'There's every chance he'll improve as a Flat horse' - Grade 1 hurdler could make big impact in staying test

It almost feels like we have been here before with Vauban switching codes for the Copper Horse as this is a Willie Mullins template used in the past with Echoes In Rain in the 2021-22 season.

The wealth of firepower at Mullins' disposal nowadays means he has the chance to campaign his Grade 1 jumpers on the Flat and, like Vauban, Echoes In Rain raced in four Grade 1 hurdles at Leopardstown (two), Cheltenham and Punchestown before the summer code switch. She did not prove an instant hit on the Flat, though.

Echoes In Rain looked a handicap snip off 83 at the Curragh in May 2022 but let down odds-on backers before climbing 19lb in the weights in that sphere to emerge as a dark horse for Thursday's Gold Cup.

A mark of 101 is not the same gimme in a race this deep for Vauban, who could go either way in the market, largely dependent on how Bring On The Night fares in the earlier Ascot Stakes and the weight of support for Frankie Dettori-ridden stablemate Absurde. Neither of them have raced this far on the Flat, opening the door for further improvement.

The other notable graduate to staying races is the thrice-raced Ruling Dynasty, whose retention by Godolphin and Charlie Appleby as a gelded four-year-old is intriguing. A Night Of Thunder half-brother to the yard’s two-miler Bandinelli, Ruling Dynasty devoured the ground over 1m3½f in a Haydock novice to toy with a well-backed 84-rated three-year-old in receipt of 21lb in weight-for-age.

A performance of Group calibre is often a necessity to win a handicap at this meeting and Point King, Aaddeey, Vauban, Absurde and Chillingham are the five with a possible Irish St Leger engagement later in the season. The most surprising entry belongs to that of 97-rated Chillingham, who could fly under the radar for the Ed Bethell stable. This progressive son of Ulysses is another who gives the impression staying trips could be his true calling.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Sam Cooke
He's in good shape, has a good draw and the trip should suit him well so we're looking forward to it.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Point King
It's a very competitive race but he goes there with a live chance. He's been training well since his run at Leopardstown.

Milton Harris, trainer of Scriptwriter
I suspect if Willie Mullins and I had a choice and we could put some hurdles in, we'd be hard to beat. He's clearly a talented Flat horse that did well over hurdles despite not being an absolute natural. He won a nice race at Wolverhampton over a mile and a half off 102, so he'll be competitive here off 104. I wish we had a better draw but we can't change that.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Vauban and Absurde
They're both in great form, and we've managed to secure two decent jockeys for them too – let's hope they're lucky! Vauban has done well since Punchestown and I'm happy with him. I think there's every chance he'll improve as a Flat horse and I'm looking forward to seeing how he gets on. It looks like a nice race for him. Running Absurde in a race like this is not something I would usually do, but I just felt it was worth a go and he's done very well since Killarney.

Willie Mullins: runs Vauban and Absurde in the Copper Horse HandicapCredit: Edward Whitaker

Keith Dalgleish, trainer of Alright Sunshine
He ran well in the race last year. He hasn't had a run this year, which will go against him a bit, but having said that he's run well fresh. We've done as much as we can with him.

Alan King, trainer of Raymond Tusk
He ran well in it last year when he was beaten only four lengths and we've been drawn on the wide outside again. We'll leave that up to Rossa [Ryan, jockey] but any rain that did fall would be a help.

Roger Varian, trainer of Postileo
It was a really good run at Hamilton but he does want the rain to come. For him we were hoping the track might have got one of those big storms on Sunday. He’s in the last race so he’s got all afternoon for some rain to arrive and if it did and eased conditions, he’d have a fighting chance. He’ll love the track and the trip and he’s in very good form but his chances will improve if the rain arrives.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Ruling Dynasty
Ruling Dynasty has come on since winning at Haydock and we feel that stepping up in trip is going to see further improvement. Handicaps at Royal Ascot are always very competitive but he goes there in great shape off a sensible mark.
Reporting by Stuart Riley

Read our other Royal Ascot previews on day one:

'He looks the one to beat' - Charlie Appleby confident of Queen Anne success as Modern Games takes on Inspiral  

'We've been very happy' - can River Tiber help O'Brien equal Stoute's record and land another Coventry?  

Highfield Princess ready for 'tough' King's Stand test against fierce global challenge  

'The opposition have him to beat' - Guineas winners Chaldean and Paddington clash in St James's Palace  

'This has always been the plan' - Willie Mullins back for more with last year's runner-up Bring On The Night  

Can Frankie Dettori ride a royal winner aboard Saga in the Wolferton?  

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