Benie the banker as Mullins prepares smaller team for festival foray

Willie Mullins revealed on Wednesday he expects to have only around 40 runners at the Cheltenham Festival, down from 55 last year, with the trainer lagging behind both Gordon Elliott and Nicky Henderson in ante-post markets.

Mullins has started favourite to be top trainer at Cheltenham for the past five years, but his great rival Elliott – who expects to have at least 50 runners – and Henderson are 6-4 and 15-8, with Mullins available at 11-4 to emerge victorious.

Mullins was as short as 1-14 to win the crown just three years ago, which he duly did with seven winners, but expectations are lower following a frustrating season of unusually quick ground and injury woes.

Cilaos Emery, who had been a leading contender for the Racing Post Arkle, has become the latest casualty from the Closutton teamsheet after Mullins revealed he has a ligament problem.

"We usually have a team of around 60, but we'll have only about 40 this year," he said. "If you were to look at the markets you'd have to say our team is weaker than other years – isn't as strong as it usually is."

He added: "In saying that, we have a nice spread across a number of races. We have a strong hand in the Gold Cup with four runners, we have Laurina and Melon for the Champion Hurdle, and some nice novice hurdlers.

"We're probably weaker in the novice chase division this year, but we could have more runners in the handicaps than normal.

"Unfortunately we schooled Cilaos Emery at Navan on Sunday and what we thought was a pulled muscle turned out to be a ligament problem. He won't be travelling."

Cilaos Emery: ruled out of the ArkleCredit: Patrick McCann

Mullins would have many more chances, especially in the novice hurdles and chases, but for the prolonged spell of dry weather.

"I'd say we have at least 20 novices who haven't got a chance to run, probably around ten novices hurdlers and at least ten novice chasers," he said.

"We've been waiting and waiting for rain to arrive but it never has. You could count on one hand the number of times we've had heavy ground this season.

"I was looking at a great stat the other day. There's usually heavy ground in Ireland 82 per cent of the time in the months of December, January and February. This time it's been heavy for only 18 per cent of the meetings in those months. That says a lot."

Benie Des Dieux is the shortest-priced Mullins horse in any ante-post market and, although we have yet to see her this season, is the yard's best chance of a winner at Cheltenham, according to her trainer.

"Every trainer going to Cheltenham loves to get one winner on the board and you'd have to say Benie is our best chance of a winner in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle," Mullins said.

"We've had to go the Quevega route as we haven't had a chance to run her this season at all. We haven't had suitable ground.

"I was hoping to run her this weekend, but we had to give her a flu jab so that ruled that out. Things haven't been going her way, but hopefully they will when she gets to Cheltenham."

With Benie Des Dieux heading back to defend her Mares' Hurdle crown, Laurina will tackle the Unibet Champion Hurdle following her Punchestown stroll on Wednesday.

Footpad: schooled like the Footpad of old recentlyCredit: Patrick McCann

Min and Footpad will be kept apart too, but it will not be until nearer the time that their targets are chosen.

"Min seems in great order," said Mullins. "I'm very happy with him. I schooled Footpad the other day without hind shoes and I was very happy with him too.

"He schooled like the Footpad of last season. He seemed back to himself. I'll try to keep the two of them apart."

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