Five under-the-radar Willie Mullins horses including a ‘world-class’ hurdler who’s 33-1 for Cheltenham

IT’S no secret that Willie Mullins has an awe-inspiring army of horses tucked away at his Closutton base.

But there are simply so many that it can be easy to miss a big performance from some of the lesser-known runners.

And with attention on the Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets, it’s easy to get bogged down in obsessing over the big names.

All the favourites look good on paper – until they get beaten.

That’s why, given his incredibly strength in depth, it’s worth considering some of the stars who perhaps aren’t shining quite so brightly… just yet.

Here, I look at five names who have caught the eye in recent weeks.

Kawaboomga

5yo gelding
Owner: JP McManus

Kawaboomga was impressive on debut for Mullins when finishing runner-up to Kopek Des Bordes in a Leopardstown maiden hurdle on Boxing Day.

Twice a runner in France – where he won a bumper on heavy – he was kept to the outer by Simon Torrens before making his move before the last.

The winner Kopek Des Bordes got first run on him that day, but there was no doubt Kawaboomga was a much cleaner jumper of the last and he hit the line strongly.

Kopek Des Bordes has been with Mullins since day one and clearly benefited from the notoriously tough training regime implemented at his Cork base.

I expect Kawaboomga to come on loads for this run over the minimum 2m trip, where the speed he inherited from his 1m4f-winning dam will come into use.

Irancy

7yo gelding
Owner: JP McManus

It was recently worked out that, with around 300 horses in training, JP McManus’ training bill alone every year will amount to £7million.

And while he looks to be packing out the top staying chases with his talent this season, it could be worth sticking Irancy in your trackers, too.

At seven he’s quite old for a novice hurdler.

But after a 762-day break from the track he was thrown into the deep end in what turned out to be a red-hot maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in December 2023.

Firefox beat Ballyburn that day with Irancy in third. The fifth, seventh and even tenth have all won since.

Plus we know what the top two have gone onto achieve.

Irancy then had another 349-day break from the track before running away with a Punchestown maiden hurdle last November.

His time off the racecourse suggests he might be fragile but in a wide-open Supreme he could be worth chancing at 33s, especially as a half-brother to three-time Grade 2 winner Darasso.

Final Demand

6yo gelding
Owners: Bryan Drew and Caroline Tisdall

Dubbed a ‘monster of a horse’ by impressed punters, Final Demand is owned by one-half of the connections behind Bravemansgame.

And, bought for £200,000 in 2022, it looks like he could be set for top prizes over three miles in future too.

Final Demand was sent off 4-7 fav under Danny Mullins for a 2m5f maiden hurdle at Limerick over Christmas.

A race previously won by Corbetts Cross four months before he ran out at the last when favourite for the Albert Bartlett, Final Demand hosed up by 15 lengths.

He cantered over the line, the longer trip well within his ease and the suggestion there is a huge engine underneath.

Final Demand is 14-1 for the Albert Bartlett but current favourite The Yellow Clay will likely run in the Turners Novice Hurdle.

So expect those odds to shorten.

Ballygunner Castle

6yo gelding
Owners: JR Brennan and David Flynn

Beaten just once in four races, Ballygunner Castle needed every inch of the two miles on yielding ground to take his maiden hurdle.

Won in the past by the likes of Facile Vega, Conflated, Grangee and Firefox, Ballygunner Castle was twice almost taken out by a loose horse but still went onto win.

Punters thought it was a ‘world-class’ performance, with a step up in trip to come.

But he has been given an entry in the Moscow Flyer, which suggests his future could be over 2m.

Even so, he’s around 33-1 for the Turners Novice Hurdle and Albert Bartlett should there be a change of plans.

Green Splendour

5yo gelding
Owners: Simon Munir and Isaac Souede

Could JJ Slevin, the new retained jockey for Munir and Souede, be the man to get the most out of Green Splendour?

He gave weight away to almost the entire field when winning a Boxing Day bumper at Leopardstown previously claimed by Facile Vega.

Ridden to lead inside the final furlong, he emerged strongly from the pack and wasn’t slowing at the line.

Green Splendour is related eight-time winner In Compliance, whose CV included the 2006 John Durkan.

He was clipped into 16-1 on the back of that, with some stamina in his pedigree suggesting the Bumper at Cheltenham – and climb up the hill late on – could be well within his grasp.

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