Vinny for Naas Saturday Exciting novice hurdler Cousin Vinny is set to have his next outing this weekend in the valuable Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Irish Racing Writers Novice Hurdle. Last year's Champion Bumper hero at Cheltenham will bid to follow-up his victory in maiden company at Leopardstown over Christmas. "He'll probably run this Saturday at Naas," trainer Willie Mullins told sportinglife.com. "The ground will be very demanding but he did win on that sort of ground at Punchestown last year." Mullins has had time to reflect on Cousin Vinny's two races to date this season as he ponders his options for a whole host of top-class novice hurdlers in his stable. "Cousin Vinny came out of his race very well. I'm pleased with the way that all of my runners came out after Christmas," he said. "We had a very trouble-free period and all of the horses seem to be in great form." "Cousin Vinny's bumper form last year was top-class. Timeform suggested that he was the best bumper horse they had seen since the bumper records began. "He appears to jump well at home. He showed that he jumped well in his maiden hurdle win and indeed his Grade 1 hurdle third (the Royal Bond) against his stablemate Hurricane Fly. "It was a nice opportunity to get a run into him with only seven or eight runners, albeit in a Grade 1 race, but he took to jumping well so we are very pleased." However, Mullins will now take his time in selecting an event at Cheltenham in March. "I am not deciding any of the novices' targets at the moment. They will all be entered in all of the novice hurdles at the Festival," he said. "We'll see how they progress between now and Cheltenham and I'll leave it all till the last minute. I'd prefer not to make a decision until the overnight stage."
