Early return as Mulholland seeks good ground for Shantou

With the possible exception of the occasional French import burning up the gallops at Willie Mullins’ base in Carlow, the last week in August is rarely a time for bookmakers to be shuffling the Cheltenham ante-post decks.

That may change this afternoon as Neil Mulholland gives the hugely talented Shantou Village his first outing over fences at Fontwell over 2m5f.

Explaining the early start, Mulholland said: “He’s not a winter horse and he won’t be running in December or January. We ran him once in January last season to see if he handled the soft ground and he didn’t. His last two wins were on good ground and that’s what it will be here.”