RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:THE WILLIE Mullins-trained Apt Approach made it a successful season debut when winning The Easter Festival Maiden Hurdle in great style under Ruby Walsh at Fairyhouse yesterday.
Mullins said afterwards: “I actually missed the race as I was late arriving but Ruby said he was very happy with him and you wouldn’t even know it was soft ground on him as he handled it so well. We’ll probably bring him back for a quick run and then go for the two-mile Grade Two Novice here at the Festival.”
Mullins saddled another bumper winner after landing The Best Of Luck To The Irish Cheltenham Flat Race with Citizen Vic, ridden by his son Patrick making it a double on the day for the trainer.
Mullins commented: “We will go jumping with him straight away and try to win a hurdle race with him. He is one to look forward to over fences next season. He’s a big horse with a really good chasing pedigree.”
Looking ahead to the Cheltenham Festival, Mullins currently has 14 entries in a bid to win his seventh Champion Bumper and he admits he is struggling to whittle his team down.
Mullins said yesterday: “At the moment I could have 22 horses for Cheltenham but I’d say a few of those will probably drop away between now and then.
“We have 14 in the Champion Bumper and eight or 10 or those are still in the equation. They are all for individual owners who have aspirations to run at the Cheltenham Festival.
“Mikael D’Haguenet is in the Supreme just in case we get rain. He’ll be left in all three novice races. The plan is that Ruby will ride Kempes in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Paul Townend will ride Ebaziyan in the Champion Hurdle.”
Meanwhile, Jim Dreaper’s Notre Pere has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday week after suffering a setback.
The Coral Welsh National winner chased home Neptune Collonges in the Irish Hennessy at Leopardstown last month and Dreaper is understandably disappointed his charge will not be able to have a crack at the blue riband next week.
“He’s had a minor setback and he will not be running in the Gold Cup,” said Dreaper. “He’s going to have to miss work for this week and he will run as soon as he’s ready.”
Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse has no further plans to water the track ahead of next week’s festival. Prestbury Park was hit by 11 millimetres of rain on Monday and Claisse feels there is no need to turn on the taps.
