MULLINS HORSE BACKED FOR FESTIVAL BUMPER Belfast bookmakers Sean Graham today reported 'sustained support at 12-1' for the Willie Mullins-trained Ultimate Accolade in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham next month. Mullins has sent out the winner of the race four times and the make-up of his squad for this year`s Festival has been the subject of much speculation. A spokesman for the firm said: 'While there has been no interest in another much-touted Mullins horse, Hedgehunter, there has been a lot of support from some shrewd punters in the south of Ireland for Ultimate Accolade. 'We have been happy to lay him at 12-1 and we believe that Ultimate Accolade may be the `mystery horse` which has been featured in the press recently.' Ultimate Accolade, balloted out of a race at Clonmel today, could run somewhere over the weekend. Mullins said: 'A lot of my horses have been fancied for the Bumper. 'Ultimate Accolade doesn`t run today at Clonmel where he is a reserve but he is in at Gowran Park on Saturday and at Navan on Sunday. I will make a decision on him tomorrow.'
