IRELAND have had a wonderful week, and Willie Mullins is hoping to add the Cheltenham Gold Cup to it.
Irish Hennessy winner Kempes represents the powerful County Carlow handler, who has already had two winners so far at the Festival.
Champion jockey Tony McCoy, who was unseated on Kempes in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December, is back on board after David Casey had partnered him to success in the Irish Hennessy.
Mullins is hopeful of a big run from his progressive eight-year-old.
He said: “Everything has gone right, he ran a cracker in the Lexus – Tony (McCoy) told me he still hadn’t gone for him when he fell at the second-last, and he franked that form in the Hennessy.
“David rode him there and got him jumping fantastically and in a great rhythm. He popped the last and won well. The ground drying will suit him and if he can get into a jumping rhythm early on and have a clear round, who knows what will happen.”
McCoy can’t wait to renew his partnership with the JP McManus-owned gelding.
The champion jockey said: “He was pretty good when I won on him in Punchestown last year and maybe it wasn’t a strong renewal of the Hennessy but he won quite well.
“He’s got plenty to find with the likes of Imperial Commander and Long Run, but it is the Gold Cup and you never know what can happen.
“Imperial Commander has had a quiet season but he has the form from last year. It's very hard to win back-to-back Gold Cups.”
