'Vauban? He's better than Pied Piper' - Patrick Mullins answers your questions

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Will you have first choice in the bumper? If so, who are you leaning towards?William Piper

Unless I annoy Willie too much between now and then, I should! Facile Vega obviously has the best track form but Redemption Day works very well and I expect lots of improvement from James's Gate. Madmansgame has a bigger engine than he let on at Navan too. It's not a simple decision in my book.

When you have a big decision to make, is it down to your gut instinct or other factors like the clock?Brendan Clifford

You factor in a lot of things. How they're working at home obviously, the strength of their track form, who the track/ground will suit and, when it's really close, who you will be less gutted to be beaten by. I'm not a connoisseur of the clock, although I note the opinions of people who are. A recent example would have been Ferny Hollow and Appreciate It in the Champion Bumper in 2020. I always thought Ferny Hollow had more ability, but he was going to have to not lose his cool in the festival atmosphere and be ridden dropped right in, whereas Appreciate It had the better track form and those weren't worries with him. I didn't ride the horse I considered to have the most ability based on those factors. And I was wrong, just! Although even two years later, it's still not a clear choice.

I think Minella Cocooner has plenty of gears enough for the Ballymore but Willie seems set on stepping him up to three miles. How can you persuade him otherwise?Oliver Milburn

Simple. Tell him he's absolutely made for the Albert Bartlett and wouldn't be quick enough for the Ballymore. Works every time. Well, 60 per cent of the time.

Billaway has come close the last two years at Cheltenham. Do you think the experience will help to finally get him over the line in front?Campbell Coupar

I was expecting extra experience to win it for him last year, and he did finish much closer than his first attempt, but I'm hoping the cheekpieces might do the trick this time. He seems to travel and jump better for them and hopefully they can help make it third time lucky. I would really love to win the Foxhunter – it's by far the best trophy of the week.

Billaway: cheekpieces fitted for third attempt at the hunter chaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Which of your Cheltenham Festival winners gave you most joy and why?John Harnett

Very hard to say, very hard. Cousin Vinny will always be special as he was my first, being 18 and being in school it was a surprise! Champagne Fever was very cool, beating Ruby and Geraghty in a finish in Cheltenham, albeit I was on the best horse by far as it turned out. Back In Focus rallying late from so far down after the last to nab Nina was memorable, while Rathvinden getting up in the shadow of the post meant a lot too. Rathvinden was probably the one I took the most satisfaction from as a ride, as I think the fractions there didn't allow for many mistakes.

Which race would you favour for Galopin Des Champs and where do you think he'll end up? Does comparing him to your previous Martin Pipe winners, Don Poli and Sir Des Champs, make deciding easier or harder?Dan McGrath

I had thought of him like Don Poli and Sir Des Champs but he seems to want to get on with things more over fences. Those two were both laid-back, lazy types who popped away at their fences whereas Galopin appears to like to get on with it, a bit like Allaho or Black Hercules. He has stamina to stay three miles and more, though. He'll end up wherever Willie wants him to be come 9.59 declaration morning I suppose!

What would be viewed by the Mullins camp as a disappointing Cheltenham 2022?Chris Trower

Speaking for myself, and being frank, with the team of horses and people we have this year I think it's fair to say the aim is to be leading trainer.

What is the stable's Martin Pipe horse?Christy Doherty

I'd tell you, Christy, but I'd have to kill you.

Which horse from the past would you like to have ridden most out of Arkle, Kauto Star, Desert Orchid and Best Mate?John Carney

Having seen the videos of Desert Orchid, he looked like a thrill. You don't see too many jump like he did.

If you had a free charity bet for Cheltenham to stick on one of the Mullins runners, who would you choose and why?Jason Nicholls

Allaho is the nap. He's the best horse in the race, has been in good form all season and is proven over course and distance. If I could ride one of ours all week, it would be him.

How good is Vauban?Gerard McEvoy

Better than Pied Piper.

What's your happiest Cheltenham moment and biggest disappointment?Rob Irving

Hurricane Fly regaining his Champion Hurdle crown is my happiest memory. That he had doubters was outrageous. Florida Pearl not winning the Gold Cup is the biggest disappointment. The Champion Bumper, the Royal and SunAlliance, four Hennessy Gold Cups, a King George, a John Durkan, a Punchestown Gold Cup, a Martell Cup, a James Nicholson, a Dr PJ Moriarty . . . and don't forget the day he gave Amberleigh House almost three stone and won. His career deserved a Gold Cup.

Do you think the 2022 festival will be as successful for Ireland as 2021?Simon Rumble

Lightning doesn't strike twice, does it?

Do you think Kilcruit is good enough for this year's Supreme?Jimmy Chute

I do. I hope I get to ride him, and my grandmother [Maureen Mullins, who bred Kilcruit] gets to be there for it. The tongue-tie has helped, and we've been harder on him at home since Christmas. He'll be involved.

Kilcruit: leading Supreme Novices' contenderCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Sir Gerhard seems a horse who powers up the hill and doesn't pull up. A Gold Cup horse for the future?Adam Leithead

He won a point-to-point and has the physique for it. His pedigree would suggest otherwise, however; it's mostly Flat-orientated.

Can Al Boum Photo win another Gold Cup?Nancy Nute

Yes. Age is age is age but he has fewer miles on the clock than any other ten-year-old challenging for this race and that has to count for something, doesn't it? Do Minella Indo and A Plus Tard look better this year than last? Does Al Boum look worse? I think no to both, so there's hope.

It would be some training performance if Appreciate It could defeat Honeysuckle. Do you think he can do it?Andy Parker

He might, might, have the ability to do it, but in this race? On his first run in a year and his first outside novice company? It's a huge ask. Penhill did something similar when he won the Stayers' Hurdle but he didn't have Honeysuckle to beat. I think the mare is even better than people realise. But if there’s one horse on these isles that could defeat her, it's him.

Who is the best horse you have ever ridden?John Kennedy

Douvan. He was a different species. Like Usain Bolt, he was just built uniquely. I've never felt the raw power he had. That he never got to properly fulfil his potential is hugely frustrating. I know it was a long way out when he fell in the Champion Chase but he looked like he was on different tracks to everything else at the time. I'd love to have seen Altior trying to catch him up the hill that day. We'll never know. Soundness is such an important part of being a 'great'. Douvan can't be put in that category because his career outside novice company was punctured by injuries. So while he was the best I rode, Faugheen was probably the greatest on achievements. And Un De Sceaux the most fun!

How concerned would you be about Haut En Couleurs going into Cheltenham on the back of a fall?Ben Cottrell

Very. I'd still like to ride him, though; we haven't seen the best of him yet in my opinion. He's unexposed and his run in the Triumph last year, on his debut for us, was amazing. He has more to offer.

If you owned a jumps horse and it couldn't be trained by a Mullins, who would you put it in training with?Kieran Dorgan

John Kiely. We won't see his like too often in the future.

From a pure sporting perspective, how excited are you by the prospect of Galopin Des Champs taking on Bob Olinger?Andrew Bickmore

I'd love to see it happen. If there weren't three Grade 1 novice chases at the festival, and there shouldn't be, it would definitely be happening. There are only two at Punchestown so if not at Cheltenham then hopefully we'll see it there. I'd love to have seen Un De Sceaux and Vautour going at it in the 2015 Arkle, but Vautour was able to go to the JLT. It would have been like Well Chief and Kicking King clashing in the Arkle back in 2004.

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Who was the more talented horse: Douvan or Vautour?Ciaran Doran

Impossible to say but I'd side with Douvan, but maybe I'm biased as I got to ride him. Vautour certainly achieved more. And I'm not sure I've forgiven Vautour for falling at Aintree, which cost us the British championship that year. But when you think he only got to race until the spring of his seventh year, it makes you wonder what he could have achieved.

Who is the best National Hunt sire at present?Tom Barry

I was a big fan of Shantou and Bob Back from Burgage Stud, and I'm hoping Jukebox Jury or Sea Moon can follow their success. We have plenty of young stock by both so hopefully they'll get the opportunity.

Could Concertista run in what looks like quite a weak Mares' Hurdle?Jay Roach

She lives in WillieMullinsLand, Jay, anything is possible.

Who would win this mythical Champion Hurdle between Faugheen, Hurricane Fly, Annie Power and Honeysuckle?Liam Doherty

I'd ride the Fly. Twenty-two Grade 1 wins – 22. Faugheen won ten. Honeysuckle has ten at the moment. Let the other three go at it turning in, follow them down over the last and flash by on the run-in, head down, ears back, nose out.

What would be a typical day be like for you at the festival?Andy Duffin

Up at seven, over to the stable yard and tack up, walk around for 25 minutes waiting for Willie, ride two lots, back to the house for breakfast and study the form, over to the course for the first, run the track, ride, give the horses a walk and a pick of grass after racing, home and watch the replays with a small dinner (why is the Champion Bumper 11st 5lb? They carry 12st in Ireland and we do okay. And the Cross Country 11st 4lb? They're all hardened handicappers, they carry 12st and more in the La Touche. Grumble, grumble . . .), out to the 21 Club, an early night.

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