Mullins taking every precaution in search of Cheltenham whitewash

Things have been fine-tuned at Closutton to replicate British obstacles.

Last season’s Cheltenham Festival meeting was a Willie Mullins whitewash – and he is not leaving anything to chance in pursuit of something similar next week.

Having won a remarkable 10 races over the four days at Prestbury Park – taking his tally at the Festival to a record 88 winners – the Closutton handler revealed he has painted all the bars on his schooling fences and hurdles white.

White markings on the frames, guard rails and take-off boards replaced traditional orange colourings on obstacles at every British racecourse last year.

Willie Mullins has left nothing to chance at his Bagenalstown, County Carlow yard
Willie Mullins has left nothing to chance at his Bagenalstown, County Carlow yard (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

The British Horseracing Authority’s decision for the colour change, following guidance from experts at Exeter University into horse vision, came in the interests of horse welfare and safety.

In years past, Mullins has worked and schooled horses at Leopardstown prior to running at Cheltenham.

This year will be a little different, however. Speaking at the Dublin track to Racing TV on Sunday, he explained: “I don’t see much point in schooling here, if they all jump well.

“Unless someone comes round with a bucket of whitewash tomorrow and paints those fences, I don’t see much point in schooling over the orange bars.

“I’ve put in a whole new schooling operation with white hurdles and fences and we’ll do our stuff at home.”

Mullins is a stickler for details and knows that with competition so fierce at the Festival, every mistake is magnified.

He added: “Some horses could go down (and jump) over blue fences, yellow fences, it wouldn’t matter a damn to them – they are just that cool.

“Other horses will look at them from a half-mile out and they will see something different, so you never know which one, especially in the shorter races if you want to be up there and and have your position.

“You don’t want to have them looking at the first hurdle and backing off it or the first fence and backing off it, because you just lose your position and then at Cheltenham you are playing catch-up the whole time.

“Whereas round the country tracks or not at the big meetings, it doesn’t matter so much, as you’ll get your ground back much easier – but at Cheltenham, no one gives you an inch.

“So what you lose at the first hurdle or fence, it’s gone, you are not going to get it back.”

Mullins said his powerful string has taken to the painted obstacles well and is looking forward to the meeting, which starts on Tuesday week.

“They are jumping them every second day at home, so we’re good.”

He added: “Fingers crossed, toes crossed, everything crossed. We are very happy with how most things are.

“You are always going to get little upsets, but we still have another week to go before we travel. Things will come right, but nothing major.”

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