The 2009 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner fell at the final fence when holding every chance in the Drinmore Novices' Chase last Wednesday, his debut run over fences in Ireland and his first race in over 19 months.
The French-bred son of Lavirco has always looked a potentially exciting prospect when sent over fences, and that view is still very much alive despite his fall. Speaking about the horses' mishap, Mullins said: "What happened at the last fence was the sort of thing that can happen to any horse, especially a novice, and he has been off the track for a long time."
Whilst currently a best-price 8/1 (Victor Chandler) for the RSA Chase, behind favourite Time For Rupert, the exciting novice is far from certain to contest the event, as the County Carlow handler is keeping his options open:
"He'll be entered in everything at Cheltenham. He won the Ballymore over two miles five (furlongs) there, but he has plenty of speed over two. After two five I'm not sure where we go. The RSA is three mile one and the Gold Cup is three mile two and that's another ball game.
"We've never been worried about him staying. He's one of those horses that can change gear and go with faster horses as well. He appears to have retained his ability and that's a huge question he answered the other day. It was good enough he jumped well, but when a horse has been off for so long you often wonder whether they come back as good.
"I'm looking at the entries for Christmas. He's in the two-mile novice (Bord Na Mona With Nature Novice Chase) on St Stephen's Day and he's in the three-mile novice later in the week. We might consider giving him another week and come back for a beginners' chase or a Listed or Graded chase somewhere.
"He appears to have come out of the race well and has been ridden out the last couple of days."
No less a judge than Ruby Walsh has always enthused about the 6-year-old: “I have always liked him; I think he's a machine" and he is currently best-price 25/1 (Bet365) for Gold Cup success.
However, running an inexperienced novice (however talented) in the race, can prove extremely dangerous. Connections of Lanzarote and Gloria Victus, to name just two, learned to their cost that the Gold Cup is a race that take's no prisoners, and going to the well too early can sometimes prove fatal.
Mikael d'Haguenet (left) leads the field home in the 2009 Ballymore Properties Hurdle
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