Distance holds no fears for Mullins

BLAZING TEMPO has a rare double in her sights in next Wednesday’s Guinness Kerry National and champion trainer Willie Mullins is confident the three-mile trip at Listowel will be no problem.

This summer’s Galway Plate heroine tackles three miles for the first time in her career in the €160,000 highlight of next week’s Harvest Festival but Mullins is not overly concerned about that statistic for Blazing Tempo who currently shares 8 to 1 co-favouritism in some ante-post lists with Bideford Legend.

“When I bought her I was happy I was buying a stayer, a horse we would be hoping to race over three miles. Now a lot of people have said to me she is better at two and a half but she wasn’t stopping at the end of two miles and five at Galway and I think she’ll stay. I’ve been wrong before but I see her as a stayer down the road,” Mullins said yesterday.

Blazing Tempo edged out Wise Old Owl in a memorable Plate finish at Ballybrit, a victory that has seen her raised 12lb by the handicapper. However, she impressed in a piece of work yesterday morning and is set to be part of a likely three-strong Mullins raid, also including Uncle Junior and the topweight Scotsirish. Mullins won the Kerry National in back-to-back years with Bothar Na (2006) and Euro Leader (2005.)

“She has been put up but the first two finished well ahead at Galway.

“It’s a big jump but for a €160,000 race you’re not going to get anything easy,” he added.

“She goes well on good ground and has won on heavy so that doesn’t look to be a problem. It’s going to be interesting to see her at three miles and the weight will make a difference in a race like this. But we’re very pleased with her at the moment.”