'He did everything right over the minimum trip' - Mullins bowled over by Ballyburn but which direction will he go now?

Now for the headaches. They are, of course, headaches any other trainer would dearly love to suffer from, but, between them, Ballyburn and Fact To File are now favourites for four different races at Cheltenham and Willie Mullins has a few very important pieces of his festival jigsaw to sort out. 

Pro punters Johnny Dineen and Matt Williams said on Sunday morning Ballyburn would win any novice hurdle over any trip at the festival, and that he is the outstanding novice hurdler of the season. How right they were as he breezed up the home straight in the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle to see off Slade Steel by seven lengths. It could easily have been more. 

BoyleSports halved him in price to 7-4 (from 7-2) for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, while he is 9-4 (from 7-2) for the Baring Bingham. When Mullins makes his final decision, he could be very, very short for whichever race he chooses as this was a performance right out of the top drawer. 

Yes, he was extinguished by Firefox in a sprint at Fairyhouse earlier in the season, but his maiden hurdle romp over Christmas suggested he was far better than the bare form of that and this confirmed it. It was emphatic. It was electric. It was easy. 

Ballyburn is ante-post favourite for the Supreme and Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdles at the festivalCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The question for many won't be whether he will win next month, but rather which race will he win?

That said, this is a Grade 1 in its own right and the Dublin Racing Festival is a massive meeting in its own right so Mullins was not getting drawn into where he will go. That is a conversation for another day. This wasn't the day for headaches. 

Mullins said of the performance: "He met hurdle after hurdle right and was in control the whole way. Paul [Townend] was very happy with how he did things. He did everything right over the minimum trip, which is good.

"He has a very low head carriage, which is usually a good sign in a horse. I like it, but it’s not nice for the jockeys at times."

When asked the inevitable question of which race he might run in at Cheltenham, Mullins replied: "We'll just enjoy today first."

Townend, who rode a quickfire Grade 1 hat-trick on Ballyburn, El Fabiolo and State Man, said of the first leg: "I thought we went a nice honest gallop. I would have been happy enough to make it if that's the way the cards fell, but Donagh [Meyler, on Boher Road) elected to go on. I jumped through on his inside down the back and he didn't miss a beat jumping. I knew he stayed. 

"He's a bit deceiving. Willie thought I was mad when I said he wasn't pulling too much the first day with him at Fairyhouse and he looked like he was pulling like a train. That's just the way he carries himself and I don't mind him doing that once he keeps winning."

He added: "It's a long way to the second-last to the line without a jump, but he was always going to stay galloping. He's tough."

He is indeed tough, and talented too. When you combine both you have got yourself a very talented individual. Whichever direction he goes at Cheltenham, he will take the world of beating. 

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 12)
Sky Bet: 5-4 Ballyburn, 3 Mystical Power, 6 Jeriko Du Reponet, 9 Firefox, 11 Caldwell Potter, 14 No Flies On Him, Ile Atlantique, 16 bar

Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 13)
Paddy Power: 11-10 Ballyburn, 4 Mystical Power, 9-2 Slade Steel, 6 Readin Tommy Wrong, 7 Gidleigh Park, Ile Atlantique, 9 Caldwell Potter, 10 Billericay Dickie, Dancing City, 12 bar

Read more:

State Man completes remarkable clean sweep of all eight Dublin Racing Festival Grade 1s for Willie Mullins 

'It was everything I wanted and more' - El Fabiolo thrills Willie Mullins with another easy Grade 1 success 

Fact To File favourite for two Cheltenham Festival races after Gaelic Warrior exits when well beaten in Grade 1 match 

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