Hot To Trot: Mullins heating up

Jumps trainer: Willie Mullins

Willie Mullins is usually amongst the winners throughout the season and he hardly comes as a shock inclusion to this column, but he is currently the most in-form jumps trainer in Britain and Ireland according to our figures, slightly ahead of Alan King and championship rival Gordon Elliott, something which is well worth bearing in mind ahead of another key Sunday in Ireland. Sunday’s feature handicap – the Troytown – has gone to Elliott for three successive years, but Mullins has a few intriguing entries ahead of this year’s renewal which may well stop Elliott’s run, particularly the lightly raced pair of Pleasant Company and new recruit Acapella Bourgeois. Looking further ahead, Mullins has Laws of Spin entered in a listed race at Kempton on the Flat. He wasn’t seen to best effect in a similar race at Naas earlier in the month and is relatively fresh (only reappeared in July). Back over the sticks, Bravissimo has a couple of options at Punchestown on Wednesday. A lengthy sort, he looks the type to better his hurdling form over the larger obstacles at some stage and made a pleasing chasing debut at Wexford at the end of October.

Flat trainer: Jamie Osborne

Jamie Osborne last appeared in this column back in January and, though he has had plenty of winners on the turf over the summer since then, his runners are of particular interest during the winter months and he is enjoying good success on the all-weather already. Born To Finish hasn’t been with the yard long (formerly with Jeremy Gask) but produced a career best when winning at Kempton earlier in November. He needs a strongly-run race to be seen to best effect, but if getting one again he should be very competitive over the same C&D on Wednesday. On the same card, Reckless Endeavour is also interesting having been purchased for 50,000 guineas at the October Horses In Training Sale out of the Ger Lyons stable. Reckless Endeavour has won his last two starts on the polytrack (at Dundalk) and hasn’t had a great deal of racing, so could yet do better.

Under the radar: Malcolm Jefferson

One of the most in-form jumps trainers in the North at the moment is Malcolm Jefferson, who had four winners and five placed horses from his first 19 runners in November. He has a few interesting entries on Wednesday at Sedgefield and Wetherby, one being Robbing The Prey, who bettered his fair hurdling form on his first start over fences at the beginning of the month (form which looks solid) and could have more to offer given his lightly raced profile. Another lightly raced chaser who should do better is Secrete Stream, who has an entry for what would be his second start over fences on Wednesday at Wetherby. He ran well enough when fifth in a warm-looking race at Carlisle last time (struggled to land a blow on more prominently ridden opponents) and is entitled to progress from that.