Who will come out on top in the Mullins battle as uncle Willie and nephew Emmet face off in Irish-dominated Cesarewitch?

Sea Of Sands has been all the rage since the start of the week when he became the last remaining representative for trainer Willie Mullins for a race in which he reeled off a hat-trick of victories between 2018 and 2020.

The winner of a Group 3 trial for the German Derby in 2021, Sea Of Sands' Flat form somewhat tailed off for trainer Jean-Pierre Carvalho over the remainder of the season and through 2022. And Mullins and his team have had to be patient with the son of Sea The Stars, who was off the track for 776 days in total before winning a maiden hurdle at the Listowel Harvest Festival 17 days ago.

"He won a maiden hurdle at Listowel very easily on his first run for us just over two weeks ago and has been in great form at home since," said Mullins. "We are confident he'll put in a strong performance. The only concern is that this could be coming a little quick in view of his lengthy layoff before Listowel."

Emmet Mullins doubly represented in bid for second success

The Shunter must rank as one of the great all-rounders of recent racing history and was adding this venerable Flat handicap to major successes over hurdles and fences when scoring 12 months ago.

Trainer Emmet Mullins returns for a second try with the popular 11-year-old, although bookmakers make Jacovec Cavern clear first choice among his two runners, having found only Busselton too strong on his return to the Flat at Galway in July following an absence which stretched back to the 2023 Punchestown festival.

Mullins said: "It looked like Jacovec Cavern got the trip well at Galway. It's obviously another two furlongs and we'd be hopeful he should be able to see it out. He's in good form since and we're happy with him. He's off the right weight and we're hopeful of a big run.

The Shunter: dual-purpose star won the Cesarewitch for Emmet Mullins and James Doyle

The Shunter (left): bidding for back-to-back wins in the CesarewitchCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"The Shunter never lets us down. He's been in training all year, but the ground was too firm at Chester and Royal Ascot. He could have run either of those days, but we said we'd have to mind him on firm ground. He had a little break after Royal Ascot, but he's been on the go again and he's well. He usually runs his race and dances all the big dances so fingers crossed there's another bold show in him."

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Dawn Rising and Magellan Strait
We're hoping for a good run from Dawn Rising. We think the track will suit him well and he ran a good race from a bad draw in the Irish Cesarewitch. Magellan Strait was slowly away and never got into the race at the Curragh, so hopefully he gets away better and gets into a good rhythm this time. He's been very good in his last two starts.

Sir Mark Prescott, trainer of Trooper Bisdee
He started off the season so well and then it all went wrong when he missed the start at Newcastle and was probably rushed up a bit. We quite fancied making the running at Newmarket but we probably never allowed him to go at his pace. Twice, through nobody's fault, we haven't excelled with our tactics. I rather fancied being drawn wide and steaming along from wide, but we're drawn five so that little scheme has gone. We'll have to see how Rhys [Clutterbuck] can get on, but if it all went well he's got a chance as he stays very well. He needs to settle better than he did last time, but he loves fast ground and a fast pace which, with a hoard of Irish runners, we might get.

Oisin Murphy, rider of Spirit Mixer
He's been very good in his last two starts and looked well when I saw him during the week. It's obviously a very difficult race to win and the Willie Mullins horse that William Buick rides is well fancied, but Spirit Mixer goes there with a chance and has a nice weight.

John McConnell, trainer of Anna Bunina
We thought she ran quite well on her last run at Bellewstown over hurdles, when conditions weren't ideal for her. She has a reasonable mark on the Flat and deserves a crack at a big one.

Hughie Morrison, trainer of Premiere Ligne and Lady Percival
I think we're quite realistic and you only have to look at the betting. Premiere Ligne has run really well through the year, it's been a long season, but we're quite hopeful of a good run. Lady Percival has a big run in her. She's not been easy to train, but she's not Quickthorn's sister for nothing. The owners have been very patient because sometimes it hasn't worked out.

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