Willie Mullins, one of the most successful trainers in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, is gearing up for a historic moment with his star chaser, Galopin Des Champs, who is aiming to become the first Irish-trained horse since the 1960s to win a third consecutive Gold Cup. However, while the Gold Cup is the highlight of the festival, Mullins has identified a different horse as his “banker” bet of the week: Kopek Des Bordes, the hot favorite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Kopek Des Bordes, a five-year-old gelding, has been unbeaten in his three career starts so far, quickly earning a reputation as a potential star. The horse’s recent victory in a Grade One novice hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown has firmly established him as the horse to beat in the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival. Mullins was effusive in his praise for the horse’s performance, which exceeded even his own expectations.
The gelding’s debut over hurdles at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting had raised some questions, as he showed a somewhat erratic jumping style. However, his improvement was evident in the following race at the Dublin Racing Festival, where he took on a field of high-quality competitors and won in spectacular fashion. Mullins revealed that he was taken aback by how easily Kopek Des Bordes handled the race, even though the conditions weren’t ideal for such an inexperienced hurdler.
Mullins recalled that the performance left him in awe, saying it “blew my mind.” His reaction was shared by fellow trainer Ted Walsh, who described the performance as one of the most impressive he had seen since the 1978 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle win of Golden Cygnet. That praise was especially meaningful, coming from someone of Walsh’s stature in the sport.
Jockey Paul Townend, who was aboard Kopek Des Bordes during his Dublin Racing Festival victory, echoed Mullins’ astonishment. After the race, Townend told Mullins that the horse “ran away with him three times in the race.” He added that, for most horses, such a display of power and enthusiasm would have cost them their chance of victory. For Kopek Des Bordes, however, it only served to demonstrate the horse’s extraordinary ability.
While Kopek Des Bordes is the trainer’s banker for Cheltenham, much attention will also be focused on Galopin Des Champs, who is aiming to join the ranks of racing legends like Best Mate and Arkle with a third Gold Cup victory. Mullins, however, is keeping his expectations grounded as the race draws near. The Irish trainer has been careful not to get ahead of himself, knowing that the build-up to such a prestigious race is often fraught with uncertainty.
Mullins revealed that every day he wakes up, he’s thankful that he hasn’t received any negative reports about his horses. He reflected on his own father, Paddy Mullins, who trained the legendary Dawn Run, and the caution he displayed when dealing with racehorses. He recalled a time when Gaye Brief, the favorite for the 1984 Champion Hurdle, was injured just two weeks before the race, which left his father feeling the fragility of the sport. Willie Mullins has carried that same mindset into his own training career.
The next few weeks will be critical for both Kopek Des Bordes and Galopin Des Champs as they continue their preparations for Cheltenham. For Mullins, the hope is that his horses stay in good health and that the dream of a third Gold Cup and a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle win can be realized. However, as he learned from his father, racing is a sport filled with unpredictability, and every day without bad news is considered a blessing.
