'You can ride him with your baby finger': Can Sharjah fill Mullins' Galway void?

Victory in the Connacht Hotel Handicap at Galway on Monday will not cement Patrick Mullins' status as one of the greatest amateurs of the modern era. That was achieved long ago.

However, a win aboard Sharjah would fill a void, with Mullins seeking a first victory in the iconic race, the feature on day one of the seven-day bonanza.

Indeed, Mullins is in good company. Ted Walsh, Nina Carberry and Jamie Codd, three of the most gifted riders, have never managed to win the coveted prize for amateurs.

If Mullins is to rectify matters on Monday, he will need to emulate the achievements of two summers ago when Sharjah, who looks a plum ride in the showpiece, carried top weight to victory in the Galway Hurdle.

Sharjah has a similar burden two summers on but Mullins is concentrating on the positives as he seeks an elusive first victor in the race after 13 failures.

The 11-time champion amateur said: "It's my 14th attempt at winning the race. I've managed to get Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot winners beaten in the race, so this is my first try at getting a Grade 1 winner beaten in it!

"Throughout the past 20 years, I think there has only been one winner that I could have done the weight on. I'm probably only ever going to ride one or two horses capable of winning the race, and I'm hoping Sharjah might be the one.”

Sharjah: goes ahead of Petit Mouchoir after jumping the last in the Matheson Hurdle at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Mullins added: “When we won the Galway Hurdle in 2018, he became the first topweight to win the race since Quinze back in 1999, so hopefully he can defy the weight back at Ballybrit again.”

The big amateur handicap at Galway has carried many different names down through the years but, as far as Mullins is concerned, its importance has never dwindled and winning it would mean a huge amount to a man whose CV reads as a seasoned professional's more than that of an amateur.

Mullins said: "I think it's probably the most coveted amateur race in Ireland. Obviously, we have the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at Punchestown as well, but this race has more history and it's around a lot longer.

"Willie won it once, but I don't think the likes of Ted Walsh has ever managed to win the race, nor has Jamie Codd, Nina Carberry or Katie Walsh, so I am in good company in that respect.

"Sharjah had a lovely run on the Flat at the Curragh, much better than his previous runs on the level for us, so it was nice to see him run well before this.

"He's rated 94 and it's hard to think he has a stone up his sleeve or anything but he handles the track and I don't see the ground posing any issues for him. Whether they go fast or slow, that won't bother him either, and I'm really looking forward to riding him."

Sharjah has provided Mullins with some of the rides of his life. Along with their Galway Hurdle victory, there has been Grade 1s at Leopardstown as well as a thrilling Champion Hurdle effort. What about one more day in the sun?

Mullins said: "Sharjah has been fabulous for me. You can ride him with your baby finger – ride him quiet and cold, which I really enjoy. Rich [Ricci] has been very good to me to let me win a Galway Hurdle on him and two Christmas Hurdles at Leopardstown.

He also gave me one of the greatest thrills of my career when we turned into the straight at Cheltenham on the bridle in the Champion Hurdle. It was just a pity Epatante had recovered from her cough!"

It is not all about Sharjah on Monday for Mullins, who also appears to have major claims of adding to his fantastic record in the amateur riders' maiden aboard Mt Leinster.

Mullins said: "The qualified riders' maiden has been a very lucky race for me, I think I've won it five or six times, and Mt Leinster has a real Galway pedigree.

"I won the race on two of his siblings – Blackstairmountain and Diamond Hill. Another sibling, Fuji Mountain, won a bumper there so it's a real Galway pedigree. My mother [Jackie] bred them all and she deserves all the credit."

Mt Leinster will be partnered by Patrick Mullins on MondayCredit: Patrick McCann

He added: “Mt Leinster is a horse that was too keen in his bumpers and mile and half should help him settle. We're drawn badly but Buildmeupbuttercup overcame it last year and hopefully Mt Leinster can do the same. He's in very good form at home.”

On the rest of his hopes for the festival, Mullins said: “I think we have a very good bumper team this year. I'm not sure which ones Willie is going to pick, but we have a lot of strength in depth in that division so, whatever I get on, I'd be quite hopeful.

"With regards to the Plate and the Hurdle, the only two I could do the weight on is Easy Game or Aramon, so I am trying to convince Paul [Townend] to pick something else!”

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