'He's attracted a lot of interest' - suitors swarm in on Champion Bumper hope

Thomas Mullins has revealed there have been plenty of suitors enquiring about Fascile Mode following his eyecatching bumper victory in the closing race of Leopardstown's Christmas festival.

The 16-1 shot defeated seven previous winners on his debut, with the likes of Special Cadeau, King Of Kingsfield and Caldwell Potter left in his wake.

It was a delightful family success for trainer Mullins, with Fascile Mode owned and bred by his wife Helen, with his son Charlie in the saddle.

“I was thrilled to see him do it,” said Mullins. “He couldn’t have been any better. It was an emotional one, definitely.

"He beat seven previous winners and just ran very well. He’s attracted a lot of interest since and we’ve got a lot of calls. There’s a lot of people who like him a lot.”

Mullins, brother of champion trainer Willie, was delighted to taste success at a major festival again, having won six Grade 1s with the likes of Oscar Dan Dan, Asian Maze and Alderwood.

However, he admits the possibility of such successes are far more slim nowadays, with the sport having changed significantly in recent years.

“It’s an ever-changing game,” Mullins said. “It’s totally different now to how it was ten years ago. It’s very hard for small trainers to get these kind of horses. The sales prices are very high and millionaires have gone in with the bigger owners.

"The likes of Willie and Gordon Elliott have gone massive. They’re the ones who are delivering what people want, which is winners at Cheltenham, Leopardstown and Punchestown.”

Fascile Mode, a son of Walk In The Park, is currently 14-1 with Paddy Power for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival and his trainer confirmed he will be aimed at that target.

“We’ve had plenty of nice winners before and we’ll hope he can give us another one,” Mullins said. “We’re hoping to send him to the Dublin Racing Festival. He came out of the race really well the other day. We won’t have to rest him.

"All going to plan, he’ll then go for the Champion Bumper and maybe on to Punchestown after that.”

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