Limerick’s Grade One highlight of the year, Sunday’s Guinness 00 Faugheen Chase, has only four runners and is basically a Willie Mullins benefit, but it’s a race with a proven record of dramatic storylines that might deliver once more.
Patrick Mullins has been involved in such drama more than once. The sport’s most successful amateur jockey enjoyed a notable win in 2019 on the horse that now puts his name to the race.
Patrick also memorably had a difference of opinion with his cousin Danny after the line two years ago when successful with Gaelic Warrior. Now the pair could fight out the finish again.
Final Demand is already a Cheltenham favourite after a spectacular debut over fences last month. With Paul Townend on duty at Leopardstown, the trainer’s son, Patrick, rides the horse for first time.
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But Final Demand’s stable companion, Jimmy Du Seuil, impressed on his own chasing debut and Danny Mullins can have realistic hopes of repeating his 2020 win on Colreevy.
Jonathan Sweeney’s Western Walk is the only competition to team Mullins.
Jimmy Du Seuil’s chances could look a lot better following Saturday’s Limerick feature, the Grade Two McMahons Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase.
The Big Westerner chased him home at Fairyhouse and lines up in an intriguing contest that also includes the Grade One hurdler Jade De Grugy. She was only third to Kala Conti in Cork on her own debut over fences and may not relish ground conditions as much as her big rival.
The usual bog-like ground associated with the Coral Welsh Grand National doesn’t look like applying for Saturday’s renewal of the Chepstow highlight.
That has encouraged Rebecca Curtis to try for a popular local success with last season’s Irish National winner Haiti Couleurs, although he has to carry a monster 11.13.
Only another Irish National winner, Intense Raffles, has more weight at 12 and Tim Gibney’s charge is joined in the race by a pair of Gordon Elliott outsiders, Where It All Began and Beaufort Scale.
Just two Irish-trained horses have won the Welsh National: Jim Dreaper’s Notre Pere made history in 2008 while Raz De Maree scored in 2017.
