Willie Mullins ready to give Simenon the green light for Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup

The champion National Hunt trainer Willie Mullins is set to switch his big-race focus to next week's Ascot Gold Cup with Simenon and is prepared to get the five-time Gold Cup winner Johnny Murtagh on his side.

Ryan Moore was on board the high-class dual-purpose performer when Simenon won twice at Royal Ascot in 2012 but he looks like being claimed for the royal runner Estimate in the Gold Cup.

Simenon holds entries in both the big staying prize of the season, and the Queen Alexandra Stakes, but Mullins indicated he is likely to start in the plum Group One prize and confirmed Murtagh is in the running to ride him.

Murtagh rode the Mullins runner for the first time in last month's Chester Cup where the partnership endured a nightmare passage but the renowned rider, and newly licensed trainer, has an enviable Gold Cup record having won it twice on both Yeats (2008-09) and Royal Rebel (2001-02) as well as Enzeli (1999.)

“I’d be happy with either of them, but Ryan looks like being on Estimate so I would say there is a big possibility Johnny could step in,” Mullins said yesterday. “The way things are panning out, I would say he is likely to run in the Gold Cup. We know he handles the track and I wouldn’t be worried about ground.”

Tonight's flat action at Fairyhouse sees the multiple champion National-Hunt owner JP McManus with a number of good chances, including the topweight for the mile-and-a-half handicap Hurricane Sky who can complete a hat-trick. Hurricane Sky is upped in trip but forecast rain should help in terms of ground.

McManus also has Rae's Creek in the concluding maiden and he could be up to scoring at the third time of asking.