'Horses change. Plans change' - Willie Mullins explains Gaelic Warrior's Dublin Racing Festival switch-up

A midweek rethink and some impressive homework from Facile Vega has prompted Willie Mullins to reshuffle his novice chasing pack for the Dublin Racing Festival with Gaelic Warrior now waiting for the Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Sunday rather than tackle Marine Nationale 24 hours earlier. 

Mullins said on Tuesday he was "swaying towards the shorter trip for Gaelic Warrior this weekend" and that set the stage for a mouth-watering tussle with the unbeaten Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Marine Nationale in the Goffs Irish Arkle.

But, when the declarations were released for that Grade 1 over two miles and one furlong this morning, the name of Gaelic Warrior did not appear among the sextet. Instead Paul Townend's name was next to Facile Vega, with Il Etait Temps and Sharjah completing the Closutton representation. 

Explaining that decision, Mullins told the Racing Post: "Gaelic Warrior will run Sunday now. There was a change of plan from the way we were thinking earlier in the week. Nothing was set in stone at that stage and, when we went back over things, we changed our minds and decided to go for the longer race with him.

"We have been very happy with Facile Vega's work. His last piece of work was really good and we were very happy with it, so we decided he would be the one to go for the shorter race on Saturday."

Facile Vega: main opposition for Marine Nationale in the Irish ArkleCredit: Patrick McCann

The 17-time champion trainer often comes in for criticism for changing his plans and there was yet another backlash on social media when news emerged of Gaelic Warrior's absence from the Irish Arkle. 

When asked whether that sort of criticism bothers him, he replied: "Horses change. Plans change. We try to work it the way that we think is going to work best."

Elaborating further, he said: "I aim the horses for the big meetings and the horses then tell me as we go along what race they should go for, rather than me telling the horse. 

"I suppose the obvious way out of that is for me to say nothing. But, people ask the questions and I answer those questions the way I am thinking on the day. But that can change three weeks later, or a week later or days later depending on what I see at home on the gallops."

Marine Nationale is now 4-9 favourite with William Hill for the Irish Arkle, as he attempts to extend his unbeaten sequence to six, with Facile Vega next in at 9-2. 

Found A Fifty, winner of the Racing Post Novice Chase over Christmas where he had Facile Vega over six lengths behind him, is 11-2. 

Goffs Irish Arkle (2.25 Leopardstown, Saturday)

William Hill: 4-9 Marine Nationale 9-2 Facile Vega, 11-2 Found A Fifty, 16 Il Etait Temps, 33 Sharjah, 100 Senecia

Ladbrokes Novice Chase (1.10 Leopardstown, Sunday)

Ladbrokes: 10-11 Gaelic Warrior, 7-4 Fact To File, 5 Grangeclare West, 7 Corbetts Cross, 14 Nick Rockett, 16 American Mike, Favori De Champdou, 25 bar

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