Acapella Bourgeois© Photo Healy Racing
Acapella Bourgeois makes his first appearance since joining Willie Mullins in the Ladbrokes Troytown Chase at Navan on Sunday.
The seven-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Ten Up Novice Chase over the course and distance last season when trained by the now-retired Sandra Hughes, but disappointed in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham and again at Punchestown.
He must concede weight all round in this weekend's fiercely-competitive €100,000 contest but bookmakers are not taking any chances, installing him as the clear favourite.
Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, told At The Races: "I rode him myself at the Curragh the other day and he's a fabulous jumper. You could close your eyes on him and he's brilliant.
"He's working well and in great form at home.
"On his Ten Up performance, you'd be very excited and Sunday is the same course and distance.
"It's going to be very interesting to see how he starts off."
Mullins has already claimed one major prize this season with a former Hughes inmate as Total Recall - who like Acapella Bourgeois carries the colours of the Slaneyville Syndicate - dominated his rivals in last month's Munster National at Limerick.
Lar Byrne, who owned the great Hardy Eustace and heads the syndicate, told the Times: "He (Mullins) feels that he has him a lot more settled and relaxed in his homework.
"I texted Ruby Walsh the other morning to wish him well after breaking his leg and he came back to say that Acapella Bourgeois' workout on Thursday last was very good and that he is ready for battle."
In Walsh's absence, Paul Townend takes the ride on Acapella Bourgeois.
Gordon Elliott, who has won the Troytown in each of the last three years, is typically well represented with no less than six contenders.
The Cullentra team is made up of Roi Des Francs (Liam McKenna), Mala Beach (Davy Russell), Potters Point (Lisa O'Neill), General Principle (Jack Kennedy), Space Cadet (Brian Hayes) and Poormans Hill (Andrew Ring).
General Principle, who was fifth in last season's Irish Grand National, warmed up for his Troytown bid with a very promising comeback run over hurdles at Clonmel recently.
"He ran very well over hurdles last time and I think he'll go well Sunday," said Elliott.
The Alan Fleming-trained Hurricane Darwin arrives in tip-top shape after winning his last two starts at Navan and Clonmel.
Fleming said: "He has a lovely weight on his back (10st 8lb) and he's going in there with plenty of confidence.
"It looks a very good race this year - you've got horses running that are in the betting for the Gold Cup.
"It's a big ask, but we're going there hopeful that our horse will hold his own."
Other contenders in a 22-strong field include John Ryan's Icantsay, Joseph O'Brien's pair of Tesseract and Arkwrisht and Bonny Kate from Noel Meade's yard.
