Mullins Confident in Vauban for Ascot Gold Cup Win!
2 minutes Mullins had a spectacular National Hunt season, winning the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup, claiming the British jumps trainers' title.
Willie Mullins is aiming to dash the hopes of fellow British trainers once again with what he promises will be an "absolutely huge" Royal Ascot.
But, he might face stern competition from fellow Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien in the Gold Cup.
Mullins had a spectacular National Hunt season, winning the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup, claiming the British jumps trainers' title. Recently, Mullins has ventured into Flat racing with some of his faster horses and even had the favourite for the Melbourne Cup last November.
Rich Ricci's Vauban, who won the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot before underperforming in the lucrative Australian event, is set to make another attempt at the Ascot Gold Cup. Mullins believes Vauban is in 'very good nick' for the 2m4f feature race on Thursday, which offers £370,000 to the winner.
Commenting on the Ascot 2024 prospect, Mullins said:
"For a stable like ours, which is predominantly jumps, it would be absolutely huge to win the Ascot Gold Cup, but I think Aidan O'Brien will have something to say about that!"
"He looks like he might have a stranglehold on the race with Kyprios (10-11 fav).
"No matter what way you look at it, he's going to be very hard to beat and he's the one we will all be afraid of.
"We came within a whisker of winning the Gold Cup a few years ago with Simenon and hopefully Vauban can give a good account of himself. I think he can.
"I was delighted with his reappearance at York. He hadn't ran in a very long time, not since Melbourne, and I knew he would come on for it.
"He goes there in very good nick, but, as I said, I think Aidan's horse is going to be a tough nut to crack."
| Horse | Ascot Gold Cup Odds |
|---|---|
| Kyprios | 8/11 |
| Gregory | 5/1 |
| Vauban | 7/1 |
| Caius Chorister | 11/1 |
| Coltrane | 14/1 |
| Trawlerman | 14/1 |
| Sweet William | 14/1 |
| Continuous | 20/1 |
| Point Lonsdale | 20/1 |
| Trueshan | 25/1 |
| Queenstown | 33/1 |
| Absurde | 40/1 |
| Tower Of London | 66/1 |
| Prydwen | 66/1 |
| Sumo Sam | 100/1 |
| Enemy | 100/1 |
