Mullins sends strong team to Royal Ascot
Ethical Diamond runs at Royal Ascot this week for trainer Willie Mullins. Photo: Healy Racing
Ireland's champion jumps trainer, Willie Mullins spoke Sporting Life this week to give exclusive insight of the Closutton runners at Royal Ascot this week
"He ran well in the Irish Cesarewitch on his last Flat start, but this looks a very tough test for him. Harry Vigors rides and takes seven pounds off which could help, though."
"I’m looking forward to running him and Ryan Moore is available which is an added bonus. He needs a bit more luck than he had last year. Ryan found racing room very hard to come by and as a consequence we got held up in our run.
“With a clear passage we felt he’d have gone very close and we think he’s a stronger horse this year. We go there without a run this time but that’s because his homework has been good enough - he’s in great form."
"He’d look to have an each-way chance in this. I think the ground will suit him; in fact I think it will suit all of my opening-day team."
"I’m really looking forward to running Ethical Diamond in the Hardwicke Stakes. I think the way the race will be run might suit him better than Dubai and I can tweak tactics too. This time I’m happy that the horse has matured and settled down more, I’m very happy with his work at home and a top three or four finish would be tremendous."
Mullins has three horses currently in the frame:
"Le Destrier would look like the main one on his run behind Scandinavia in the Saval Beg. I know the winner was probably only half-ready and it wasn’t the strongest-run race on the day, but our fellow finished off well and I’d expect him to improve a good bit from that run. That puts him in the frame here if he can stay the extreme distance but on the evidence of the Saval Beg and his form on the continent, he has as good a chance of getting it as any horse has."
"Columbus is another with an each-way chance. He ran well enough in his prep run in Killarney but is a tougher horse to ride and we rode him with that in mind. He gallops and stays but he needs to settle at Ascot. If he does, he has a chance."
"Mr Hollywood also ran nicely on his first run for us and is an intended runner as well. Again he’ll need to truly stay but I’m happy to give it a go."
