'I just thought he was made for this' - National Hunt Chase carries extra significance for Willie Mullins

The National Hunt Challenge Cup was a much more interesting race when it was a trial for the same spring's marathon handicap chases. Don't take my word for it: look at the field sizes. Before 2020, there had been a run stretching back to 1993 of at least 15 turning up. Since then we have had 14, 12, six, ten and now seven runners.

The race is now an exercise in testing the stamina of horses deemed not quite good enough to contest the Brown Advisory. See Corbetts Cross and Embassy Gardens, whose respective owner (JP McManus) and trainer (Willie Mullins) are covered by Fact To File in Wednesday's race.

Both of those horses wear a hood for the first time, which is no coincidence. They have stamina to prove, and hoods are often used to settle horses who might otherwise over-race. The more positive flipside for Corbetts Cross in particular is that the longer trip and resulting slower pace may take the heat off his jumping. That has been his weakness at times.

The Irish contingent, completed by Salvador Ziggy who has had a Galvin-like break since the autumn, represents the modern National Hunt Chase. The British entry, numerically strong but less than a quarter of the market shortly after declarations, are largely throwbacks to the race's former identity.

Mr Vango, who won over this trip at Exeter by 60 lengths late last month, has a lot of parallels with 2018 bet365 Gold Cup winner Step Back. He will have no concerns over the trip, or however soft the ground gets as it was desperate at Exeter.

Henry's Friend stepped out of handicap company to win the Reynoldstown last time. He beat Kilbeg King, who reopposes and is rightly a shorter price. He would have won with a better jump at the last and shapes as though a stiffer test of stamina will suit.

Kilbeg King took a big handicap at Punchestown last spring and had looked to have been groomed for something similar over fences. But he also looks classy. Besides Ascot, he was not far off second in the Kauto Star under a fairly negative ride. To support him would be more than a desire for this race to revert to its old ways.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

RP Recommends: how to bet on the National Hunt Chase

By Tom Park, audience editor

bet365 and Sky Bet are both offering an enhanced three places for this seven-runner affair, and the former's BOG concession means they edge it. I think Salvador Ziggy has a good chance of beating the top two in Corbetts Cross and Embassy Gardens here. They both have their vulnerabilities and he's certainly the solid option.

RP Recommends: bet365

Races carries extra significance for Mullins

Winning the National Hunt Chase for the third year in a row would be extra special for Willie Mullins as the race is run in honour of his mother Maureen, who died aged 94 last month.

The matriarch of the Irish racing dynasty has left an outstanding legacy on the Cheltenham Festival, particularly through the record-breaking exploits of her eldest son Willie.

Embassy Gardens: two from two over fences this seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

In this amateur riders' contest alone, Mullins has saddled four winners to go with the two he managed as a jockey and he relies on Embassy Gardens to bring up the hat-trick for him and son Patrick following the victories of Gaillard Du Mesnil last year and Stattler in 2022.

Embassy Gardens was pulled up in last year's Albert Bartlett and also failed to fire at the Punchestown festival, but he has proved a different proposition in two successful outings over fences this season.

Mullins reaches for the hood with the eight-year-old stepping up in distance from three miles and a furlong at Naas in January.

"He's the epitome of a real old-style chaser, he loves to gallop and jump," said the trainer. "Every time he sees a fence you can see him weighing it up from so far out.

"I just thought he was made for this race when I saw his early-season performances and I think he deserves to be as prominent in the market as he is."

Hopes high Corbetts Cross can stay the trip

Having trained Noble Yeats to win the Grand National, Emmet Mullins knows all about stamina and he believes Corbetts Cross is in the right race at Cheltenham this week.

The seven-year-old tackles a trip in excess of three miles and half a furlong for the first time as he aims to extend owner JP McManus's record number of wins in the race to seven.

"We had plenty of options but JP was keen enough to come here," said Mullins. "He's an Irish point-to-pointer who has won over three miles over hurdles. He had a great run at Leopardstown over Christmas when he ran through the line over three miles on soft ground, and we'd have to be confident."

Corbetts Cross (right): a major player for JP McManusCredit: Patrick McCann

Corbetts Cross, who is fitted with a hood for the first time, has unfinished business at the festival, having ran out at the last when still in contention in last year's Albert Bartlett.

Derek O'Connor rode Corbetts Cross for the first time when an unlucky faller at Fairyhouse last month and the top amateur, twice a winner of the National Hunt Chase, is a key part of the plan.

"Derek is a big asset in these amateur races round here and that's something that couldn't be overlooked," said Mullins. "All is good with the horse. He seems none the worse after Fairyhouse and appears to have travelled over great and taken it in well."

What they say

Ben Pauling, trainer of Henry's Friend
He'd prefer better ground and if it was to turn up quite slow by the end of the day, we may question whether we take our chance. He's been in brilliant form this season and this longer trip would be a bonus for him as he stays well.

Anthony Honeyball, trainer of Kilbeg King
All seems good with him. He's a good age at nine and as a mature horse we thought it would be good to go up in distance with him. He's done well this season without winning, showing good form to finish third in the Kauto Star and second in the Reynoldstown when we thought he had the job done running down to the last before being slow away from it, which was frustrating. After his win at Punchestown last season, we were hoping he would progress into a nice novice chaser, which he's done so far. It's a nice field size for him and the soft ground should be fine, so hopefully he'll have a decent chance.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Salvador Ziggy
We've trained him specifically for this race all season and freshened him up for it. He's got some strong form in hot handicaps and that should stand him in good stead in a race like this. We would have preferred quicker ground for him, though.

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Apple Away
The small field and an extra distance is going to suit her. We were thinking about the Ultima but as the decs went in, we realised this was probably going to be a more suitable race for her as she's a novice. They've all got questions to answer about whether they stay the trip, but I think she will. I've got a very good jockey booked [Barry O'Neill] and she's very genuine, so we travel with hope.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

Cheltenham Tuesday previews:

1.30: Tullyhill 'the finished article' says Willie Mullins as he prepares assault on wide-open Supreme 

2.10: 'We put our heads together and came up with the Arkle' - Gaelic Warrior leads Closutton charge 

2.50: 'He looks well handicapped now' - who are the dangers to Ultima favourite Meetingofthewaters? 

3.30: State Man a certainty for many - but Nicky Henderson 'quite optimistic' his super-sub can lay down a challenge 

4.10: Will 'banker of the week' Lossiemouth handle the step up in trip and land another festival success? 

4.50: 'I think he'll run well at a price' - analysis and trainer quotes for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 

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