Willie Mullins reckons Ladbrokes Trophy favourite Total Recall ‘has a lot going for him’
WILLIE MULLINS believes his ante-post favourite Total Recall has a lot going for him in Saturday’s £250,000 Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury.
The 9-2 shot won the Munster National on his first start for him after joining his Co Carlow yard when Sandra Hughes packed up training.
With Ruby Walsh out with a broken leg Paul Townend will take the ride.
Mullins said: “Everything went well for him at Limerick – he missed a few early fallers and the schmozzle in the race. He came through and won very handily in the end.
“You need a lot of luck in these big handicaps, which we had last time. It’s very hard to win two big handicaps in a row.
“He’s doing everything right at home and I don’t know if the handicapper has caught up with him or not. If the weights stay as they are he has a lovely racing weight.
“The trip will be fine for him and he jumps well, so he has a lot of things going for him.”
Mullins has three of the 22 entries with Children’s List and Pleasant Company also likely to make the trip.
He added: “Children’s List is a horse that can win a nice race somewhere.
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“He is in good order and was travelling so well in the Grand National until he made that mistake.
“Hopefully we’ll get to Aintree with him again next year but he has a lovely racing weight and has a good each-way chance on Saturday.”
Second favourite American – unbeaten in three novice chase starts last season – is bang on course for the Ladbrokes Trophy, formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup.
His trainer Harry Fry said: “It’s always been the plan to come here first time out as his knees are not great. He’s got an ideal profile for the race.
“Noel Fehily sat on him last week and he was thrilled with him.”