Willie Mullins' Cheltenham Festival favourite ruled out of Champion Bumper

02 March 2024 , 11:40

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Maughreen and Patrick Mullins pictured winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race at Punchestown (Image: RACINGFOTOS.COM)

Willie Mullins has lost a member of his Cheltenham squad after Maughreen suffered a late setback.

The five-year-old mare was ante-post favourite with bookmakers for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. Prestbury Park's only Flat race of the week, for horses learning their trade, has been won by Mullins-trained runners on a record 12 occasions.

Maughreen is from the family of Faugheen, who excelled at Cheltenham's flagship meeting and took 11 top level races when trained at Closutton. On her only racecourse start, Maughreen was an impressive winner at Punchestown in January.

A statement on X from owners Closutton Racing Club read: "Unfortunately Maughreen has had a slight setback, it's very minor and we thank the staff for copping same. As a result, Maughreen will not go to Cheltenham."

Naas scorer Jasmin De Vaux and You Oughta Know, runner-up to Jeroboam Machin at the Dublin Racing Festival, are other contenders for the same stable.

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Mullins trained last year's second Fact To File, who was sent straight over fences this season and is a red hot market leader for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.

He is now as low as 5-6 from 5-4 with Ladbrokes and spokeswoman Nicola McGeady said earlier this week: “The picture is constantly changing but as of right now, Fact To File is the hottest property heading to the Cheltenham Festival as far as our punters are concerned."

Mullins, a former six-time champion amateur jockey in Ireland, rode the 1996 Champion Bumper hero Wither Or Which.

A strong challenge at this year's meeting could see him become the first trainer to win 100 Festival races in his current profession.

Melissa Jones