THE jumps season has officially kicked into gear – after napping bookies were forced to cut the price of a Willie Mullins superstar.
Kopek Des Bordes’ owner Charlie McCarthy all but confirmed his brilliant Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner will have the Arkle as his big season target.
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The five-year-old was an awesome winner of the Cheltenham curtain-raiser but flopped at the Punchestown Festival when sent off 30-100.
That was the sole defeat of his five-race career and came after back-to-back Grade 1 wins by 15 lengths.
Mullins had raised the possibility of him staying over hurdles after his Supreme victory.
But owner Charlie McCarthy told popular X account Road To Cheltenham it was ‘more than likely’ the Arkle would be his major goal.
He said: “We’ll more than likely go the Arkle route, you’d imagine how he won over two miles so well.
“We are always guided by Willie but he’s always said he is a chasing type.”
If Mullins, who is notorious for chopping and changing running plans at the last minute, does decide on the Arkle, then it could set up a huge clash with Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba.
He was chinned by 100-1 outsider Poniros in the Triumph having looked home and hosed.
But gained revenge on Tony Bloom’s roughie when bolting up at Punchestown and stamping himself down as a star of the future.
Lulamba remains at the head of the market for next year’s Arkle at as short as 4-1.
But Kopek Des Bordes was cut with a few firms, notably Paddy Power and Sky Bet, from 7s into 5-1.
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