Slattery’s Fleur taking on the might of Mullins
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 27 Apr 2026
WillowWarm Gold Cup hero Fleur In The Park will take on a Willie Mullins armada in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown.
The seven-year-old provided trainer Andrew Slattery with a first Grade One success when springing a surprise over two and a half miles on Easter Sunday at Fairyhouse just over three weeks ago.
On Tuesday he steps up to three miles and a furlong and renews his rivalry with the Fairyhouse runner-up Kappa Jy Pyke, who lines up as just one of four runners for the champion trainer along with Cheltenham Festival winner Kitzbuhel, Predators Gold and Spanish Harlem.
“He seems in good nick and we’re looking forward to it,” said Slattery.
“He always told us he was a three-mile horse, the only reason I started him off over two miles (over fences) is because I like starting them over sharp trips first time out.
“He was third in a Grade One novice hurdle here last year over three miles so we’ll have a go, it’s the end of the season and we’ll know which route to take next season if we don’t stay.
“He will love the ground, which a lot mightn’t. He’s a good moving horse and has plenty of pace for good ground, which is what you want.”
Connor King saddles his JP McManus-owned stable star Oscars Brother less than three weeks after he parted company with his rider at the Chair (15th fence) in the Grand National, while the green and gold silks are also carried by Colm Murphy’s Lovely Hurling.
Gordon Elliott’s Western Fold, the Ray Hackett-trained Nowwhatdoyouthink and July Flower from Henry de Bromhead’s yard complete the field.
Elliott is responsible for three of the nine runners declared for the first Grade One of the week – the PRL Champion Novice Hurdle.
The likely favourite is El Cairos, who finished fifth as a leading fancy for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham lasts month.
Elliott said: “The race didn’t work out at all at Cheltenham for any of the Irish horses – it was a very funny race. It was one of those things that baffle you.
“If he’d have finished fifth and there were Irish horses in second, third and fourth, I’d have been pulling the hair out of my head wondering how did he run so bad. But he was the first home of the Irish and I don’t know what happened that day.
“The English jumped off and were gone. We were four or five lengths behind them and we didn’t get any nearer.”
The Cullentra House handler is also represented by Skylight Hustle, who fell after racing keenly throughout the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park, as well as recent Fairyhouse Grade Two scorer Koktail Brut.
“The race was over at the start for Skylight Hustle (at Cheltenham) – he got kicked at the start and ran very, very free,” the trainer added.
“Koktail Brut bled at Christmas but has run some very good races since and won at Fairyhouse.”
Mullins runs two course and distance winners in Sober and Too Bossy For Us, as well as outsider Free Spirit, with Noel Meade’s Blake, Joseph O’Brien’s Le Labo and Barry Connell’s Eachtotheirown the other contenders.
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