Quevega bids for World domination at Punchestown
Perhaps it is nothing more than local knowledge but Willie Mullins is once again the trainer to follow at the Punchestown Festival.
Mullins’ performance in Britain over the last five seasons is hardly impressive, with a strike-rate of just 6%. But, in the same period, he has a 23% strike-rate at Punchestown and after two days of this year’s Festival meeting is making a fair attempt to match last season’s total of 12 winners.
Following the trainer’s Grade One hat-trick on Tuesday, and a double yesterday, Mullins saddles three runners for the Grade One showpiece on the third day’s card, the ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle.
Cousin Vinny still looks as though he has yet to get back to the form of his bumper days but the presence of Mourad and Quevega mean that Mullins can hunt this prize with both barrels loaded.
Karabak, from the Alan King yard, is likely to have plenty of supporters for a race that British-trained horses have won four times in the last six years. And his best form – when he finished three-and-a-half lengths second top Big Buck’s in a Grade One hurdle at Newbury in December – puts him in with a chance.
However he has not won for over a year and his last run, when 15 lengths fourth to Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival gives food for thought. Karabak was held up and then seemed to hit a flat spot on the run down the hill to the second-last flight before staying on again.
Mourad has been very consistent over the winter, finishing either first or second in his last six runs, but this does represent something of a step up in class, although he may be ready for it.
Twelve months ago Quevega was a good third to Solwhit in the Champion Hurdle at this meeting. Either side of that race she has won the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle twice at the Cheltenham Festival. There is question over whether she will stay three miles but she has handled the stiff two-and-a-half miles at Cheltenham well enough.
When it comes to cross-country races at Punchestown the usual question is which one of Enda Bolger’s runners to back. The trainer has won the La Touche Cup 12 times in the last 13 years and the pick of his trio of runners could be L’Ami. He was good enough to run Kauto Star to a neck at Newbury three years ago and still retains that touch of class.
The other Grade One race on the card, the Ryanair Novices’ Chase, is not short on class either. Captain Cee Bee comes into that category but his chances in the Arkle Trophy were blown when he broke a blood vessel. He trailed in eighth and could bounce back here but that does make him something of a risk.
Instead it could be an opportunity for Psycho, who has won two novices chases in some style since coming back from a breathing operation, and who has had some classy form over hurdles.
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