Any thoughts that Willie Mullins – dual Irish and British Champion Trainer – would take his foot off the accelerator any time soon seem to have been quashed recently. The Sun reported that Mullins went on a shopping spree in France recently, splashing £1 million on new recruits for the upcoming jumps season, every one of them “quality”. The fact that Mullins constantly raids the best of the French stock for owners like the Ricci Family is no secret, of course, but the Closutton trainer’s recent dominance has shone a spotlight on his operations. Mullins will once again be the man to beat in Britain and Ireland in this new jumps season.
There’s some good news for Mullins, too, on the injury front, with the long-awaited return of Energumene now expected sometime in December. The two-time Champion Chase winner was last seen all the way back in April 2023 at Punchestown, where he duly dispatched Chacun Pour Soi to win yet another Grade 1 event. All in all, Energumene has ten wins from 12 runs, including six Grade 1 victories. His battles against Shishkin were among the big talking points back in 2022.
Energumene Not the Favourite for 2025 Champion Chase
Looking at the ante-post horse racing betting markets, we can see that Energumene is trending around 7/1 to 10/1 to win a 3rd Champion Chase at Cheltenham next March. Those odds do suggest the question marks of coming back from injury after such a long lay-off. Jonbon, Gaelic Warrior and El Fabiolo are all priced shorter than Energumene in the ante-post markets, and Marine Nationale is up there, too.
Still, there is a long way to go until the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, and it’s worth noting that most of the runners in the ante-post markets haven’t been in action yet this season. There is always a bit of guesswork when laying out predictions at such an early point in the season. Some of the big names will struggle, whereas we will start to see some surprise contenders get into the mix. That’s the beauty of these early weeks and months as things begin to heat up on the road to Cheltenham.
December Return Is on the Cards
As for Energumene, Mullins has pinpointed a return in December, although one of the characteristics of the Irish trainer has always been patience. If it’s not the right time, he won’t force the issue. Mullins can be enigmatic at times when he is talking to the media, but he is also frank, and if there is any suggestion that Energumene won’t be able to get back to his best, Mullins will say it.
The goal, of course, is to emulate Badsworth Boy as a three-time winner of the Champion Chase. It’s not ideal to attempt it as an 11yo, but it has been done in the past, most recently by Moscow Flyer (2005). Yet, Mullins can look to others for inspiration, not least Sprinter Sacre and Nicky Henderson. Sprinter Sacre’s emotion-laden win in 2016 was one for the ages, coming three years after his first triumph. Energumene has the chance to do something similar, making history in the process.