'It'd be nice to go head-to-head' - Mullins excited about American Mike clash

Patrick Mullins is relishing the challenge of going toe-to-toe with American Mike in next month's Weatherbys Champion Bumper, as he bids to equal Ruby Walsh's record of three wins in the festival Grade 1.

Although riding plans for Willie Mullins' candidates have yet to be decided, it would surely be a major surprise if the record-breaking amateur rider was not aboard 10-11 favourite Facile Vega. And a clash between the pair of unbeaten youngsters promises to deliver one of the most exciting races of the entire Cheltenham Festival.

Facile Vega, by Walk In The Park and out of record-breaking six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega, could barely have been any more impressive when winning on his two starts at Leopardstown this season.

However, Jamie Codd, regular rider of the deeply promising Gordon Elliott-trained challenger, has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds the top-priced 3-1 chance.

Facile Vega and Patrick Mullins: preparing for Weatherbys Champion Bumper clash with American MikeCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Codd told the Racing Post last week: "He's certainly not going to Cheltenham to follow Facile Vega around, that's for sure. If American Mike brings his A-game they will have to go some to get by him."

Mullins said of the Champion Bumper showdown: "It's going to be a hugely competitive race. Jamie is unusually bullish about American Mike – it'd be nice to go head-to-head with him up the hill.

"Facile Vega obviously has the best track form, but Redemption Day mirrors his every move at home. I also think James's Gate has a lot of improvement in him and Madmansgame only does as much as he has too. I think he'd win a bad race the same way he'd win a good one, by about half a length. There are plenty of good spares there."

On the prospect of adding to his previous wins in the race aboard Cousin Vinny (2008) and Champagne Fever (2012), Mullins said: "It seems Willie's record in the race is usually that the favourite gets beat only for one of others to come and win!

"It'd be nice to get a third Champion Bumper with Ruby being on three; it'd be very cool."

American Mike: the apple of Jamie Codd's eyeCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Mullins, who last month reached the impressive milestone of 700 career winners, missed out on last year's festival due to amateurs not being allowed to compete at the behind-closed-doors meeting.

That will surely make his return to Cheltenham next month all the sweeter where he can look forward to teaming up with National Hunt Chase favourite Stattler.

"It wasn't easy last year, but none of my potential rides ended up winning," he said.

"There were three seconds [who I would have been riding] so that made it a bit easier to watch."

Mullins added: "The Dublin Racing Festival went so well and it provides a nice break before Cheltenham. The horses have come out of their races well after a bit of an easy time and we'll start pressing some buttons now.

Stattler: leading fancy for the National Hunt ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"We were late starting off. I would have loved it if Stattler had another run because the profile of that race suggests that experience is a big help. Even if the horses have had one run less, though, they've still been running well and winning."

Mullins' four Cheltenham Festival wins have been evenly split between the Champion Bumper and National Hunt Chase, but beating the professionals over jumps at the four-day bonanza is a long-standing ambition for the 32-year-old.

Mullins said: "I got there a half stride too late on Melon [in the 2020 Marsh Novices' Chase] and a stride too early on Wicklow Brave [in the 2019 Coral Cup], so it would be nice to get one against the pros. One against the amateurs would be fine, though."

Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Ladbrokes (NRNB): 4-5 Facile Vega, 11-4 American Mike, 6 Redemption Day, 7 Mercurey, 12 James's Gate, 14 Springwell Bay, 16 bar.

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