Yorkhill can thrill at Punchestown Festival, yet where will Mullins go next?

Coral quote odds for Yorkhill in both prestigious Cheltenham Festival races; he’s a 7/1 shot for the Champion Hurdle, and more significantly an early 3/1 ante post favourite in the 2017 Arkle market.

Stable strength on big stage

Mullins horses have dominated both of the Prestbury Park showpiece opening day’s big contests in recent years. The County Carlow trainer has done the Arkle and Champion Hurdle double in both 2015 (Un De Sceaux and Faugheen) and 2016 (Douvan and Annie Power).

Saddling four of the last six Champion Hurdle victors, it would appear the Mullins stable is already saturated with mounts that have leading claims to go over the lesser obstacles.

Joining star mare Annie Power and Faugheen, who was unable to defend the Champion Hurdle crown in 2016, are stablemates Arctic Fire and Nichols Canyon. That represents stiff competition for Yorkhill, and none of these other elite horses have displayed the erratic pulling tendencies he did on a big stage like Aintree.

Should he instead follow in the footsteps of Un De Sceaux and Douvan, who gave Townend a far more straightforward time in the saddle at Aintree when easily winning the Maghull Novices’ Chase, then Yorkhill will likely start in a beginners chase and his progress will be monitored from there.

It is a tried and tested formula for Mullins when taking former novice hurdle winners over fences, and a heretofore flawless career profile bodes well for Yorkhill. It remains to be seen whether his head tossing and pulling were just an aberration.

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