WILLIE MULLINS has entered a ‘monstrous’ State Man supersub as one of three runners aiming to bring down Constitution Hill.
The all-conquering Irish boss has also entered superstar grey mare Lossiemouth and Coral Cup king Jimmy Du Seuil in a star-studded Aintree Hurdle next Thursday.
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But it is the entry of Kitzbuhel – who, like State Man, is owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly – that really catches the eye.
Mullins has been saving the five-year-old for Aintree having refused to run him at Cheltenham Festival.
The Closutton gaffer believes 2m4 on a flat track is perfect for him to make best use of his blistering speed and slick hurdling.
Whether he has anything like the level of ability needed to topple Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill is another thing.
But there is no doubt Mullins is keen to throw some of his big guns into next week’s Grade 1 at the Grand National Festival.
Paddy Power make Constitution Hill, who fell four from home in the Champion Hurdle, the 8-11 favourite.
Lossiemouth, who skipped that race in order to win the Mares’ Hurdle with ease, is 9-4.
Kitzbuhel – who punters have labelled ‘monstrous’ in his performances so far – and Jimmy Du Seuil are both 10-1 but there is no doubting which of the two is more unexposed and, in theory, open to more progress.
Mullins waxed lyrical about Kitzbuhel after his most recent win at Gowran Park in Ireland last month.
He said: “I love the way Kitzbuhel jumped, he’d have no trouble going over fences.
“I loved the way he stayed on when it looked like the race was over when he was taken on by Sir Gerhard and he had to find again to take on the challenge of Break My Soul.
“It’s the sign of a real good horse that he was able to pick up a second time.
“I’m probably looking at Liverpool more so than Cheltenham.
“With the timing of the race and the two and a half miles for the Liverpool Hurdle, Aintree would be a big possibility.
“I think he’d love to step up in trip and I’d have no problem going three miles.”
Those dreams look like being realised now, with the Donnelly’s State Man staying at home in order to go for his third Punchestown Champion Hurdle in a row.
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