IT would surely be a most popular local result at Cork on Sunday if admirable veteran Bachasson can extend his unbeaten run to seven straight wins in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Chase (3.30).

Carrying the recognisable sky blue and orange silks of the O’Connell family from Glanmire, the Willie Mullins-trained 12-year-old showed little signs of rustiness on his return from a 749-day layoff to win at Clonmel last month - continuing an unbeaten period that stretches back to March 2020.

He would be a fitting winner for his local connections given this month marks two years since the passing of his well-liked owner Eddie O’Connell, forever remembered for his association with Un De Sceaux and Gaelic games in Co Cork.

Assistant trainer Patrick Mullins said: “He has been an incredible horse and is a real yard favourite. Usually as horses get older they get white but he seems to be a Peter Pan and a steel grey which is quite unusual. He has won 16 races in total.”

On his unproven stamina for this three-mile test, Mullins added: “He has never won over three miles, although he did run in a Cheltenham Gold Cup and I don’t see why it should be a problem. The bigger worry is maybe coming back quickly after a long layoff but he seems to have come out of Clonmel very well and no doubt he will run well again.”

The champion trainer is also represented by six-time Grade 1 winner Chacun Pour Soi, who has looked regressive this season compared to his outstanding form in previous years. This will be his first start beyond an extended two and a half miles.

“Chacun Pour Soi is stepping up in trip and it’s a little bit of a shot in the dark,” said Mullins.

“He has to give away an awful lot of weight, which won’t make life easy on him either, but he has won at Cork before so we are just hoping he can get somewhere back to his best form as he doesn’t seem to be at his best this season so far.”

Former Stayers’ Hurdle second Ronald Pump represents Ciaran Murphy in the five-runner affair, John Ryan saddles outsider The Little Yank and Emmet Mullins has taken the unorthodox step of declaring recent maiden hurdle winner Feronily for his first start over fences in senior graded company.