Mister Policeman: Willie Mullins talking horse with 'huge ability' makes highly anticipated chase debut at Fairyhouse

Willie Mullins' Closutton stable is beginning to go through the gears and another potentially top-class chasing recruit is set to be unleashed in the 2m½f beginners' chase at Fairyhouse when Mister Policeman makes his highly anticipated return.

The five-year-old won a 13-runner juvenile hurdle at Fontainebleau in commanding fashion in March 2022 before being transferred to Mullins and he appeared in a conditions hurdle at Cork last April after 12 months off.

It would have been considered a daunting starting point for a horse with such little experience given he was facing some useful rivals at level weights, including stablemate Cash Back, 150-rated Sole Pretender and Fils D'Oudairies, who has since scored twice at Grade 3 level. But the five-year-old was backed into even money and won with the minimum of fuss under Michael O'Sullivan.

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The Rich Ricci-owned gelding was settled in mid-division, hurdling fluently and displaying plenty of scope at his obstacles, before arriving on the heels of the leaders coming to three out. He travelled alongside Cash Back to the final two flights and, despite getting in slightly tight, was clever at them and scooted away to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Despite the style of the victory and the fact he had had plenty of time off, Mullins revealed in his stable tour a few weeks ago he was slightly underwhelmed by the performance based on what he sees at home.

Mister Policeman: impressive display at Cork at end of last seasonCredit: Lorraine O'Sullivan

He said: "He does fantastic work at home. I know he won his race at Cork for us but, based on his homework, I thought he would win a lot easier than he did. He has huge ability and he'll go novice chasing this season. He can always go back hurdling if it doesn't work out, but chasing is the plan. I think he'll improve a lot from what you saw from him at Cork."

The champion trainer is not one to praise his inmates so enthusiastically on a regular basis so it will be fascinating to see how Mister Policeman fares in a high-quality event. Stablemates Deploy The Getaway and Feu Du Bresil are promising chase prospects in their own right, while Noel Meade's Pinkerton was an excellent third to Imagine on his chase debut at the track this month.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Gars De Sceaux has plenty of ability too and has a slight experience edge given this is his fourth start over fences.

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