Mullins quartet tackle Kingdom Gold Cup Willie Mullins launches a four-strong assault on the K.W.D. Kingdom Gold Cup Handicap, the feature event at Killarney on Thursday. Not surprisingly Mullins looks to the National Hunt ranks with his nephew Danny riding Gustavus Vassa and championship leader Rachael Blackmore on Meri Devie. Law Girl returned to form last time at Gowran and it isn’t a shock to see champion jockey Colin Keane retain the partnership with the Lawman mare. Exchange Rate, the other Closutton hope, will have the assistance of Ronan Whelan. Mullins has a rival in terms of numbers with Killarney specialist John Murphy fielding three. It is worth noting that two of the Murphy horses, Brazos and Emperor Waltz, are already course-and-distance winners, while his bottom-weight Nelson Road has finished second twice here before. Among the other interesting contenders are 2016 victor, Le Vagabond, and the sole three-year-old in the line-up, Jessica Harrington’s Whirling Dervish. Joseph O’Brien is without representation in the main event on this eight-race card, but his Rockabill is worthy of strong consideration for the Monex Financial Services Apprentice Handicap. This Fastnet Rock youngster has experience over the track and trip, having finished second to Birth Of Venus here on his last start, in mid-July. Wicklow Brave will take a deal of beating in the Kerry Group (Q.R.) Race. A Classic-winner and a Grade One hurdler, the Mullins-trained Wicklow Brave might be chased home on this occasion by Benkei.
