Four-timer for Mullins, with Galopin’s colours

Owner Audrey Turley and trainer Willie Mullins combined for a success at Naas today with Olympic Man (11/8f), as the pair prepare for Friday’s pivotal Cheltenham Gold Cup attempt with top chaser Galopin Des Champs.

Contesting the Bar One Racing "Guaranteed Overnight Prices" Beginners Chase, error-prone Olympic Man made a mistake at the final fence but rallied well under Danny Mullins to score by 1.5 lengths from Foxy Girl

It was a fourth winner on the afternoon for Mullins, who is 1/5 favourite to be Cheltenham’s Leading Trainer next week, with Galopin Des Champs bidding to join Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate as a three-time winner of Friday’s Gold Cup.

Following today’s much lesser contest, jockey Danny Mullins quipped “Olympic Man isn’t becoming a good jumper but he’s getting good at being a bad jumper!

“Even with his mistakes, he’s not losing ground and the only one really was when we were off-the-bridle going to the last where he lost a length. Once I galloped away from it, I always felt that I was picking Darragh (O’Keeffe on Foxy Girl) up. He was good and tough up the hill.

“I raced handily, but was trying to keep him even throughout: maybe in a staying handicap it won’t have as much pressure on his jumping.”

Turley’s Galopin Des Champs is set to be joined by her sole other Cheltenham runner Argento Boy, in Friday’s Albert Bartlett Hurdle.

Quotes from Gary Carson