Saint Roi© Photo Healy Racing
Patrick Mullins feels Saint Roi is currently number one in the pecking order among the potential Champion Hurdle contenders in Closutton.
The JP McManus-owned gelding is set for a rematch with Abacadabras in the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas having chased home that rival in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last month.
The French-bred looked a slightly unlucky loser then having run into some traffic problems and Willie Mullins' charge is favoured in the ante-post markets to turn the tables.
Speaking at the launch of Leopardstown's Christmas Festival the trainer's son and assistant assessed the yard's four potential runners in the race:-
“Saint Roi looks the number one at the moment. I know he hasn't won a Grade 1 but he has huge potential.
“He's won around Cheltenham and for me, at he moment he could be the Champion Hurdle horse.
“We were very surprised with how keen he ran in Punchestown and he gave Mark (Walsh) an awful time. Because he was so keen his jumping got sloppy.
“He winged the third last and Mark was left in a situation where he could go forward and risk him doing too much and having his race run before the last or take him back and hope he could get a run. It just didn't work out and that happens
“Looking at the race you'd like to think he'd be able to reverse the form with Abacadabras but it's not always that simple.
“I don't particularly think he needs a strong pace, for whatever reason he just got fresh on the day.
“Davis Casey rides him every day at home now and I don't expect that to be an issue again to be honest.
“It's a fascinating race. Obviously Abacadabras won the last day and he's the one we have to go and get.
“With Aspire Tower, four year olds don't have a fantastic record stepping into this open company so for me he has to prove it.
“Concertista was very impressive the last day but that was a second season mares race and this is another big step up.
“I hope she does run though because Paul (Townend) will probably ride her and that means I'll get back on Sharjah!
“I think he could be a huge price at around 10/1 as he loves the dry ground there and loves the track.
“He got a little break after Galway. We tried him back on the Flat but he just doesn't seem the same horse on the Flat.
“Last year in the Champion Hurdle it was such a big field and we dropped out. In a normal year if there had been seven or eight runners we'd have been five lengths closer.
“Would that have turned the tables with Epatante? - maybe not, but if it was a smaller field this year I wouldn't mind another crack at her.
“Saldier is a very exciting horse. He was probably going to beat Espoir D'allen in Naas the day he fell as Ruby hadn't gone for his stick and Mark (Walsh) had.
“He got a nasty fall there which put him back and he's very fragile.
“We chose not to run him in the Morgiana or Hatton's Grace as we felt he wasn't ready enough.
“You don't want to be too hard on him at home either so it's a balancing act.
“He's going to be better at March whatever he does at Christmas.”
