Willie Mullins has faith that Kopek Des Bordes can overcome inexperience in the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle champion of 2025 followed a tried and tested route to novice chasing this season. However, off-course issues have ensured he has only raced once over fences thus far. That came at Navan in November, at which he won by 13 lengths.
It was reported early that he would miss any Christmas engagements. He was then also ruled out of the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival, meaning that the Arkle at Cheltenham would be just his second run over fences under rules.
Should he be fit enough to run in the Arkle, he will face stern opposition. Lulamba is the ante-post favourite for the race for Nicky Henderson, while Romeo Coolio may run too for Gordon Elliott.
“We’re up against it on statistics” – Mullins
The history of those running in the Arkle after just one chasing run is not positive.
Nevertheless, Mullins is hopeful that Kopek Des Bordes has the class to overcome his inexperience.
His work at home is cause for optimism in particular. Speaking to Racing TV, Mullins said: “I would prefer him to have more experience of course, but I was very happy with how he worked in Punchestown the other day – somebody described it as an explosive piece of work and it wouldn’t be my style to describe it like that, but he worked very well.
“I put him in with a few other horses and they went two miles at racing speed. That was our objective, and I wanted to bring him to a race meeting on a raceday as well.”
Mullins also admits that Kopek Des Bordes was close to being fit for the Dublin Racing Festival. However, he favoured a testing workout over a hard race against some battle-hardened rivals.
“I didn’t want the hardship that he might get by running in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown. I didn’t want him to be pushed out, but I wanted him to have a hard bit of work and he got that and the further and faster he jumped the better he jumped.”
Mullins is fearful of the trend against once-raced Arkle runners, but retains belief that he can emulate the outliers.
“We’re up against it on statistics, but Well Chief won the Arkle off one run and so did Western Warhorse when he beat Champagne Fever.”
The Arkle will be the second race at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday 11 March.