Willie Mullins targeting another Ascot success

Willie Mullins was out of luck on his New York expedition on Friday but Ireland's champion jumps trainer will hope for better fortune on more familiar flat ground at Royal Ascot next week.

The Ascot Stakes on Day One of British racing's showpiece festival has proved a happy hunting ground for Mullins in the past with both Simenon (2012) and Clondaw Warrior (2015) winning under Ryan Moore.

The two and a half mile handicap is again in his sights next week and with up to five possible runners too including the Grade One Cheltenham winner Penhill.

“I’ve five left in, including Penhill. Then there’s Thomas Hobson, Whiteout, Riven Light and Laws Of Spin. We’ll work them later in the week and see what we’ll do but they’re all possible runners at this stage,” Mullins said on Monday.

Turf Club doctor ‘cautiously optimistic’ on Prendergast recovery

---

O’Brien odds-on favourite for Royal Ascot leading trainer title

---

Derby day will be ‘ultimate challenge’ for Curragh facilities

---

There are 1,000 Irish Derby tickets still available

---

The Grade One-winning hurdler Whiteout won on the flat at the Curragh over two weeks ago and is a 5-1 favourite for the marathon event in some betting lists.

Mullins has also twice tasted Royal Ascot success in the Queen Alexandria Stakes – Simenon (2012) and Pique Sous (2014) – which is the final race on the final day and the longest race on the cross-channel flat calendar.

He expects to be represented in that again next week but is doubtful about the 2015 Melbourne Cup runner-up Max Dynamite making the Ascot Gold Cup for which he remains a 20-1 shot.

Max Dynamite hasn’t run since finishing out of the money in last year’s Gold Cup and Mullins said: “He’s coming along but I think it will come too soon. He would have to do a very good bit of work later in the week but I doubt he’ll make it.”

Wicklow Brave and Clondaw Warrior are out of Ascot calculations after failing to make the frame in Friday night’s Belmont Gold Cup.

Mullins’s immediate focus is on his four runners at Roscommon’s Tuesday evening National Hunt fixture where the progressive Robin Des Foret will aim for four-in-a-row when he lines up for the novice hurdle.

These are likely to be more testing conditions than Robin De Foret has been winning on however so Blast Of Koeman's winning form on soft going could give him an edge.

Super Bowl starts his jumping career in the second of the maiden hurdles but First Class Ticket has jumping experience, including on soft ground conditions, to help his chance under Mullins's No 2 jockey, Paul Townend.

Bective Cave can defy a 6lb penalty for winning at Clonmel last Thursday in the first handicap hurdle and could get off the mark in the bumper.