Shrewd Emmet Mullins Looking For More British Success With Cape Gentleman

Shrewd Irish handler Emmet Mullins is looking to land more British glory with Cape Gentleman as the trainer is set to send him to Aintree in April.

The Emmet Mullins trained five year old was a superb horse on the flat last year, landing the Irish Cesarewitch in October and from then he has been sent over hurdles.

He made a pleasing debut at Punchestown when a good winner of a Maiden hurdle that saw him beat some smart horses and off the back of that he stepped up for his first Grade One.

He went to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival and was unfortunately pulled up in the 2m6f, but was turned around quickly for the Grade Two Dovecote Novices' Hurdle over two miles and was a gritty winner of the event.

Mullins insists that he wants a staying trip and although winning over the minimum distance last time out he will go into two-and-a-half-mile Grade One at the Liverpool based track.

(Credit ATR) “Cape Gentleman will probably go to Aintree for the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One,” said Mullins.

“Ground is probably key to him – he’s by Champs Elysees, he definitely wants a bit of nice ground.

“We are taking a bit of a risk going back left-handed after Leopardstown went against us. There were a lot of things went wrong on the day at Leopardstown.

“We are probably taking a bit of a chance going back left-handed in Aintree but I think the ground could be most of it and we won’t know until we try.”

Emmet Mullins has been known recently for landing huge gambles with his horses, with one of his most prolific runners being The Shunter scoring three times in England after being well backed, the last time at the Cheltenham festival.

It would not be a surprise to see Cape Gentleman run a huge race at Aintree.