RACING: Willie Mullins remains committed to getting stable star Florida Pearl ready for a crack at back-to-back successes in the Pertemps King George VI Chase on St Stephen's Day.
The trainer said yesterday that despite his charge having to miss an intended engagement at Punchestown after disappointing in a recent piece of work, he is confident that Florida Pearl will be ready to defend his crown at Kempton Park.
And if a dry spell of weather descends over southern England over the Christmas period, Mullins is hopeful that Florida Pearl can prove a tough opponent to beat in the three-mile showpiece.
With last year's rider Adrian Maguire having been forced into retirement through injury, his place in the saddle is set to be taken by Barry Geraghty.
"It's obviously disappointing that he won't be able to run in the John Durkan Chase but it is just a 10-day thing," Mullins reported.
"He was fairly fit already, so we will just treat him and with a couple of pieces of work he will hopefully be back at his best. He won't do anything more than walking for a few days.
"He had a hard race first time and maybe it put him under a bit of pressure which could have led to this.
"We have been to Down Royal with him four times and he won when it was decent ground but hasn't done so well on softer ground so maybe he is trying to tell us something.
"I would like to aim Alexander Banquet at the Hennessy, so maybe we might leave it with Florida Pearl this season and go straight from the King George to Cheltenham - have one good go at the Gold Cup.
"We will look at the Grand National but the Martell Cup and the Heineken are two good races around the same time so it could be a tough call.
"He might be too safe a jumper for Aintree as the only time he fell over fences he took about a year to get over it - he was making sure every time and being safe.
"But we will give him an entry and talk with the owner to see what we want to do.
"Alexander Banquet is 50-50 for Punchestown on Sunday - it could be a bit sharp for him. He could go straight for the Ericsson instead but I would like to get a pipe-opener into him.
"The Gold Cup and the Grand National will also be on the agenda later in the season."
Mullins is considering sending a sizeable raiding party to Kempton for the Pertemps Christmas Festival.
As well as Florida Pearl, stablemate Davenport Milenium is being aimed at the Pertemps Christmas Hurdle while Mullins is eyeing the Pertemps Feltham Novices' Chase for either One Night Out or Ballyamber.
The £100,000 bonus for any owner, trainer or jockey who wins all three of those races is again on offer and Mullins admits that it has attracted him into investigating the options for some of his string.
Other horses who could be in action at the two-day meeting included Macs Valley and Adamant Approach.
"Davenport Milenium was in great form until three weeks ago but he hates this wet and cold weather and it has set him back," said Mullins.
"The Christmas Hurdle would be the plan for him if I can get him back to form but if I can't then he would be put away until the spring.
"To be fair, the ground at Kempton would probably be better than anything we would get over here, so he might have to go. He definitely needs good ground."
Mullins confirmed yesterday that Saturday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup hero Be My Royal has been retired. The eight-year-old suffered a tendon injury during the Newbury feature.
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