Local trainers assess their Cheltenham chances
It’s on the Line has finished second in the Hunters' Chase for the last three years but Emmet Mullins is hoping he can go one step better this year Photo: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Local Trainers, Emmet Mullins and John Shark Hanlon, don’t live too far apart from each other, separated only by the Carlow-Kilkenny Road and about five kilometres apart. Going towards Kilkenny from Carlow Emmet is based beside his uncle, Willie, at Closutton while the Shark has his stables on the Royal Oak-Goresbridge Road.
By their own admission both of them travel with less in their armoury than in previous years.
Hanlon has just one runner this year in Hewick who will go in the Stayers Hurdle. He will be ridden by the trainer’s son, Paddy. The trainer is forever asked about the bargain buy.
It will never go away. Not while he is still alive anyway. He is in great form.” The horse travels on Monday and runs on Thursday. Paddy Hanlon rides him. This means it is a double edged sword for father and son.
“Of course you get nervous. Any day he has a ride you get nervous. Anything can happen. You know being a jockey is not a simple life. You can have a bad fall any time. Any day he runs and jumps you are thinking of it,” says Hanlon senior.
In contrast, Mullins could have as many as six horses running over the four days.
“Cheltenham is so competitive. We won’t be going in over our heads. We would be more hopeful than confident,’” says Emmet.
This year the days for the festival fall outside St Patrick Day. Mullins says it will not be an issue for either the horses or won’t impact on the atmosphere.
“It is probably still the same difference in distance between the Cheltenham and the Dublin Racing Festival. For those top horses it won’t make any difference. There will still be huge crowds. In Great Britain, they don’t know anything about celebrating St Patricks Day.”
He won a few weeks ago. It will be a totally different race and we will be going up a mile in trip. 2.5 miles in the Dublin Racing Festival and 3.5 in Cheltenham. We think he will handle the step up. It is a totally different ask but we are hopeful.
Borderline whether he will get a run or not. He will be declared but I am not sure if he has enough weight to get into any of the handicaps. We will declare him and hope for the best.
He has been a nearly horse for the last three years. It is frustrating but hopefully we can right that at some stage.
I don’t think he is going to get a run in the Cross Country but I think he will get a run on Saturday in Uttoxoter in the Midlands Grand National.
m.
Both run in the Pertemps Hurdle with Minella Emperor joint second favourite at 10/1 and Melbourne Shamrock also having his backers at odds of 14/1.
