WITH six Grade 1s collected from the eight available at last week’s DRF, Willie Mullins is well on the way to picking up the same amount at Cheltenham.

He has six favourites in the 12 Grade 1 races.

Those backing the yard’s ‘shorties’ blind will be encouraged by a significant statistic presented by Graham Cunningham in his Sporting Life column early this week.

It was that 12 of Willie Mullins’ last 14 Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival runners, going off at 6/4 or shorter – Sir Gerhard, Allaho, Vauban, El Fabiolo, Energumene, Lossiemouth x 2, Galopin Des Champs x 2, State Man, Ballyburn, Fact To File – have all obliged.

And the two who got beat were fallers, Galopin Des Champs very unlucky in the Turners and El Fabiolo making a mess in the Champion Chase last year – both could have added to the record with a clear round.

And he added that the same three-year spell has yielded a remarkable 15 Grade 1 wins for Mullins first strings, with only Majborough (2024 Triumph) and The Nice Guy (2022 Bartlett) bucking the market trend.

Perhaps surprisingly, you have to go back 11 years now to find Willie Mullins winning both the Tuesday and Wednesday opening novice hurdles. Two things are notable. One, he has had many short-priced favourites beaten when attempting the double since Champagne Fever won the 2013 Supreme.

2013 Turners, Pont Alexandre 6/4F

2015 Turners, Nichols Canyon 7/2F

2016 Supreme, Min 13/8F

2023 Supreme, Facile Vega 9/4F

2023 Supreme, Tullyhill, 11/4F

The second, other trainers had very high-class contenders, Altior, Shishkin and Constitution Hill and that may not be so this year. The best of British, The New Lion, is now available at 3/1.

Both Mullins novices were so dominant last weekend, it’s hard to see them being beaten. Final Demand and Kopek Des Bordes won their Grade 1 races by 12 and 13 lengths.

Galopin Des Champs looks the strongest favourites while Fact To File and Bambino Fever are less so but their opposition could change.

The weaker link might well be the novice chases. Both Majborough and Ballyburn won impressively but their jumping left room for doubt.

The ‘first string wins’ stats casts Ballyburn ahead of Dancing City – the Brown Advisory being the race where he seems to have two dominant horses.

But Dancing City looks the type of no frills horse who can see out every yard of the three-mile contest.

However things pan out, we are now into the ‘Let’s hope they all get there’ territory!

THE removal of the Grade 1 ‘middle distance’ Turners Novices’ Chase from the Festival programme, predictably, didn’t get approval from everyone. But looking at how the land lies on the two novice chases, it does now look a justifiable decision. Willie Mullins has the two favourites for the Brown Advisory and presumably Ballyburn would have gone to the Turners, but where would his opposition come from? They might not have been of Grade 1 class, perhaps just a few of the Elliott novices?

Ballyburn, Dancing City, Better Days Ahead, Croke Park, Jango Baie, Lecky Watson, Quai De Bourbon and Impaire Et Passe are all quoted for the three-mile race.

Willie also has Impaire Et Passe for a two-and-a-half-mile race but he didn’t exactly look tip-top at Leopardstown. As luck would have it, we have two brilliant two-mile novices in Sir Gino and Majborough to make the Arkle a much-anticipated race, plus L’Eau Du Sud is also talented to pounce on any mistakes. It’s back to the old days and all the better for it.

IT was interesting to hear Willie Mullins on his Turners Hurdle favourite Final Demand, referring to him as totally unlike a typical Walk In The Park. It is a big Festival upcoming for the top jumps sire. The most in demand and number one sire, the receiver of many of the top mares over the last years, he leads the NH sires lists and the most point-to-point winners’ tables. But Cheltenham success for his progeny has not been as regular as you might think.

He had Min win a Grade 1 in 2020, but surprisingly he had nothing to represent him in the prize money Festival tables in 2021. The following year brought wins for Facile Vega in the Champion Bumper and Jonbon was the only other notable placing, second in the Arkle. In 2023 he again relied on those two to provide him with his best results, two Grade 1 second places.

Last year was better, with the two progeny of broodmare Sway - Inothewayurthinkin and Limerick Lace - winning as well as placings from Monty’s Star, Firefox and Giovinco.

This year’s Cheltenham challenge is made up of quality led by Jonbon and Final Demand, but backed up by Spillane’s Tower, Monty’s Star, Croke Park, Bioluminescence, Gidleigh Park, Firefox and Down Memory Lane. It might now be his time to be the Festival’s top sire.

john o’connell@johnoconnell6

With the sad passing of The Aga Khan it’s hard not to get a warm glow when thinking back to the many stars who donned those familiar silks.

But for those of us around at the time the sight of Shergar lighting up that mad news filled summer of 1981 is one that will never leave.

GerryC@Epsom1780

Saddened to hear of the death of HH Aga Khan. A great man, who gave the World so much. I remember the day he stood next to me over looking the pre-parade ring at The Curragh! I say again….he was standing NEXT to me! He didn’t have to, but it made me feel special that day! RIP

RichardO’BrienRacing@RJOBracing

Sad to see Pat Martin and Mick Halford retire from the training ranks in the past week. Great careers had by both, part of the fabric of the game for a long time now.

Thing is they were both lovely. Engaging and welcoming of those following their paths. Quick to congratulate, quick to commiserate and always there to lift your spirits.