Bookies on red alert with Emmet Mullins hope a major gamble in the Cambridgeshire

Emmet Mullins collected a big cheque on his last visit to Newmarket when The Shunter won last year's Cesarewitch and the super shrewd Grand National-winning trainer is out to land another big handicap at the track with This Songisforyou in Saturday's bet365 Cambridgeshire (3.40).

This Songisforyou was the subject of a substantial gamble on Monday following the publication of the forfeits and was slashed to 7-1 joint-favourite (from 20) by Paddy Power.

The six-year-old has only had six starts on the Flat but comes into the contest on the back of a Curragh victory in a 1m2f premier handicap at the Irish Champions Festival and the form has been franked as the fourth Soaring Monarch won the big premier handicap on the second day of the Listowel harvest festival on Monday.

The Shunter: won the Cesarewitch for Emmet MullinsCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Mullins has never had a runner in the Cambridgeshire but confirmed a trip to the Rowley Mile on Saturday for the famous £175,000 handicap is very much the plan, with Ireland's five-time champion jockey Colin Keane booked to maintain the partnership and, ominously, the trainer expects there is more to come from This Songisforyou.

He said: "The plan is to run. He came out of the race at the Curragh okay and he did a piece of work this morning [Tuesday]. Everything seems okay with him so we're going to have a go."

Mullins admitted to surprise This Songisforyou won at the Curragh as he felt that outing would leave him cherry ripe for Newmarket and there would be improvement to come.

He said: "I was surprised he won at the Curragh because I thought he might need the run there and it would leave him spot on for the Cambridgeshire so, fingers crossed, he can put it all together on Saturday. It would be magic if he did.

"Everything about the race should suit him. I think it's still good ground there and I think the mile and one trip won't be any hindrance to him."

Colin Keane: will take the ride again on This SongisforyouCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

He added: "Colin [Keane] is over at Newmarket to ride Babouche in the Cheveley Park so he'll ride again."

Mullins is wasting little time in ticking off plenty of big races, both on the Flat and over jumps. He is best known for sending out Noble Yeats to win the 2022 Grand National as a novice, but he has also won the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham with Corbetts Cross and the Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown with Feronily in addition to the Cesarewitch with The Shunter.

Roi De France remains 7-1 favourite with the sponsors bet365, but they also cut This Songisforyou into 8-1 with Balmacara and Godwinson next in the betting at 10-1.

The last Irish-trained winner of the Cambridgeshire was She's Our Mare, who scored for Tony Martin and Franny Norton way back in 1999.

bet365 Cambridgeshire (3.40 Newmarket, Saturday)

bet365: 7 Roi De France, 8 This Songisforyou, 10 Balmacara, Godwinson, 12 Silver Sword, 14 Bopedro, Liberty Lane, 16 bar

Emmet Mullins' handicap heroics over Flat and jumps

The Shunter
Cesarewitch, Newmarket, October 2023

Mullins' bid for a first victory in the Cambridgeshire comes just under a year after this versatile star gave him a breakthrough Newmarket triumph in the second of the track's two prestigious autumn handicaps. Already a lucrative winner for the trainer over hurdles and fences, he arrived at the Rowley Mile as a ten-year-old but with just five starts on the Flat on his record, but he showed he was as good on the level when beating Pied Piper by three-quarters of a length at 14-1.

Noble Yeats
Grand National, April 2022

Mullins conquered the biggest jumps handicap of them all when Noble Yeats caused a 50-1 shock under amateur Sam Waley-Cohen, who retired immediately afterwards. It was a stroke of genius from the trainer, as Noble Yeats was only a seven-year-old with just seven chase runs under his belt before his Aintree heroics.

The Shunter
Morebattle Hurdle and Paddy Power Plate, March 2021

The Shunter revealed Mullins' ability to scoop major handicaps when he landed a £100,000 bonus with a remarkable Kelso and Cheltenham Festival double. Having already scored in the Greatwood Hurdle that season, he struck in the Morebattle Hurdle at the Scottish track. The Shunter had plenty of options, over hurdles and fences, at Cheltenham, but Mullins and new owner JP McManus elected for the Paddy Power Plate 12 days on from Kelso. He duly obliged, storming to a three-length triumph under Jordan Gainford as the 5-2 favourite.

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