Gary O'Brien: Maestro Mullins set for another bumper Punchestown haul

Top presenter Gary O'Brien believes serial Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins will have plenty to celebrate at Punchestown over the days ahead and nominates other trainers to keep a close eye on.

With the trainers’ championship already decided, there won’t be quite the edge to this year’s Punchestown Festival as was the case when Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott went toe-to-toe 12 months ago but there nevertheless should be no shortage of fireworks when the five-day extravaganza kicks off on Tuesday.

Although the likes of Champion Hurdle hero Espoir D’Allen and Paisley Park have understandably already been considered to have done enough by their connections, Racing TV viewers can still look forward to seeing an array of stars in action during the week – many of them trained by Mullins, a man who has dominated this meeting like no other.

Indeed, the Closutton maestro’s extraordinary steamrolling of his great rival at last year’s fixture could easily be replicated, with Elliott looking somewhat light on ammunition at the end of a campaign that took a long time to get going because of a bug in his yard.

However, with 38 races down for decision plenty of others will get their share of the spotlight too.

Martin Brassil, who had City Island tuned to perfection for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham, is sure to have a select team headed by his stable star, and as well as the more established names Peter Fahey and Dermot McLoughlin are a couple of trainers to pay close attention to.

Wednesday is set to be a big day for two men who have steadily enhanced their reputation in recent times, with exciting mares Gypsy Island and Santa Rossa set to bid for lucrative bumper gains after already showcasing their talents to great effect this term.

Recent Cork Listed scorer Timeforwest and The Big Dog, a long-priced fancy of mine for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle only to fail to make the cut, are other potentially interesting contenders for Fahey.

The latter will appreciate any rain that falls, whereas McLoughlin will be hoping conditions dry out for his Canardier, who would be a deserving winner of the €100,000 handicap hurdle on the final afternoon after following up his excellent Coral Cup fifth with another fine effort at Aintree.

The jockeys’ title is all but done and dusted too, with Paul Townend set to be crowned champ for a second time after a memorable season highlighted by his Cheltenham Gold Cup success on Al Boum Photo.

However, despite their boss’s firepower, anyone who has paid attention to recent editions of this festival will know not to necessarily expect the Cork man or Ruby Walsh to have blitzed their contemporaries come Saturday night.

No fewer than ten members of the weighing room got a piece of the action among Mullins’ 18 winners at Punchestown 2018, so don’t be put off if you find yourself fancying his apparent third or fourth strings on jockey bookings!

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