Djakadam on of three Mullins runners© Photo Healy Racing
Despite his dominance of National Hunt racing in recent seasons, Willie Mullins has still to win a Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup but has two massive chances today.
The champion trainer came close last year with Djakadam who is back again, and he also saddles Don Poli and On His Own
Djakadam's preparation has not been ideal as he fell in the Cotswold Chase at the course in January and needed stitches.
"I must compliment the vet in Cheltenham for the work on Djakadam's stitches," said Mullins.
"We were lucky the cut was on his chest because we were able to keep him walking. He probably missed 10 days before he was starting back to trot, but he would have had a week off anyhow. He is basically a good jumper."
Mullins said of Don Poli, winner of the RSA last March and the Lexus Chase this season: "He's obviously not the fastest horse in the world, but last year he appeared at the front at the fourth-last and Bryan (Cooper) never dreamt he'd have enough speed to do that.
"When you want him to go, he just shoots to the front and I think an extra two and a half furlongs should be exactly what he wants."
Cooper has, however, deserted Don Poli in favour of Don Cossack a late faller in the King George but the apple of trainer Gordon Elliott's eye.
"He's a good-looking horse that does everything well. He hasn't done too much wrong for the last couple of years, apart from falling in the King George and finishing third in the Ryanair, those are the only two times he's been beat in two seasons," said Elliott.
"You could argue he was unlucky on both occasions and the more the ground dries out for the Gold Cup, the better chance he has. As a bumper horse I always thought he wanted softer ground - I thought he was a mudlark - that's how wrong I was.
"People talk about his record about Cheltenham, but look at Djakadam. He's fallen there twice.
"Don Cossack has been there twice. He fell the first time and the second time, in the Ryanair, it wasn't Bryan's finest moment and Bryan knows that himself.
"He nearly fell at the open ditch, which wasn't Bryan's fault, and then he got stopped. He got knocked back and Bryan made some wrong decisions. We'll ride him positively with a bit of light and see what happens.
"In the King George, I thought at the time we had Cue Card beat, but Ruby (Walsh, on Vautour was going to win the race. The rest is history. I wouldn't swap him."
Asked what he fears most, Elliott said: "Willie Mullins."
John Kiely's Carlingford Lough has won the last two Irish Gold Cups but was well beaten in this last year.
Kiely's wife Marian reported: "He has been good since his win at Leopardstown last time out. Last year when he ran in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the (soft) ground went against him. He ideally wants good ground, but not fast ground."
