Willie Mullins admits time is running out to give Mikael D’Haguenet a prep run ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. Last spring’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle victor has had no racecourse action since winning the Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in May.
“It’s getting quite late in the season and I can’t see myself entering him in the next 14 days,” he told At The Races. Everything is still left open with him. The fact the horse has so much experience is a big thing but if I can get him out before Cheltenham, he could go.”
The County Carlow trainer is also up against the clock to get Hurricane Fly ready for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle following a suspensory ligament injury. The six-year-old went into the summer as the ante-post favourite for the championship event after an emphatic victory at the Punchestown Festival. However, he suffered a surprise reverse on his only start this campaign when third to Solwhit back at Punchestown in November.
“He’s just making type of progress we’d expect him to make,” Mullins added.
“It would be very tough going to get him to Cheltenham.”
