Emmet Mullins believes Corbetts Cross is coming to the boil at just the right time as he prepares to bid for glory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup next month.
The JP McManus-owned gelding looked every inch a Gold Cup horse in the making when running out a 17-length winner of the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Festival, but his first campaign in open company has not gone entirely to plan.
Following a comeback second to Heart Wood at Wexford, Corbetts Cross missed a planned trip to Haydock for the Betfair Chase in November and belatedly crossed the Irish Sea for a tilt at the King George VI Chase, but was well beaten in sixth place.
Mullins is adamant his stable star is better than he showed in Kempton’s Boxing Day highlight and with the big day less than five weeks away, he is much happier with his condition.
In a Good Spot
“I think we’re in a good position now. We didn’t really get a clear run of things; he wasn’t right for the Betfair Chase, and we kind of stumbled our way on to the King George,” said the trainer.
“He was just flat in Kempton, he was never going and never travelled. You could put that down to inexperience or the big occasion, but I don’t think the horse was right when he didn’t finish off his race, as we know he’s got a high cruising speed and he can stay.
“I suppose we just put a line through it when he didn’t pick up in the home straight.
“I’ve had a few clean weeks, there’s plenty of work gone into him now and I’m very happy – I think we’re nearly there, which is just what I wanted, and it’s only a bit of maintenance now and keeping him ticking over, I think.”
Corbetts Cross is a best priced 14-1 for the Gold Cup with bet365, who make Galopin Des Champs their 1-2 favourite to claim victory for the third time.
Mullins is better placed than most to assess the chances of the reigning champion, given he is trained by his uncle and neighbour Willie, and he is well aware of the task his charge faces.
Galopin Des Champs Challenge
He added: “I think the only way to beat Galopin Des Champs is to somehow get him to make a mistake at the last and you’re challenging and just try and nick a few lengths on him.
“You’re not going to challenge him off the home bend and outstay him up the hill, so you need a bit of luck and try and catch him asleep, let someone else have a go and hopefully he’s in a bit of a lull, something along those lines. The last man to go for his whip usually wins.
“If we can get our horse to peak again in Cheltenham, I’m not saying we’ll beat Galopin Des Champs, but we should be in the placings.”
Corbetts Cross will be part of a small but select Emmet Mullins team at this year’s Festival, with confidence high that Its On The Line can settle some “unfinished business” in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase, having finished second in the last two renewals.
“We’ll have Corbetts Cross and Its On The Line on the Friday and the two handicap winners from the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown (Vischio and McLaurey) will both get entries in all the handicaps and we’ll see what the ground is like closer to the time,” said Mullins.
It’s On The Line
“Its On The Line won in Aintree and in Punchestown last year after Cheltenham. He’s an extremely tough horse and an extremely frustrating horse sometimes as well.
“He doesn’t travel in his races and doesn’t make it easy for his jockey, but there’s definitely unfinished business at Cheltenham, having been second for the last two years.
“It’s a race that should suit him, he just hasn’t converted yet. All being well, he should be my best chance for the week, I think.”
Quality > Quantity
Although widely regarded as one of the shrewdest young trainers in the business, Mullins is keen to focus on quality rather than quantity.
He went on: “We’d all love to be going on to them better horses, but the price of them is astronomical at the moment. I’ve been lucky enough to pick and find a few from the point-to-point field, like Corbetts Cross, that have gone on to the top table, but it’s very hard to get in on these horses.
“You have to find out what you’ve got at home, plan a route out and dream as much as you can, I suppose. They won’t all be as good as you think, but dream with plenty of foresight.
“This year, we got another 12 stables, so I’m up to 41 or 42 now. It’s been a tricky enough year, I think we’ve only had 10 winners and 21 seconds. They’re all running well and I’d say the place percentages are good and high, it’s just frustrating when you’re in the placings all the time.
“I don’t plan on ever having 200-plus horses like Willie or Gordon, but I think if you can step up slowly and know you can manage what you have, that’s the way to go.
“I don’t want to go boom to bust, take on 100 stables and be looking at 30 or 40 extra boxes in two years’ time, so we’re just stepping up gradually.”
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