Mystical Power© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins expects to have a clearer idea of where Mystical Power fits in his formidable squad of hurdlers after he takes on Sir Gino in the BetMGM Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.
While the absence of the sport's pre-eminent star Constitution Hill is undoubtedly disappointing, his defection has at least thrown up a mouthwatering clash between two rising stars.
Mystical Power is regally-bred as a son of the great Galileo out of brilliant racemare Annie Power and has won four of his five starts over obstacles to date, his only defeat coming at the hands of Slade Steel when filling the runner-up spot in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
The five-year-old, who is owned by the powerhouse trio of John Magnier, JP McManus and Rich Ricci – and will this season carry the colours of the latter – went on to win Grade Ones at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring and will on Saturday bid to provide Mullins with his first ever Fighting Fifth success.
“It’s funny how the race cuts up, I thought Mystical Power would be about 10 or 12lb out on ratings, but I think he’s now 2lb well-in with Sir Gino on last year’s juvenile ratings,” said the Irish and British champion trainer. “It will be a very interesting and informative race.
“I had thought about running Mystical Power over fences, as he’s a hell of a jumper over a fence, we’ve schooled him a couple of times. I said so to Rich and JP, that if this hurdling lark doesn’t go well for him, he can go novice chasing, but that is looking like next year now at this stage of the season.
“I think I’m right in saying he could be the best Galileo over fences! There’s only been a few but he’ll vie for that slot if he ever goes chasing.
“He’s so sharp – he’s a two-miler. We didn’t run on the Flat but what would he be – maybe he could be a Gold Cup horse. We’ve thought about it, but at the moment we’re just thinking of jumping.”
Mystical Power kicked off his career in minor events at Ballinrobe and Galway last year, which is perhaps a measure of the regard in which he was held at the time.
Mullins added: “He surprised us a fair bit. We didn’t run him at two or three because he wasn’t good enough.
“We shouldn’t be surprised because his mother was a late developer. Jim Bolger trained her and he never ran her at two or three, so it tells me she wasn’t catching his eye either.
“Quevega was the same, her breeder told me she’d be slow to mature. We’re lucky we have people who are not afraid to wait and maybe get the best out of them.”
Having won on his only start in France, Sir Gino quickly established himself as one of the stars of the juvenile hurdling division after joining Nicky Henderson last season.
He obliged on his Kempton introduction before blitzing Burdett Road on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham – and while he missed the Triumph Hurdle in March, he signed off with a top-level victory at Aintree.
The four-year-old was all set to embark on a career over fences this autumn, but the latest setback suffered by Constitution Hill prompted the Seven Barrows handler to shuffle his pack.
Sir Gino clearly worked better than his illustrious stablemate in a public gallop at Newbury last week and Henderson does not see the late change of plan as a major issue.
He told Unibet: “As has been very well publicised, this was not the original plan, because we were all set to go chasing, which we could still easily do, but for the time being this is where he is and I’ve been very happy with his preparation.
“He schooled over hurdles on Tuesday and was very good. I must admit this is a very strong renewal of the Fighting Fifth, and Mystical Power has looked very good, but we have always held Sir Gino in extremely high regard and we will at least have a much clearer idea of which way his season might go after this.”
Other contenders include the Sam Thomas-trained Welsh Champion Hurdle winner Lump Sum and Dan Skelton’s mare Take No Chances, but Harry Derham has declared Brentford Hope a non-runner on account of unsuitable ground.
