WE always knew this weekend would deliver a shake-up to the Cheltenham Festival novice hurdling picture but not many expected to this extent.
Salvator Mundi is no longer the Willie Mullins number-one Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hope after a Kopek Des Bordes demolition job, and The New Lion has been usurped at the head of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle market by Final Demand.
The 12-length Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle winner is now 5/2 non-runner-no-bet favourite for the Albert Bartlett, though the champion trainer has appeared to pour cold water over running there.
If that plan holds together, however, it probably means that Willie Mullins has two standout Supreme horses in Kopek Des Bordes (evens) and Salvator Mundi (5/1), and two standout Turners contenders in Final Demand (5/2) and Kawaboomga (6/1).
The same cannot be said about the Closutton team for the Albert Bartlett, though. Mullins’ shortest-priced runners in the three-mile Grade 1 are available to back at 25/1 and 33/1, Jasmin De Vaux, who finished 17 and three quarter lengths by Final Demand last weekend, and recent maiden hurdle winner Argento Boy. His next shortest in that market is 33/1 shot C’Est Ta Chance, second in a Navan novice hurdle last time.
The Albert Bartlett is clearly a race where shocks can happen but this is clearly the Grade 1 novice hurdle where Mullins has least quality, if Bryan Drew and Caroline Tisdall’s youngster sticks to the Turners.
Perhaps Mullins will hold firm, but how interesting would it be if considered a switch up to split his aces in the novice division? Surely Final Demand would go off at close to odds-on if given the chance to line up in the Albert Bartlett. He could look different class in that contest.
One definite thing is that he was not stopping at the end of two miles and six furlongs last weekend. It was fascinating to note from the Coursetrack sectionals that he covered the final furlong eight and a half lengths quicker than anything else through that portion of the race. Of the last two furlongs, he was just shy of 14 lengths quicker than any other rival.
Given he’s unlikely he’ll switch targets, perhaps Jasmin De Vaux could represent the current ante-post each-way value at 25/1 non-runnner-no-bet.
IT is hardly surprising given how he tends to go about his business in an unassuming manner, but it felt as though there was minimal chat that only Paul Townend rode more winners than Mark Walsh at the 2025 DRF. This was an absolutely cracking meeting for J.P. McManus’ trusted ally.
Perceval Legallois broke the hearts of his Galway Plate, Kerry National and Troytown Chase supporters but Walsh has completely found the key to riding Gavin Cromwell’s versatile stayer. He was excellent on him in the €100,000 Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle on Saturday.
Majborough must have been a thrill to ride in the Goffs Irish Arkle and an intriguing call from the rider to get down to 10st 2lb to ride McLaurey in the €150,000 Timeless Sash Windows Handicap Hurdle reaped major dividends.
According to HRI’s database, it had been four years since Walsh got down to that weight, and you had to go back as far as 2016 to find when he had ridden at any lighter in Ireland. The leading rider very much delivered when the chips were down.