'I would put this fella in a different league' - Chacun is Mullins' number one

Sunday: Leopardstown

Chacun Pour Soi returned to his brilliant best to win the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase and left just one question on everyone's lips: Energumene or Chacun Pour Soi, Willie?

"I would put this fella [Chacun Pour Soi] in a different league all the time," replied the champion trainer. "Now, that's before his two poor runs. Obviously he's getting older, but I think he's a star. He just hasn't shown his best in England."

Very interesting. You can still get some 6-1 about Chacun Pour Soi for the Champion Chase, whereas Energumene is just 5-2 with Ladbrokes.

The reason there is such a disparity between the prices is down to Chacun Pour Soi's travel sickness, but Mullins may have found a cure for that.

"He just doesn't seem to bring his A-game once he gets on the ferry, for whatever reason. Maybe I'll go undercooked rather than properly cooked this time," he mused.

"Maybe the travelling takes something out of him as well. We always think travelling over is like doing a piece of work so maybe we will do one piece of work less at home. Let's see how that goes. He has never brought the sort of form he shows around here to England."

Mullins added: "I thought I had him very ready the last couple of times and he disappointed so this week I said I was just going to get him here at 95 per cent and I think he's better like that. He'd been pleasing me at home doing that. That's what I have to do in the future and hopefully I can get him across the water in that sort of form."

If Mullins can manage to get Chacun Pour Soi to show up at Cheltenham in the same sort of form as he shows at his beloved Leopardstown then the Champion Chase is most certainly not a two-horse race between Shishkin and Energumene.

There is a big upcoming decision for Paul Townend. He has never hidden his love for Chacun Pour Soi so he couldn't possibly get off him now, could he?

You'll have a big call to make next month, Paul?

"I hope I do!"

Townend added: "He has his critics, but I love getting up on the horse and he gives me a huge thrill riding him. I was delighted for the horse today. I thought he hit the line better than he has done in the past."

1.50 Leopardstown: full result and replay

Chacun Pour Soi has long been the apple of owner Rich Ricci's eye and he was in attendance to see his pride and joy strutting his stuff. Although, knowing Ricci, he probably watched none of it and relied on course commentator Jerry Hannon.

Ricci said: "He loves it around here. He's a great horse on his day and is lightly raced. He fluffed at Cheltenham in the past, our year was probably two years ago when he was hurt the morning of the Champion Chase and was not right the next day, so I think we'll have to go back and take a chance after today. We'll see who Paul rides, but it was a very good performance."

Paul Townend enjoys his third success in the Dublin Chase with Chacun Pour SoiCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

It was more than just a good performance. He beat an in-form 156-rated chaser in Dunvegan by a dozen lengths and there were a further four and three-quarter lengths back to the 160-rated Captain Guinness in third.

Greaneteen, the horse he couldn't live with in the Tingle Creek, never looked happy down the inside under Bryony Frost and trailed in last of the five runners in fifth.

Chacun Pour Soi was cut to 6-1 (from 8) for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, with Shishkin remaining favourite for the Grade 1 on March 16 at 4-7.

A two-horse race no more. Make it three.

Results, replays and analysis

Read more Sunday reports:

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'I've never experienced that before' - Blackmore and Honeysuckle send crowd wild

'Up there with the best novices I've ridden' – Galopin Des Champs wows Townend

Disaster for bookies as Sir Gerhard completes memorable six-timer for favourites

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