Mullins launches five-pronged attack on Ryanair Gold Cup

Willie Mullins has five horses running in Sunday's Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse as he bids to win the race for the first time.

The Irish trainer has never emerged victorious in the Group One race, but he will be determined to end that wait this year, as he bids to not only claim the ?100,000 prize fund but also close the gap on this year's title race leader Gordon Elliott.

Invitation Only and Al Boum Photo are expected to be Mullins' leading contenders in the race, despite both horses failing to finish in their respective runs at Cheltenham earlier this month.

However, Mullins' son Patrick feels those failings could actually work in the favour of both horses, as they will head into Sunday's race fresh and raring to go.

“Both Invitation Only and Al Boum Photo came out of Cheltenham well and I suppose the upside of what happened to both of them is they didn't have hard races,” Patrick Mullins said.

“There's not much between the two of them on form and hopefully they'll both be involved at the business end.”

Saturnas, Montalbano and Up For Review are Mullins' other runners in the race that was won by the Noel Meade-trained Road To Respect 12 months ago.