How did Leopardstown impact Willie Mullins' Cheltenham Festival chances according to the markets?

Willie Mullins enjoyed eight winners at the Dublin Racing Festival but some of his stable stars had mixed fortunes. Here we look at how it has impacted the ante-post markets for the Cheltenham Festival . . .

The highlights

State Man’s authoritative win over Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle was enough to convince connections of the runner-up to turn their attentions to the Mares’ Hurdle as a swansong next month.

He registered a fourth straight top-level win, although Racing Post Ratings (RPR) suggest he did not perform to the level of his Grade 1 victories in the Morgiana and Matheson Hurdle this season. State Man was cut to 3-1 (from 4) for the Champion Hurdle, however, with Constitution Hill priced at 4-11 with Betfair Sportsbook.

Galopin Des Champs did his Gold Cup claims no harm when winning the Irish Gold Cup by eight lengths, but the bookmakers were not entirely convinced. He is now a best-priced 7-4 favourite (from 6-4) for the Cheltenham Festival showpiece, with RPRs indicating he performed a tad short of his best form - achieved in his novice campaign - but improved on his return win in the John Durkan.

El Fabiolo: will take on Jonbon in the ArkleCredit: Patrick McCann

El Fabiolo confirmed himself the pick of the Closutton Arkle hopes in the Irish Arkle. He has been shortened to 2-1 (from 5) and it will be a fascinating clash with Jonbon, who came out on top by a neck in the Top Novices’ Hurdle when they met at Aintree last season.

Gaelic Warrior was one of two Mullins winners not to strike in a Grade 1 when landing a Grade B handicap hurdle. It will be top-level company next time, however, with Mullins leaning towards the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. He is 5-1 (from 6) with Coral and Betfair.

Mullins has won four of the last five Champion Bumpers and Fun Fun Fun staked her claims for the day two finale by scoring in a mares’ bumper won by subsequent Cheltenham heroine Relegate in 2018. She was drastically shortened to 6-1 joint second favourite (from 33) with bet365 behind stablemate and 10-3 favourite Its For Me.

The lowlights

Four of Mullins’ six Grade 1 winners were perceived second or third strings beating favourites from their own stable, proving just how much depth the champion trainer has at the top level.

Lossiemouth was arguably the unluckiest loser of the meeting when second to stablemate Gala Marceau. She was beaten two and a half lengths after a messy passage and is a best-priced 7-4 favourite (from 5-4) with Betfair for the Triumph Hurdle. That might just be value. Gala Marceau halved in price to 5-1 with Coral but she could struggle to confirm the form.

Facile Vega lost his unbeaten record when going off too fast in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle, beaten 20 lengths and trailing in last of the five to finish behind stablemate Il Etait Temps. Marine Nationale, who did not run at the Dublin Racing Festival, is now the Supreme favourite with several firms and shares 7-2 favouritism alongside Facile Vega with Betfred.

This effort leaves Facile Vega with plenty of questions to answer. Will he settle better at Cheltenham? Was this run too bad to be true? We’ll find out next month but a change in tactics will be forthcoming. There was no fluke about Il Etait Temps’ win. He is 5-1 (from 16) for the Supreme with Coral and might be a safer bet.

Blue Lord was touted as a serious contender for the Champion Chase after Energumene’s third in the Clarence House but the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned eight-year-old failed to follow up his superb Grade 1 win at the track over Christmas, trailing stablemate Gentleman De Mee by seven lengths in the Dublin Chase.

Defeat at 1-4 saw Blue Lord pushed out to 12-1 (from 3) with Betfair for the Champion Chase, with the winner slashed into 9-1 from 50 with bet365, although Aintree, where he beat Edwardstone as a novice last season, looks the priority for Gentleman De Mee.

The placed horses

Vauban was a keeping-on third behind State Man and would have been better suited by a stronger pace in the Irish Champion Hurdle. He should get that at Cheltenham and might not be the worst each-way bet at 10-1 for the Champion Hurdle with three places on offer.

Tekao underlined the strength of Mullins in the juvenile hurdle division when a promising third behind Gala Marceau and looks a Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle candidate. The betting hasn’t missed him as he is a best-priced 6-1 favourite (from 8) with Betfair.

JP McManus: owner of Tekao, who is favourite for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Turners looks more likely than the Arkle for Appreciate It after his third to El Fabiolo – he is no bigger than 5-1 – while Dysart Dynamo is surprisingly only 8-1 (from 9-2) for the Arkle despite being put in his place by the winner.

The National Hunt Chase surely beckons for 7-4 favourite Gaillard Du Mesnil, who was convincingly beaten by Mighty Potter and behind stablemate Adamantly Chosen in a Grade 1 novice chase, while Dark Raven was far from disgraced in his first Grade 1 when third to Il Etait Temps and is 33-1 for the Supreme and Ballymore.

Read more . . .

One last hurrah! Honeysuckle to be aimed at Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival 

'If I had to make a decision today, the Ballymore is where I'd be going with Gaelic Warrior' 

Willie Mullins: 'Paul got it wrong but he gets it right 99 per cent of the time' 

Willie Mullins: 'We might bump into a freak but we're living the dream with State Man' 

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