she came to me, everyone said she was a brilliant jumper, and that’s why we made the decision to go novice hurdling with her.

“We thought maybe should we be going for the bumper with her instead, but when we reflected on how natural she was to jump in all her schooling, and said we’d take the bull by the horns and go for a maiden hurdle and that’s why she’s here now. She’ll go for the mares’ novices’ hurdle. It will be a big ask, but she’s a brilliant jumper.”

Saint Lucie

“She just got very hot before the race and pulled too hard in the race. I’d say if we had the race back again, we’d have probably have made the running with her. We didn’t think they would go that slow.”

Salvator Mundi

“Salvator Mundi is another one for the Supreme. I think he’s got a lot of tactical speed and he’s going to need it with Kopek Des Bordes in the race now.

He’s a horse that he has a very tender mouth, as we saw in Punchestown, and he didn’t jump well because they were going so slow. The one thing I liked about the race was, after looking like he had blown up, he got his second wind and just came through and won convincingly, for me. It takes a good horse to do that.”

Willie De Houelle

“I think the change of tactics worked at Leopardstown. You’d have to think of the Fred Winter for him.”