Encouraging that Willie Mullins' festival pair show resilience after emerging from pointing field

So much of next week’s Cheltenham Festival will be closely scrutinised in relation to how well Willie Mullins fares. 

The master of Closutton's progress and success in racing has been thoroughly analysed. His knack with French-breds has been widely discussed and the industry is also well aware of the Irish pointers he has developed and made into stars. 

Florida Pearl, Cooldine and Faugheen have been joined in recent seasons by Bellshill, Briar Hill and Monkfish as examples of former pointers who have provided Mullins with some of his many Cheltenham wins. 

One of the noted trends of the Mullins yard is the time often given to horses between being purchased and making their stable debuts. 

State Man made his debut at Auteuil in May 2020, and 588 days later he had his first taste of competitive action at the 2021 Leopardstown Christmas meeting. 

Galopin Des Champs also made his debut in May 2020 and started his Irish career in November 2020 just six months later, but El Fabiolo had to wait 472 days from his debut in France in September 2020 until his first run in Ireland in January 2022. 

Ballyburn and Tullyhill, two of his leading contenders for next week, were sourced from Irish pointing fields and it's interesting to compare their progress with the French-breds mentioned. 

Ballyburn won a point for Colin McKeever and Wilson Dennison at Loughanmore in October 2022 and made his rules debut in February 2023 when winning a Punchestown bumper. He then followed up at the track's festival in April, responding well to the Closutton system from the outset. 

Tullyhill also won a point for the McKeever-Dennison combination in October 2022 and had his first run for Mullins in the same season, winning a Gowran bumper in March. He too went to the Punchestown festival, when he was pitched in at Grade 1 level, finishing a fine second to A Dream To Share. 

Like all good trainers, Mullins will only ask of a horse what he thinks they are capable of, whether they have come from France or Irish points, and it is encouraging that his best Irish pointers have been sound and resilient enough to emerge so quickly from the proven and successful Mullins regime.

Perhaps this may encourage him to stock up with more of the same for the coming seasons. 

Weekend fixtures

Saturday

Kirkistown – first race 13.30

Sunday

Belclare – first race 14.00
Castlelands – first race 13.30
Lingstown – first race 13.00

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