It's all systems go at Closutton Brian Fleming travelled to Closutton on Wednesday morning to view the galaxy of stars on show and here’s what Willie Mullins said about five of his best, four of which — Gaelic Warrior, I Am Maximus, Il Etait Temps and Lossiemouth — have all been nominated for the Horse Of The Year category at the upcoming HRI Awards. GAELIC WARRIOR Last season’s Gold Cup hero started his campaign with victory in the John Durkan and is earmarked to return to Punchestown on November 22 for a repeat bid. A trip back to Kempton though to improve on his close third in the King George (Dec 26th) registered last season is likely to be shelved according to his trainer who said: “He’ll run in the John Durkan then Christmas. I don't know if I want to go back to Kempton [with him]. “I think the ground was very firm in Kempton last year, much firmer than I wanted, so I’m not sure whether I’m going to bring him back there this year, so I’ll just keep him probably to Leopardstown all being well. That’s the thought at this point in time, but we’ll see how the thing progresses.” I AM MAXIUMUS If he can make it to Aintree next April he’ll bid to become just the second horse to win the Randox Grand National for the third time. Red Rum won it in 1973 and the following year before returning to bag the hat-trick in 1977 and as his trainer says, ‘if we get luck along the way hopefully he’ll return to Aintree next April with his chance’. Last season he trailed home in last place in the John Durkan when sent off at odds of 66/1 when his trainer ran six of the ten runners including the 1-2, Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File. I Am Maximus is likely to start off in the same Grade 1 race at Punchestown on November 22 where it’ll be a watching brief most likely again. He ran a cracker in the Savills Chase when runner-up to Affordale Fury (Noel Meade) at 80/1 before running fifth in the Irish Gold Cup at the DRF and ‘a similar programme’ is possible. “He’ll start off in the John Durkan and then run in the Savills at Christmas. He looks good and strong and is maturing all the time. Fingers crossed we can get him back there in the same form as he was in April.” IL ETAIT TEMPS Last season’s champion chaser didn’t reappear in the recent Clonmel Oil Chase, a race he won last season, due to the ground with his absence helping stable companion Kappa Jy Pyke to justify odds of 2/9 under Paul Townend. A repeat bid to win the Tingle Creek is on the agenda again but the lack of a run going to Sandown for the December 5 spectacle is a slight concern. “It was disappointing we didn’t get our run in Clonmel so he will go straight to Tingle Creek now. I just hope we can get enough work into him and that he won’t be too fresh going to Sandown. However, he loves the track over there, so I think we have to go. “When I brought him over there the first day at the end of the season (Celebration Chase in 2025) I thought he was only half ready, and he really loved the track and won easily. It’s horses for courses and that’s where he goes.” His fall in the Clarence House two months before he won the Champion Chase didn’t inconvenience him says Mullins. “When you think the heavy fall he got [at Ascot] usually a horse getting a fall like that it could take them until the end of the spring to come right. “He was down for five minutes or something like that but to then turn that form around and come back fresh as a daisy for his next run. But I also think Paul [Townend] to me, that was the ride of the week in Cheltenham. I know I’m a bit biased but where he was throughout the race when the race was a furlong ahead of him and he just never panicked.” LOSSIEMOUTH Will take a similar path to last season and start off in the Morgiana Hurdle on November 21, a race she made every yard in 12 months ago. The fitting of cheekpieces for the first time worked the oracle when she defeated Brighterdaysahead in the Champion Hurdle, her fifth time from as many starts to win at Cheltenham. She rounded off her season with the same headgear fitted with victory in the Irish equivalent at Punchestown. “She’ll start off in the Morgiana [Nov 21] then go to Leopardstown at Christmas and the DRF (Dublin Racing Festival). I’ve just got to keep her sound and in the same form so it’ll be the same programme with her this year but she seems in good order so far. Punchestown is a lovely place to start her, it’s a great time of year to get going and usually the ground is nice and safe.” FACT TO FILE Narrowly defeated on seasonal debut by stable companion Gaelic Warrior in last season’s John Durkan before again running second behind him (beaten by 19 lengths) on his final outing in the Punchestown Gold Cup, he missed his prior Cheltenham engagement in the Ryanair last March due to ground concerns. “He’ll start off in the John Durkan, then Christmas, the DRF and the Ryanair looks the obvious race for him but it’ll depend on what JP [McManus, owner] has for whichever race. One would wonder whether he stays the actual distance of the Gold Cup, but he might this year with a bit of age. I think it’ll take a fair bit to move him off that target [Ryanair].
