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

Barry Connell broke the stranglehold that Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson have had on the festival opener when Marine Nationale defeated the Mullins-trained Facile Vega 12 months ago, but there is a good chance the status quo will be restored this season.

Mullins and Henderson have mopped up eight of the 14 runnings of this race since 2010 and they saddle seven of the 12 in this year’s event. Mystical Power and Tullyhill look the Mullins first strings, while Jeriko Du Reponet is Henderson’s only runner.

Henderson has tended to be at his most dangerous when he has strength in depth in the division. Only twice in the last 14 years has he had just one runner and they were L’Ami Serge, who finished fourth in 2015, and Claimantakinforgan. He took fifth three years later.

All of Henderson’s winners in that time, Altior (2016; Buveur D’Air third), Shishkin (2020; Chantry House third) and Constitution Hill (2022; Jonbon second) had a future Grade 1-winning stablemate behind them and Henderson evidently doesn’t have that depth this year.

Depth is certainly not something that Mullins need worry about. He would have had the odds-on favourite had he not sent Ballyburn to the Gallagher, but still has six others here.

Tullyhill had only one entry all week, in this race, so he could never have been rerouted to another of the novice events. Therefore, the only way that Paul Townend could ride both Ballyburn and Tullyhill was if Ballyburn went for the Gallagher and that is what happened.

Punters will interpret that as they see fit, but to my eye it looks like Townend was so anxious to ride Tullyhill that it forced Mullins into rerouting Ballyburn and, if that is the case, it reveals plenty about how good the rider thinks Tullyhill might be. Maybe it's a tip in itself.

Having said that, Townend wouldn’t have had the choice to ride the JP McManus-owned Mystical Power. Mark Walsh gets the pick of those running in the green and gold and he partnered Mystical Power, and the Henderson-trained Jeriko Du Reponet, on their last runs.

He almost certainly would have had the choice and the fact that he sticks with Mystical Power may also be significant. The son of 2016 Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power was last seen landing the Moscow Flyer at Punchestown and Mullins likes that route to this race.

Vautour and Douvan landed the Moscow Flyer in 2014 and 2015 and won this subsequently, while Impaire Et Passe took the Gallagher last year after winning it.

Mystical Power in action on Cheltenham's gallops on SundayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Mystical Power wears a first-time hood for Mullins and it will be fascinating to see whether that has a positive effect. Mullins is 0-8 with runners wearing that headgear for the first time at the festival since 2016.

Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead appear to hold the best chances of breaking the Mullins and Henderson dominance and both of their runners have form with Ballyburn.

The Elliott-trained Firefox beat Ballyburn by two and a half lengths in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in December on his first start over obstacles, but fluffed his lines when fourth in a Naas Grade 1 in January. That was at two and a half miles, though, and maybe he didn’t stay.

De Bromhead’s Slade Steel was no match for Ballyburn when seven lengths behind him in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival last month, but that looked like an altogether upgraded Ballyburn to the one that Firefox met at Fairyhouse and it's probably the better piece of form.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

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First decision for Townend

It will be a week of tricky decisions for Paul Townend as he weighs up his ammunition for the week from the enviable armoury of the Willie Mullins string and Tullyhill will set the mood at the start of the week.

The Cheveley Park ace emerged as a hot contender for this race when sauntering clear in Listed company at Punchestown last month under Townend.

Mullins said: "Paul [Townend] has picked Tullyhill and he goes there with a great chance. We dropped him back to two miles and worked on his jumping and now he seems to be the finished article going across to Cheltenham. His schooling of late has been very good and he goes there with a great chance."

Eight years on from Annie Power's epic Cheltenham Festival redemption, her son winner Mystical Power looks to add his name to the history books.

Even without the smoothest of performances he was still able to blitz clear by seven lengths on his latest start in the Moscow Flyer, the same race in which Vautour, Douvan and Impaire Et Passe won on their way to Cheltenham glory.

Mullins said: "Mystical Power wears a hood. I felt he was very keen in Punchestown the last day where he showed a lot of speed after being held up, but he was keen. I’ve worked him in a hood at home and it seems to be a big help. He goes there in tip-top order."

Henderson: 'I hope Jeriko Du Reponet is good enough'

There is an expectation that the Supreme will begin a British battering at jump racing’s biggest meeting but the Nicky Henderson-trained Jeriko Du Reponet has all the promise to stop it at the first hurdle.

The exciting five-year-old once headed the ante-post betting and, while his record remains faultless from four starts, he drifted when not quite winning with the expected ease in the Rossington Main on his trial at Doncaster in January.

Jeriko Du Reponet is Henderson's only runner in the SupremeCredit: John Grossick

Yet he boasts the potential to topple the challengers for a yard that have won this with future greats Altior, Shishkin and Constitution Hill in recent years.

Henderson said: “It was a messy race at Doncaster last time and turned into a sprint up the straight. He didn't really jump well when they were crawling along early on and a truly run race will suit him far better.

“Remarkably, the form from Doncaster has actually worked out and he's been very good since. He's the shortest-priced of the British runners but Willie Mullins has six in it and two or three above him in the market. Nevertheless, it's an open-looking Supreme and I hope he's good enough.”

'You can put a line through Firefox's last run' – Elliott

Noel and Valerie Moran of Bective Stud are still seeking that elusive first festival success, but Firefox opens the batting for their team this week and he has already stumped Ballyburn this season.

That maiden hurdle success back in December was very easy on the eye as he jumped beautifully and never looked in danger up the straight. Since then, he blotted his copybook at Naas in the Grade 1 Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle, but Gordon Elliott is adamant we did not see the real Firefox that day.

Ballyburn and Ile Atlantique are favourite and second favourite for the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle on Wednesday, and Firefox has already beaten them both so his form stacks up really well.

It is that Naas blowout that lingers at the back of your mind, but he has had 60 days to recover and Elliott feels he has him in the right place at just the right time.

The trainer said: "I think we can put a line through his run at Naas as he wasn't right that day. The way he jumps and the way he travels makes me think two miles will really suit him. He seems in great form over the last few weeks and everything has gone well."

There are going to be plenty of Bective Stud runners this week and the likes of Found A Fifty and The Yellow Clay have big chances, but perhaps Firefox is the best of the lot and he looks sure to be involved at the business end under Jack Kennedy.

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Asian Master, Gold Dancer, Mistergif and Supersundae
Mistergif could be anything for Simon [Munir] and Isaac [Souede]. He’s raced once in an ordinary race down in Limerick, but the manner of his jumping and the way he won impressed a lot of people including me. We don’t know how good he is but he’s definitely one for each-way punters. Asian Master has surprised all of us with his level of ability over this two-mile trip. He jumps very well and is going to be a fantastic first ride at Cheltenham for Thomas [Costello]. He has speed and that stamina in his pedigree means whatever happens here, he’s a horse to look forward to. Gold Dancer came with a nice reputation from France and I’m not sure we’ve seen the best of him yet. I’m going to let him take his chance and I hope he runs well but it’s hard to see him getting into the top three. Patrick [Mullins] rides Supersundae and this is a horse with a lot of ability. He needs a longer trip but unfortunately I hadn’t got him entered in the Baring Bingham.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Slade Steel
He seems good and we're happy. He's not short of speed and, with the ground the way it is, you will need to stay so we hope he's got a decent chance.

Alan King, trainer of Favour And Fortune
He was in the County Hurdle but we felt that taking on 23 rivals in that might not suit him. His form got a lovely boost on Sunday when Fun Fun Fun, who beat him narrowly at Exeter when getting a lot of weight, was impressive in a Graded race in Ireland. It's a big ask but we're very happy with him.

Paul Gilligan, trainer of Kings Hill
He won well at Thurles but this is a big step up in class. I think he'd run well off his fourth at Leopardstown but it's a pity they've had the rain as I'd prefer if the ground was a bit better.

Ben Pauling, trainer of Tellherthename
He's in very good form and we're very much looking forward to seeing how he fares. I wouldn't be lying in saying that I'd rather the ground was good to soft, we'll see how much rain they get but I'm almost sure he runs. The soft ground didn't help him at Aintree in December. He's got speed and won nicely last time.
Reporting by James Stevens

Cheltenham Tuesday previews:

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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 

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

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