Patrick Mullins reflects on the Cheltenham Festival and reveals his strongest Grand National fancy

It was a great week for the Mullins farm, with father Willie earning the Top Trainer award thanks to six wins, including five Class 1 wins, while Patrick Gaillard Du Mesnil rode to National Hunt Chase glory.

“Winning the Gold Cup and the Champion Chase with Galopin Des Champs and Energumene, that’s half of the top races, that was great,” said Patrick at the Sporting Life Racing Podcast: ‘Festival Fallout.’

“Then come through two brilliant newcomers like Impaire Et Passe and El Fabiolo, that’s the future, while Lossiemouth and Gaillard Du Mesnil are also two exciting horses.

“We brought 76 horses this year and it’s funny, maybe if it wasn’t for Galopin Des Champs’ win, we would have just finished there, which might sound a bit strange, but given the quality and quantity of the team we’re bringing, it’s likely where the standards and expectations are.”

When asked to pick a horse for the remainder of the Spring Festival, Patrick Ballymore named Kiely the third champion with Punchestown on the horizon.

He said: “I think Champ Kiely’s performance needs to be highlighted enormously. He hung to his right the entire last lap and you can’t really see it in the replay but at the first hurdle in the back he went out towards the parking lot bringing Hermes Allen with him and Impaire Et Passe followed him out as well.

“So that he hangs like him, Danny [Mullins] I couldn’t ride on him from the penultimate finish and still finished third, I thought it was a great achievement. As a right-hander at Punchestown, he will be a player.”

Before that is the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree and Patrick rode the two big Mullins hopes for the Grand National at Cheltenham – Gaillard Du Mesnil and Mr Incredible. But which one suits Liverpool better?

“The concern with Gaillard Du Mesnil is that we have nothing up our sleeves, we have all shown our cards but he will jump well, stay well and settle well, he is a horse suitable for the race”, Patrick called.

“He’s going to come in at 11-1, which is a nice weight this year but I think Mr Incredible could still have room for improvement.

“He’s starting a bit slow but at least he’s starting, he ran well to the last, missed the last but I think he was just at the end of his rope.

“I think the National will suit him.

“I think a big field is important for him so he’s able to pass passing horses, be under the horses and he’s coming down the weights as a seven-year-old at 10-4, unprotected, not a lot of runs , has big field experience, ticks a lot of boxes for the Grand National.

To listen to the entire podcast, where you can hear Patrick discuss The Whip Rules, among other topics, simply press play on any of the platforms below.

Racing Podcast: Festival Fallout | Ben Linfoot is joined by Patrick Mullins, Ed Chamberlin, Graham Cunningham, Billy Nash and David Johnson to review the Cheltenham Festival, including bets for Aintree and Cheltenham 2024.

More from Sporting Life

Play safer

We are committed to safer gambling. Recommended bets are recommended for those over the age of 18 and we strongly encourage readers to only wager what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling please contact the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare At 0808 8020 133.

For more support and information, see begambleaware.org And Gambling Therapy.org