Willie Mullins is ready to unleash two of his biggest stars this week, while Noel Meade has joined an exclusive club with his 3,000th winner. Aidan O’Brien has gone big with his Hong Kong entries, and Supreme hero Old Park Star could be jumping fences for the first time on Monday. Here is the racing news today, rounded up for Wednesday.
Il Etait Temps and Kopek Des Bordes return for Mullins
Willie Mullins has two of the most exciting chasers in his yard pencilled in for comebacks this week. Champion Chase hero Il Etait Temps, who also won the Punchestown Champion Chase in the spring, is the headline act in Thursday’s Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at 3.10pm, with Paul Townend booked to ride.
Kopek Des Bordes is then entered in the Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Chase at Naas on Sunday at 2.39pm. It would be his first run since falling at the second-last in a Grade 1 at Punchestown in April, and his return over two miles will tell us plenty about where he fits into the Mullins pecking order this winter.
Noel Meade brings up 3,000 winners
Noel Meade reached 3,000 career winners when Mickey Cohen landed a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on Tuesday. The 15/2 shot got up by a nose under Sam Ewing, ending a wait that had stretched back to Wynette’s 2,999th success at Navan on 21 October.
The seven-time Irish champion jumps trainer, who saddled his first winner, Tu Va, at Wexford in 1971, admitted he had not realised he was so close to the milestone, joking that waiting for the 3,000th had been like looking for hen’s teeth. Mullins, O’Brien and Dermot Weld are the only active Irish trainers with more winners.
O’Brien targets Hong Kong with star-studded squad
Aidan O’Brien has entered Benvenuto Cellini, fresh from his Breeders’ Cup Turf win, in both the Hong Kong Vase and the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin on 13 December. Diamond Necklace, four-time Group 1 winner Minnie Hauk and 2025 Derby winner Lambourn are also among his nominations for the same two races.
Benvenuto Cellini’s Keeneland success took O’Brien level with his own record of 28 Group or Grade 1 winners in a year, so Hong Kong offers him the chance to set a new mark. He has won the Vase three times, with Highland Reel in 2015 and 2017 and Mogul in 2020, all under Ryan Moore.
Old Park Star set for Carlisle chasing bow
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Old Park Star could make his chasing debut at Carlisle on Monday. Nicky Henderson has entered the six-year-old, unbeaten in four starts over hurdles, in the 1.52pm Graduation Chase, with Nico de Boinville down to ride.
Old Park Star won all four of his starts over hurdles last season, beating Sober Glory and Mydaddypaddy in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, and Henderson has previously pointed to the Shloer Chase and the Tingle Creek as early-season targets over fences.
Racing today
The first and last race times below are from the live racecards when this draft was built. Check for late changes before publication.
Musselburgh — first race: 12:05 · last race: 15:50
Nottingham — first race: 12:15 · last race: 15:55
Chepstow — first race: 12:20 · last race: 16:10
Wexford — first race: 13:00 · last race: 16:20
Kempton — first race: 14:25 · last race: 18:30
Dundalk — first race: 16:05 · last race: 19:15
[View today’s racecards] · [Latest non-runners] · [Today’s results]