Patrick Mullins Going for Gold with Gaelic

Second-guessing Willie Mullins at Festival time is usually a waste of energy. But if his son Patrick has his way, Gaelic Warrior will run in the Gold Cup, not the Ryanair.

Patrick rode him to second behind stablemate Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown during the Dublin Racing Festival, with Galopin Des Champs third in a Closutton one-two-three.

Fact To File isn’t currently entered for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, though he’s expected to be supplemented rather than defend his Ryanair crown. If that happens, Gaelic Warrior could drop back in trip — a move Willie Mullins has suggested is possible.

Patrick, though, wants the big one. And given he’d likely ride the Rich Ricci-owned eight-year-old — whom he partnered to Grade One success at Aintree — his interest is obvious.

Asked who he’d choose from his father’s yard at Cheltenham, he didn’t hesitate.

“Gaelic Warrior. I’d love to ride Gaelic Warrior in the Gold Cup.”

On whether he thinks that will happen:

“My vote would be to put him in the race but I don’t know how important my vote is!”

What he is certain about is that Cheltenham would suit better than Leopardstown.

“When you look at Kempton and Aintree, where he ran very well, and then the Cheltenham Gold Cup course where you have the constant inside running rail so everyone races tight — that’s how you can get him to settle. At Leopardstown there’s no inch of running rail, horses spread out and he gets a bit lit up.”

“I don’t think that was the difference between winning and losing the other day but his form outside Leopardstown is considerably better. I think he could turn it around with Fact To File. The track layout and how the race will pan out — where you can park him in a pocket with no daylight and get him to settle — will show him in a better light.”

Gaelic Warrior can race keenly, as he did again at Leopardstown, but Mullins isn’t worried about the Gold Cup trip.

“You don’t know until you try but at Leopardstown, after running a little keen, he picked up from the second last to the line. He pulled eight and a half lengths clear of Galopin Des Champs so I don’t see why he won’t stay.”

If he were to win, Patrick Mullins would match amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen, who landed both the Gold Cup and the Grand National before retiring in 2022.

“If I could choose one, the Grand National would be the one and always was because of the history — but Sam Waley-Cohen won both so let’s try to match him!”

Expect plenty of lobbying between now and declaration day.