'I had him away for a gallop last week and I was very, very pleased with him'

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The number 13 may be viewed as unlucky by some but, from where Willie Mullins is standing, going into this year's Cheltenham Festival with 13 of the 28 favourites housed at his Closutton base, things are looking pretty darn good.

Mullins is the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival. Since Tourist Attraction provided him with his first success at the meeting when landing the Supreme back in 1995, Mullins has recorded 77 more successes with the promise of more to come next month.

Ireland's dominant force will bring around 60 horses to the Cotswolds in a little under three weeks. On the lorry will be former dual Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo, bidding to regain his crown at ten, reigning Ryanair hero Allaho, Champion Bumper hotpot Facile Vega, Champion Chase fancies Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi, and a host of top-notch novices. With that quality comes a certain level of expectation.

Asked for his banker for the meeting, Mullins replies: "The first name that comes to mind is Allaho. I will be very disappointed if he doesn't run a really big race."

The trainer adds: "Everyone else's expectation is going to be your failure if you don't come up with the goods and that leaves a certain dread in your stomach. Certainly going into this year's Dublin Racing Festival, I was having the same feelings, and thankfully things worked out – way better than I thought they would.

"If you have one or two horses going over there, they either win or they don't, that's it. But when you have a team of horses going over there, it's much harder, but I am lucky enough to have the owners and the horses who have put me in that situation. You have to take what comes with it and try to enjoy it."

Al Boum Photo
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, best price 10-1

It looks like an open enough race. Some of the leading contenders haven't put their heads up yet, though I think a lot will depend on who gets to the race on the day in great form. We're hoping that's the case with Al Boum Photo, but I'd rather I had him in better order to be honest.

Allaho
Ryanair Chase, 4-5

He's in great shape and it looks like the Ryanair for him. I'd be very disappointed if he doesn't run a big race.

Appreciate It
Unibet Champion Hurdle, 4-1

He looks to be in great form at home. I had him away for a gallop last week and I was very, very pleased with him – he galloped very well. But it's a big challenge for any horse to take on Honeysuckle, who looks the real deal.

Asterion Forlonge
Gold Cup, 25-1

The day he gets his jumping together, he's going to be a player, but I'm hoping rather than expecting he'll get things right one day. He goes for the Gold Cup.

Billaway
St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase, 10-3

The Hunters' Chase is his target. Patrick [Mullins] knows the horse, plus we put cheekpieces on him the last day and they seemed to transform him, so we'll keep those on him. Hopefully we'll be able to collect that trophy that we promised his owner John Turner.

Blue Lord
Sporting Life Arkle Trophy, 3-1

He's done nothing wrong and goes to the Arkle with a chance.

Brandy Love
Mares' Novices' Hurdle, 4-1

She hung way out to her left at Fairyhouse behind Allegorie De Vassy. After the race we came back and we saw that she did it in her point and in her bumper. She's going left-handed at Cheltenham and most observers will say that means she has the beating of Allegorie De Vassy in that case, so it looks a slam dunk for her, doesn't it?

Burning Victory
Mares' Hurdle, 8-1

It looks like she'll run in the Mares' Hurdle. She's yet to put it all together over hurdles but, as soon as she gets her jumping together, she could be a serious mare.

Capodanno
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, 13-2/Turners Novices' Chase, 25-1

He fell at the Dublin Racing Festival and hurt his shoulder but he's back riding again and is fine.

Chacun Pour Soi
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, 6-1

A lot of people are saying he's not able to face the hill at Cheltenham but I'd like to see him get a fair crack of the whip over there. Maybe he's a horse who runs best fresh. I haven't asked Paul [Townend] if he's going to ride Chacun Pour Soi or Energumene yet but I'd be a Chacun Pour Soi fan every day of the week. Nicer ground would possibly suit Chacun Pour Soi more. The way he flies around Leopardstown would suggest he's better on nicer ground.

Chacun Pour Soi: his trainer is a big fanCredit: Patrick McCann

Classic Getaway
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, 16-1/Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, 20-1

I imagine he wants a trip. He could go for the Ballymore as I'm not sure he has enough experience for an Albert Bartlett.

Concertista
Mares' Chase, 3-1

I'd imagine the Mares' Chase would be her target and she has good form around Cheltenham. She worked very well on the Curragh on Tuesday, jumping some hurdles and fences, and I was delighted with her. She had a small setback a few weeks back but I wanted to see how she jumped and she did everything fine.

Dinoblue
Mares' Novices' Hurdle, 11-2

She was very good at Clonmel on heavy ground. She did her first bit of work since then the other morning and I was surprised by it – she worked very, very well. I'm looking forward to seeing her in the mares' novice.

Dysart Dynamo
Supreme Novices' Hurdle, 11-4/Ballymore, 9-4

He was very free the last day in front but Paul [Townend] said to me on more than one occasion that when he settles behind a horse he’s fine.

El Fabiolo
Supreme Novices' Hurdle, 16-1/Ballymore, 40-1

He was very impressive at Tramore – our trials track for Cheltenham! The form has actually worked out with the second winning well the other day. He got a little cut and missed the Dublin Racing Festival but he could run in the Supreme or the Ballymore. The Supreme would be the obvious race or we could ride him differently and go for the Ballymore.

Elimay
Mares' Chase, 3-1

We put cheekpieces on her at Naas and I thought she jumped very well in them so chances are we will keep them on her. We may be more positive with her as well.

Energumene
Champion Chase, 3-1

He's a young horse coming up through the ranks. He ran a terrific race at Ascot and we're looking forward to running him in the Champion Chase. We know he's not far away from wherever Shishkin is but it's going to be hard to turn the form around with Shishkin, who made a couple of mistakes at Ascot as well, so he has an advantage and if he has a clear round he could be hard to beat. We could change things around with Energumene but it's going to be very tough. He'll go on any ground.

Facile Vega
Weatherbys Champion Bumper, 10-11

He's done everything right. I got him ready to run last year, and he did a bit of work here one day which said to me, 'Wow, this fellow could be special', but then he got jarred and I left him alone after that. I was training him with kid gloves and didn't want to overstretch the mark, didn't want to ask him any of the questions I asked him last year, because I was hoping what he had in the tank was still there – it usually is – and we got him to the racetrack, and he won nicely. The last day, what he did from the furlong marker home was exceptional. From what I've seen at home and from what I've seen on the racetrack, he's the one I'd like to be riding if I was going there.

Galopin Des Champs
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, 5-6/Turners Novices' Chase, 5-4

He was so good the first day and he was very brave the last day. I think Paul learned a lot about him then. He could go in either race and I do want to have a chat with Paul, but I'd be happy enough to go in the Turners. I think he has the ability to do that. He jumps well, he's sharp and I don't think he needs to go three miles.

Grangee
Mares' Novices' Hurdle, 12-1

Bryan Cooper said he felt he had everything covered when they came down at Fairyhouse. I think she's a little better around Fairyhouse than she might be around Cheltenham.

Kilcruit
Supreme, 9-1

He jumps well enough and everything seems right for him – he handles the track well. You'd think a horse who finished second in the bumper should go for the two-and-a-half-mile race but I’m not sure that it would suit him, so we'll go the two-mile direction this year.

Klassical Dream
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, 5-1

It was probably my own fault that he got beaten at Gowran Park. I gave him a break after Christmas as it was such a hard race. I sent him to Gowran on a wing and a prayer thinking it would be fine and things didn't work out. I'm going to put a line through that run and, if Paul gets on well with him at the start at Cheltenham, he could have a big chance.

Klassical Dream: Mullins blames himself for defeat at GowranCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Minella Cocooner
Ballymore, 10-1/Albert Bartlett, 7-1

I thought Danny [Mullins] gave him a terrific ride to win at Leopardstown. I was really impressed by how he jumped. He's in the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett. Given his style of racing, the Albert Bartlett could be a tough race for him and the Ballymore could suit him a bit better, but is he good enough to run in that race? I haven't made my mind up on him yet.

Redemption Day
Champion Bumper, 13-2

He's a very good bumper horse. Patrick was very impressed by the amount of speed he showed at Leopardstown. He missed the Dublin Racing Festival so will go to the Champion Bumper without the benefit of a prep but he's a horse for the future.

Sir Gerhard
Supreme, 3-1/Ballymore, 13-8

He's done everything right – until the last day, when we made the running with him, which I thought didn’t suit him. He was so professional when he was in behind at Leopardstown the first day. He jumped like a handicapper and I have no doubt that whatever race he runs in, getting a lead he will be fine. Even if he doesn't get a lead, I think he will be better as I think he learned a lot the last day. He has plenty of speed, he jumps well and I'm looking forward to getting him over there. He could go in either race – you could toss a coin for whichever race he goes in, because that's the sort of ability I hope he has.

State Man
Ballymore, 12-1/County Hurdle, 8-1

He's improving but I haven't put much thought into which race he'll run in. He should have no trouble staying and could go to the Ballymore. He could also go for the County.

Stattler
National Hunt Chase, 11-4

He'll go for the National Hunt Chase. He jumps well and we always thought he was a National Hunt Chase type. He'll win over shorter in time because he's such a good jumper – he's very quick. We've had this mapped out for a while.

Stormy Ireland
Mares' Hurdle, 6-1

She has a big chance in the Mares' Hurdle. We think she's in great order. I'm hoping we can get more out of her going to Cheltenham and think she'll run a big race.

The Nice Guy
Ballymore, 25-1/Albert Bartlett, 12-1

He's surprised me. He's won two bumpers and his maiden hurdle and at home I never felt he'd be able to win one bumper, let alone two. He's a lot better than I thought he'd be on his homework, which we like. He's light-framed but he jumps well and we're happy with his progress.

Tornado Flyer
Gold Cup, 12-1

The Gold Cup is his target. Once again, I thought Danny was fantastic on him in the King George and a similar performance would put him in the mix at Cheltenham. The extra two and a half furlongs could be an advantage to him. If it is, that puts him right in the picture. He's a player.

Vauban
Triumph Hurdle, 2-1

He's going to be a major player in the Triumph. Everything has gone well since Leopardstown and we're happy with him. With juveniles, the Triumph Hurdle is their Derby, but I have bigger plans for this fellow. He's a hurdler.

Whatdeawant
Ballymore, 25-1

He's Ballymore-bound. He disappointed at Naas but we might change things.

The rest of our Cheltenham Festival Stable Tour series is exclusive to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Members can read more in our stable tour series here:

Colin Tizzard: 'He's in great form and I can see him running a lovely race in the Arkle'

Henry de Bromhead: 'It was always the plan to go straight to the Gold Cup'

Paul Nicholls: 'I was berated for comparing this horse to Denman - but I wasn't far wrong'

Philip Hobbs: 'The Stayers' Hurdle has always been the plan and there's improvement to come'

Nicky Henderson: 'You press a button and he goes - he's exactly what every trainer wants'

Gordon Elliott: 'I really think he'll go close in the Gold Cup - he stays like hell'

Dan Skelton: 'I'm really excited about him - it's an open Gold Cup and he has to be a player'

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