Racing

Willie Mullins to send Vautour over fences this season

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero set to face larger obstacles says champion trainer

Ruby Walsh celebrates after riding Vautour to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham back in March. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Ruby Walsh celebrates after riding Vautour to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham back in March. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Thu Oct 16 2014 - 16:59

Willie Mullins has revealed Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero Vautour is set to embark on a career over fences this season.

The five-year-old was a stunning winner of the Cheltenham Festival curtain-raiser in March and made it five from five for Ireland’s champion trainer when stepped up in trip at Punchestown in early May.

Owner Rich Ricci reported at the start of the month another of his prized assets, Faugheen, would remain over hurdles this term and now his trainer has confirmed the intention is for Vautour to go over the larger obstacles.

Mullins said: “Vautour will probably go over fences. The ground has been so fast that you wouldn’t really want to school horses at the moment. The horses are still heavy and you want to keep them sound.

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“They came back in very heavy this year and I would say it’s the best summer grass we’ve ever had. There was such great growth.”

Another hugely exciting runner for the Mullins-Ricci combination is the brilliant mare Annie Power.

The six-year-old has been successful in 11 of her 12 starts, with her only defeat coming when runner-up in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Mullins has not yet decided whether she will remain over timber or go chasing this term, but has not ruled out mixing the two.

“Annie Power will probably be put over a few fences at home soon to see how she gets on,” said the champion trainer.

“If she starts over hurdles this season she will probably stay over hurdles but if she starts over fences we could always switch back. I don’t think she will have any problem jumping fences.

“The mares’ race at Cheltenham (OLBG Mares’ Hurdle) is a Grade One, so that is a big consideration, and Glens Melody is back in training so she is entitled to go for that as well.”

Mullins also revealed Hurricane Fly will likely make his seasonal reappearance in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on November 16th, a race he has won for the last two years, but he is in no rush to let Faugheen mix it with the big boys.

“I’d imagine that Hurricane Fly will go for the Morgiana. Three miles would also be no problem to him,” said the trainer.

“Faugheen will start off against second-season novices. There is no need for him to be taking on the likes of Jezki or Hurricane Fly early on.”

The Co Carlow trainer also confirmed Pont Alexandre, who missed last season through injury, is back in training but will “take a bit longer than some of the others before he runs.”