Willie Mullins has given updates on The Nice Guy, Sir Gerhard and Galopin Des Champs in his latest round of interviews.
The legendary trainer offered up a mixed bag with Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle The Nice Guy ruled out for the season.
The unbeaten seven-year-old was ultra-impressive in his novice hurdle season, winning at the Cheltenham Festival on just his second start over timber.
However, there has been disappointing news from the Closutton camp with the Malcolm Denmark-owned gelding meeting with a setback that will put him on the sidelines.
“Unfortunately, The Nice Guy is out for the season,” said Mullins.
“He has a problem behind, and it will take a few months to come right. It is a big disappointment to Malcolm Denmark and myself that The Nice Guy is out, but I don’t think he owes us anything so if he has to take the season off so be it.”
And Mullins refused to rule out a Champion Hurdle bid for Sir Gerhard.
He said: “I’ve got to have a good chat with the owners – when he won his maiden hurdle, he shaped like a Champion Hurdle horse, and he’s won a point-to-point, so he can go novice chasing.
“I was a little disappointed with a couple of his runs over hurdles, where he missed out hurdles and, at the start of the season I thought I would go novice chasing with him, but the more I look at the hurdles picture, I’m tempted to stay over hurdles with him.
“I have got to chat with Mrs Thompson and Chris Richardson, the whole Cheveley Park team, and see what their views are.
“There are pros and cons and my team at home are split on it as well. Obviously, he could go novice chasing then come back over hurdles, but I definitely haven’t ruled him out of a Champion Hurdle bid – we will see.”
And Mullins said he is pinning his Gold Cup hopes on Galopin Des Champs.
He said: “I hope he’s our Gold Cup horse for the year and he looks the part, he is doing everything right at home.
“He had one little setback a couple of weeks ago, but he’s back doing everything right again now and that’s just horses they all have setbacks.”
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