Kopek Des Bordes team on weather watch Top-class Kopek Des Bordes is ready for a seasonal reappearance run and while connections have pencilled in the Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Chase at Naas on Sunday, are looking for ground conditions to soften. Winner of the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham festival, Kopek Des Bordes scored on his chase debut last November before subsequently meeting a mid-season hold-up, which resulted in the six-year-old going straight to Cheltenham with just one prior chase run. At Cheltenham, the Monabeg Investments Limited-owned gelding blundered at the final fence, leaving stablemate Kargese to score, and the following month, fell at the second-last fence at Punchestown. Trainer Willie Mullins’ son Patrick Mullins reports “we will have a look at the ground in Naas for Kopek Des Bordes. He schooled with Paul (Townend) last week and worked yesterday morning, and is very well. "He is ready to rock and we need to get runs and experience into him, after his interrupted preparation last season. If we're happy with the ground at Naas, we'll go." Kopek Des Bordes is currently a 4/1 chance for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham next March.
