'He's gorgeous to look at' - four more Willie Mullins big guns set to be unleashed in December

The Willie Mullins machine typically has a quiet start to the jumps season before roaring into life in late November, and that has certainly been the case in recent weeks with star turns from Fact To File and Lossiemouth grabbing headlines.

Such is the concentration of equine talent housed at his Closutton empire, there are still any manner of big names who would be the standout stars at smaller yards who have yet to reappear. Here are four more Mullins stars the British and Irish champion trainer is poised to unleash this month

Energumene

Energumene: a winner of six Grade 1s, including two Champion ChasesCredit: Patrick McCann

The 2022 and 2023 Champion Chase winner missed the entirety of last season through injury, but is on his way back and the vibes from the Mullins camp have been positive enough to believe he can return at or close to his very best.

The Hilly Way Chase at Cork this Sunday, a race the ten-year-old won in both of his Champion-Chase-winning campaigns, has long been earmarked for his return. With Jonbon a big favourite for the Tingle Creek taking place at Sandown the previous day, we should get some major clues as to the pecking order of the top two-mile chasers.

Speaking in his Racing Post stable tour, Mullins said: "He's coming along great and I'm delighted with him. Everything I have asked of him he has answered so far, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed he'll make the Hilly Way at Cork and we'll have a smooth passage through the season and get back to the Champion Chase."

Gaelic Warrior

Gaelic Warrior: burst clear of Found A Fifty to win the Arkle in MarchCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

There aren't many more exciting horses to watch than Gaelic Warrior, who is not always the smoothest of jumpers but is blessed with an engine Max Verstappen would be happy with.

Versatile over almost any trip, the Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned star last season went from one of the Stayers' Hurdle favourites at the beginning of the campaign to Arkle winner before the end of it.

He is far from bombproof, as evident when throwing in a stinker in a match against Fact To File at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, but recovered from that to strike emphatically at Cheltenham and has only once finished out of the first two for Mullins.

Gaelic Warrior was the ante-post favourite for the King George but will not head to Kempton as Mullins instead targets a campaign geared towards the Champion Chase.

With El Fabiolo unlikely to run before the DRF and Energumene likely to head for the Clarence House Chase after his Hilly Way return, the Grade 1 Paddy's Rewards Club Chase over two miles at Leopardstown on December 27 could be Gaelic Warrior's for the taking.

I Am Maximus

I Am Maximus: sensational Grand National winnerCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

You won't see many more impressive Grand National winners than I Am Maximus, whose Racing Post Rating of 172 earned for a seven-and-a-half-length success in April can be bettered only by Tiger Roll in the last decade.

The Grade 1-winning novice chaser would be more than worthy of a place in all the top staying chases, but such is his quality over marathon trips – he is also an Irish Grand National winner – that his campaign is set to be geared around Aintree again.

The Savills Chase on December 28, which could be an exceptionally hot contest with Galopin Des Champs, Fact To File, Spillane's Tower, Gerri Colombe and Fastorslow all possibles, could be his starting point.

After plenty of time off since his National heroics, Mullins said in his stable tour that I Am Maximus is "probably even stronger than he was this time last year", before adding: "We'll try to give him the same sort of schedule as he had last season, taking in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse as his last port of call before having a second crack at the Grand National. His connections are very keen to go back to Aintree and try to win it again."

Majborough

Majborough (right) jumps alongside Kargese en route to winning the Triumph Hurdle at CheltenhamCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The 2024 Triumph Hurdle winner looks a chaser and Mullins is wasting little time in sending the lightly raced four-year-old straight over fences.

Majborough was thrown straight into the deep end last season with his two starts both coming in Grade 1s, finishing third at the Dublin Racing Festival before reversing form with Kargese at Cheltenham.

Mullins said: "He'll have an entry in a beginners' chase very soon. He's the sort you could run over any trip. Ultimately, he'll develop into a staying chaser, I would imagine, but he has enough speed to be considered an Arkle horse this season. He's gorgeous to look at.

Read these next:

The unbeaten Champion Hurdle dark horse who Willie Mullins says is 'something special' 

Who is the best bet in the Champion Hurdle after Lossiemouth and Sir Gino statements of intent? 

Patrick Mullins crowned racing writer of the year amid major Racing Post success at Derby Awards 

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