Impressive Cheltenham Fesival scorer Vautour hard to oppose at Punchestown

Normally circumspect when it comes to hyping his horses, Willie Mullins appears to have abandoned the habits of a lifetime when it comes to Vautour who can complete a perfect five-from-five novice campaign at Punchestown today.

A sniffle that resulted in another unbeaten Mullins novice Faugheen taking Vautour's place over two miles here on Tuesday has cleared up in time to allow the Supreme hero tackle two and a half miles for the first time in the Tattersalls Champion Novice Hurdle.

If that distance hike presents a problem no one will be more surprised than Vautour’s trainer who greeted Faugheen’s stunning demolition job earlier in the week with admiration but an insistence that his stable companion would have “done the same – but better.”

Mullins was so deeply impressed with Vautour's Cheltenham victory, the form of which has been boosted consistently since, that he labelled the performance "huge" and immediately labelled him a horse that "could be anything".

More effusive
If anything he has been even more effusive since, in a manner that if the praise was coming from a trainer of a top flat-race prospect, there might be knowing references to potential stud value.

The French-bred gelding has long since waved goodbye to such considerations and plenty will be anxious to see a stunning solo-show today, despite a quartet of opponents that include the Aintree Grade One winner Lac Fontana, a pair of pattern winners in Apache Stronghold and Lieutenant Colonel, as well as Noble Emperor who was possibly the easiest winner seen in any season when landing an admittedly very ordinary maiden at Limerick.

Ordinary, though, is not a word to be used in connection with Vautour, already at the forefront of next year's Champion Hurdle betting, and apparently with the racing world at his feet.

The €100,000 Aon Novice Handicap Chase is worth more than the big novice event and not surprisingly has attracted a much bigger field, with Henry De Bromhead represented by Sizing Gold.

That hugely popular day one success for the veteran Sizing Europe will always make Punchestown 2014 special for De Bromhead and the Potts family but Sizing Gold can put a valuable cherry on top over what looks to be his ideal trip.

Sizing Gold beat one of his opponents, Mullaghanoe River, in good style earlier in the season and was attempting a difficult task when facing Foxrock in a Naas Grade Two over three miles on heavy ground.

He was still travelling okay in the JLT at Cheltenham until a mistake at the fourth last and Road To Riches’ appearance off topweight looks to give him a reasonable racing weight here.

On The Fringe should appreciate the slightly shorter trip in the concluding Donohue Marquees Champion Hunters Chase.