Willie Mullins set to send stellar line-up to Sandown

Willie Mullins indicated on Monday night that he does not like his chances of winning a first British trainers' title at the expense of Paul Nicholls when the jumps season ends at Sandown this weekend. "I'd say my price is very skinny, now," the Irishman said in reference to odds of 5-4 offered by bookmakers that he will be champion by Saturday night. Nicholls is favourite at 10-11 after another two placed horses at Newton Abbot extended his lead by £2,200.

“Paul has a great chance of winning the big race, the Bet365,” Mullins continued. “They’re very hard races to win but Paul gets the right horses for them and our record in handicap chases in Britain isn’t … what everyone would want.”

Mullins had to pause before settling on the right way to describe his record, since no one is more aware than the man himself that he has gone 11 years without a single success in a British handicap chase. It is a natural consequence of the way he races his horses, aiming first at Grade Ones and falling back into handicaps if the horse in question is not good enough, by which point there is no disguising their level of ability.

“In England they tend to go through handicaps and on to Grade Ones. We do the opposite,” Mullins continued.

The Irishman has certainly not given up on the title, as is clear from his 22 entries for Sandown, which include one of the very biggest names in his yard, Vautour, entered in the Oaksey Chase. Vautour has had all four of his races this season in England and it had been thought that he would turn out next at Punchestown later this month in a thrilling clash with Don Cossack and Cue Card, but it seems that Mullins’ title bid might bring him back here for a fifth time since November.

As is his habit Mullins said on Monday night that all entries were provisional and no final decisions would be made until nearer the time. He added that “all options are open” in relation to the valuable Celebration Chase, for which entries were reopened until Tuesday. That at least leaves the possibility that Douvan might be sent over for the race, though Un De Sceaux seems more likely to be the Mullins runner against Nicky Henderson’s Sprinter Sacre.

Nicholls has the Bet365 Gold Cup favourite in the 8-1 shot Southfield Theatre, while Measureofmydreams, an early faller in the Scottish Grand National last weekend, is Mullins’ most fancied entrant at 16-1. Mullins may also run Sir Des Champs, who he reports was unharmed by his recent Grand National experience, when he fell at The Chair and got caught up in bits of the fence on the landing side, so that it was some minutes before he was able to rise to his feet.

“We’ll turn up for the gas, anyway,” Mullins said of this Saturday’s card. While he sounds prepared to fall short this time, he was very interested to hear that one bookmaker has chalked up odds about next season and has the Irishman as the 4-5 favourite. “We’ve got a nice team at the moment and, if we can keep them together, we’ll have a chance,” he said, confirming that British racegoers can expect to see plenty of his horses in action next winter.

(Guardian service)