Cheltenham Festival 2017 – Ante-post favourite Carter McKay heads five entries for Willie Mullins in the Champion Bumper
Mullins' six-year-old has won at Leopardstown and Naas the last twice and is well fancied to give his trainer an incredible ninth win in the race
CARTER McKay spearheads Willie Mullins' team of five for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper as the trainer looks for an incredible ninth win in the race.
Having ridden his first winner himself in 1996 when Wither Or Witch was successful, the likes of Florida Pearl and Champagne Fever all gained their first notable wins in the race.
"Carter McKay could look the one on his form of the last day. He'd been doing nice work at home before Naas and his performance was better than I hoped, but you don't go expecting performances like that.
"That performance would compare to anything. A horse that can win around Naas doing that is a fair machine. I wonder if Joseph's (O'Brien, West Coast Time) horse ran up to speed.
"Next Destination works well and Ballyward is fine, if he recovers from the pulled muscle."
Nicky Henderson, who has never won the race, has entered Daphne Du Clos, Dan Skelton has given Cause Toujours the option with Irish Roe also there for the small yard of Peter Atkinson.
Western Ryder, West Coast Time and Debuchet are others in the mix.