Aramon and Quick Grabim bid to give Mullins eighth Royal Bond strike

1.05 Fairyhouse
Baroneracing.com Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) | 4yo and up | 2m | RTE2/ATR

Victory for Aramon or Quick Grabim would give Willie Mullins an eighth win in this Grade 1, which he won with Hurricane Fly and Nichols Canyon among others.

His most recent success came two years ago with Airlie Beach, whose owners the Supreme Horse Racing Club are represented by Aramon who will be bidding to make it three from four over hurdles.

Paul Townend's mount landed the Grade 3 For Auction Hurdle over this trip at Navan last month when stablemate Quick Grabim, the mount of Ruby Walsh and himself a dual winner over hurdles, was four and a half lengths behind in fourth.

Mullins said: "We made less use of Aramon than had previously been the case at Navan and the change of tactics worked out well. He's well and that form has to give him a big chance.

"Quick Grabim didn't run to his best at Navan and made a few mistakes. He's better than he ran there as he showed in his previous races and if he jumps better this time he's capable of a big run."

Triplicate: appreciates softer groundCredit: Patrick McCann

The Joseph O'Brien-trained Triplicate has already clashed with the Mullins pair, beating Aramon at the Listowel festival before proving no match for Quick Grabim in a Grade 3 event at Tipperary in October.

"Triplicate is in good form but we'd like to see more rain as he appreciates ease," O'Brien said of the J P McManus-owned five-year-old.

Successful with Mengli Khan a year ago, Gordon Elliott is represented by Commander Of Fleet, who scored on his hurdling debut over two and a half miles at Punchestown last month, and Tintangle who got off the mark over hurdles when winning narrowly at Thurles on Thursday.

Elliott said: "Commander Of Fleet won nicely at Punchestown but this will be a much bigger test and over a shorter trip. Tintangle seems fine since Thurles. She looks up against it but we decided to let her take her chance in the hope she might get some valuable Grade 1 black type."

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