Revenge mission: Petit Mouchoir to take on Footpad again in Fairyhouse thriller

Footpad proved a star turn for Willie Mullins in the Racing Post Arkle at Cheltenham, but that has not stopped Gigginstown House Stud taking aim at him again in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday with third-placed Petit Mouchoir.

Throw Gigginstown's JLT Novices' Chase heroine Shattered Love into the mix and we could be in for another thriller after Gigginstown won the race 12 months ago when Road To Respect got the better of Yorkhill in a dramatic encounter.

Making up almost 15 lengths on the odds-on Cheltenham winner perhaps looks a fool's errand for Petit Mouchoir, but he and Saint Calvados raced very keenly that day to set the race up for Footpad and he will be fitted with headgear in a bid to get him to settle better with an extra-half mile to travel.

Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase card, form and betting

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Petit Mouchoir has been fitted with a hood on five occasions, winning a Punchestown bumper and a Thurles maiden hurdle in one on his first two starts under rules, but has not worn the aid since the 2016 Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for Gigginstown, said: "We’ll put headgear back on him, try to settle him and hopefully get home over 2m4f.”

O'Leary added: “We’re also aiming Shattered Love at the race. Gordon [Elliott] has been very happy with her since Cheltenham, so that’s the plan.”

Shattered Love: the brilliant JLT Novices' Chase winner is in line to run in the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Gigginstown also have Dinaria Des Obeaux and Tycoon Prince entered in the Grade 1, but O'Leary said: “I'd doubt Dinaria Des Obeaux runs as we tend to keep her to races where there aren’t any good horses.

"She’s not really a Grade 1 horse but she’s nice – she’s in the mix but won’t run bar anything happens [to the main contenders], but there’s a chance that Tycoon Prince will run there as well.”

Mullins revealed in his Saturday Racing Post column that Footpad, unbeaten since being sent chasing at the beginning of the season, was being aimed at the race.

National squads taking shape

Gigginstown, who ran 13 horses in last year’s Boylesports Irish Grand won by Our Duke, could reach double digits again in this year’s race, with the leading owner responsible for 21 of the 84 entries.

Thyestes and Grade 2 novice chaser winner Monbeg Notorious, RSA disappointment Dounikos and triple Grade 1-winning chaser Outlander look likely to spearhead the maroon-and-white challenge on Monday, according to O'Leary.

Monbeg Notorious: the Thyestes Chase winner will run in the Irish Grand National at FairyhouseCredit: Caroline Norris

He said: “I would think Outlander will run and Rob James will ride him claiming 7lb. He’ll probably head the weights.

“Dounikos will go – I don’t know why he ran so poorly at Cheltenham in the RSA Chase. He seems grand afterwards but, looking back on it, on his run behind Monalee over 2m5f [Flogas Novice Chase] at Leopardstown, you’d have said 3m on soft ground would have been perfect but we were the first horse beaten.

“I don’t know what happened but he seems fine since and if he’s okay he’ll take his chance. Monbeg Notorious will also run and it looks as though it will be his type of ground."

On the remainder, O’Leary added: “A Genie In Abottle runs and there’s a bunch of them down at the bottom who will go there as long as they get in – Sutton Manor, General Principle and Lord Scoundrel. Arkwrisht is another who I’d love to get into the race – it’s his type of race and Joseph [O'Brien] is very happy with him.”

O’Leary is leaning towards running Alpha Des Obeaux, Road To Riches and Valseur Lido in the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree along with Tiger Roll, winner of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham under Keith Donoghue, who will not make the weight for next month's showpiece.

Tiger Roll: the Cheltenham Cross Country winner will have a new partner in the Aintree Grand NationalCredit: John Grossick

“Alpha Des Obeaux, Road To Riches and Valseur Lido, who could also run at Clonmel on Thursday before going on to Aintree, will probably run in the race,” O’Leary said.

He concluded: “Tiger Roll is in off 10st 12lb, so there’s no chance Keith would be able to ride him.

“If he [Tiger Roll] can survive as far as Becher’s Brook the first time round it would be great. I’d say there’d be gaps in the fences after that.”

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