TOM Mullins has some smashing horses to go to war with over the next few months and he may have a Cheltenham Bumper contender in the shape of the once-raced four-year-old Work Du Breteau.
“We have had a good year and we have some very nice young horses at the minute,” he explained.
“I always have around 30 horses, but if I wanted to expand a bit more, the biggest problem is getting good staff. I have great lads working for me, but there is only so much they can do and there is no point in taking on more horses if you can’t do the job right.”
He has a habit of keeping his older horses sweet and the veteran Fosters Cross has enjoyed a fine season, while the likes of Klepht and Grade 1 winner Alderwood will ensure that despite being low on numbers, Mullins should enjoy a solid campaign.
ALDERWOOD
10yo b g (11/S31213P/4-B43)
Alderbrook - Clamit Falls
J.P. McManus
He is in great form and he has come out of his run at Punchestown very well. We are looking at the Fortria at Navan for him and I think he is back to his best form. Hopefully the ground will be soft at Navan and that race will tell us where he will go for the rest of the season. He ran a bit free at Punchestown and he hit the second last as well, but the ability is there. There should be a big day in him over the winter. All those good races over two miles are there for him and he should have a good season.
BABY WHIZZ
8yo b g (084P/885-15218)
Dr Massini - Bella Verona
J.P. McManus
He has won a couple for us this season and there is another handicap to be won with him over fences. He wouldn’t be mad about heavy ground and he is tricky to ride, but once the ground goes, he’ll be left off for a break in January.
CEST LA MODE
7yo b m (58600200/61-)
Presenting - Katieella
Mrs Helen Mullins
She has been off since last year but she won a handicap hurdle for us at Cork and I think she is a nice mare. She has a nice mark and hopefully she can win another handicap or two. We might try and get a bit of blacktype for her at some stage. Two and a half miles is her trip and she will handle any ground.
ELSIE
7yo b m (03F6-317148214)
Milan - Notcomplainingbut
Exors of Late Mrs C.A. Moore
She is a good mare and she will go for a mares’ chase at Clonmel. She wants a bit of nice ground but she wouldn’t want it heavy. She will have a break after Christmas and I think she is a decent mare. I’d like to think that we will aim her at some nice races in the spring. We’ll keep her going while the ground is reasonable and it rarely gets very soft at Leopardstown at Christmas, so we’ll keep her on the go for a while. She hasn’t done a great deal of racing but she has been a consistent mare and has won four for us and there should be more to come from her.
FOSTERS CROSS
12yo b g F: (/10-0609) NH: (25367280-1147)
Dr Massini - Francie’s Treble
Patrick J. O’Donovan
He will be kept on the go until Christmas time. We will try and win another handicap with him and he has been a great horse for us. He won twice for us this season and I think he has a chance over hurdles off 125. He will go for a handicap hurdle at Leopardstown and he will be left off after that. He has been a remarkably sound horse and has been very easy to train. Davy Russell knows him well and he jumps super. He loves it around Galway and he seems to have retained all of his ability and enthusiasm. I’d love to win another race or two with him.
GRAND PARTNER
6yo b g (/504/13F-241128)
Millenary - Bens Partner
Mrs Helen Mullins
He is a very nice horse that has done well for us. He missed a hurdle the last day at Gowran and he never got competitive after that. He has developed into a good horse over hurdles and I think he will improve again when he goes over fences. He will go for the good three mile novice hurdle next week at Cork and that will tell us where he fits in for the season. He will go on any ground and he is another that doesn’t have a lot of miles on the clock.
HES OUR ROBIN
4yo b g (7-0)
Robin Des Pres - Poly Sandstorm
Mrs Helen Mullins
He had a couple of runs last year but he was weak. He needs a bit of good ground and I think he will be competitive in a bumper this season. He has just needed a bit of time and he is working nicely. He should make into a nice horse over hurdles.
INDIAN RUPEE
5yo b g (0/096009-0)
Indian Danehill - Get A Few Bob Back
Mrs Helen Mullins
He has strengthened up a lot this season but he has needed all the time. He can be a bit free but if he learns to settle, I think he can win a handicap hurdle or two for us this season. He handles soft ground and two miles is his trip.
KLEPHT
9yo b g (7335031/64-364100)
Great Palm - What A Mewsment
Ms A. Scanlon
He has been a good servant but we made a mistake by making the running with him in the Munster National and I think we’ll go back novice hurdling with him. I am not convinced that he gets three miles and we’ll know a bit more after he runs the next day. If I felt that he gets three miles, there are plenty of options for him, but we’ll drop him in the next day and see how he gets on. The novice hurdle route is another option for him and I was surprised how well he jumped hurdles. Those small field races might suit him better as well. The Grade 3 three mile novice hurdle at Cork next week will be his next start.
OSCAR KNIGHT
5yo b g (44-)
Oscar - Cool Supreme
J.P. McManus
He had two nice runs in bumpers last season and I think he will make into a real nice chaser. He has improved a lot since last season and J.P. owns him now. He is a smashing horse and we’ll see what route he’ll go. I’d imagine that he will run over hurdles this season and he will go on any ground but he wouldn’t run on quick ground. He will get two and a half miles well.
PRINCELY CONN
5yo b g (s 9/3455-121)
Whitmore’s Conn - High Priestess
J.P. McManus
He is a horse that I have always thought a lot of and J.P. bought him before he won his maiden hurdle. He bumped into a real good horse of Dessie’s (Sheamus) when he was second in a winners’ bumper at Galway and he won well there at the (Galway) festival. He did it well over hurdles at Punchestown and I have been delighted with him. I am hoping that he will develop into a top novice but I will keep him away from winter ground. There should be a good novice hurdle to be won with him this season and the For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan is an option for him next month.
SOME ARTICLE
6yo ch g (1/4O/P34-)
Definite Article - Ahead Of My Time
J.P. McManus
He has been a bit disappointing but I haven’t lost faith in him yet. He will be back around Christmas time. He got an injury last year and he missed a bit of time, but he is a good horse and things haven’t worked out for him yet. He is still a maiden over hurdles and he will remain over hurdles for this season.
SOME HAWK
5yo b g (23/8408-12)
Presenting - Sparron Hawk
J.P. McManus
He is gone home for a rest. He handles any ground and he’ll be back around Christmas time. I think he could make into a good novice hurdler. He has won a handicap for us and there should be more to come from him.
SIR SCORPION
5yo b g (2-28)
Scorpion - Lady Goldilocks
J.P. McManus
J.P. owns him now and his form is working out, as he was only beaten seven lengths by Moon Racer at Fairyhouse last season. He was second in two bumpers last season and he is as nice a young horse as I have in the yard. He has a good pedigree and he will go on any ground. He has improved over the summer but it has yet to be decided as to what route he’ll go.
TURTLE POWER
5yo b m (0)
Turtle Island - Regal Force
Exors of Late Mrs C.A. Moore
She is a nice filly that got a little break after her first run. You won’t see her striking form until the spring and she might take a few runs to learn her trade but there is a day or two in her. She will start back over hurdles, before we give her a crack at a bumper.
WORK DU BRETEAU
4yo ch g (-3)
Network - Salinka
Mrs Helen Mullins
He is a very good horse and I think he could be a Cheltenham Bumper contender. He ran well when third on his only start at Killarney and he has come back from his summer break in great form. He will be out around Christmas time and he is working super. Mine will always improve for a run. He was weak and he was in all last season but I wanted to give him a taste of it when I ran him in Killarney. That form has worked well and my horse was off the bridle a half a mile out but he stayed on well to finish third which was a good sign. He would want soft ground. He has improved a good bit since and I have a very high opinion of him.
UNRACED
MATCHAWAY
5yo b g
Milan - Hatch Away
Thomas Mullins
He is related to Boston Bob and Briar Hill and he is doing all the right things at the moment. He will start off in a bumper and he is a horse that we like. He will be out before Christmas.
UNNAMED
4yo ch g
Indian River - Court Leader
He is a very nice horse with a big future. He won’t be ready to run until Christmas time or slightly after it and he will start off in a bumper.