Picture: Il Etait Temps on his way to victory at Aintree last time out (sportsmax.tv)
Hollywood Syndicate and Barnane Stud-owned dual Gr 1-winning chaser Il Etait Temps will be running on Thursday in the Gr 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase over two miles and half-a-furlong at Punchestown where he will atttenpt to exact revenge on Gaelic Warrior, who defeated him in the Gr 1 Arkle Challenge Trophy Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Trainer Willie Mullins said about his chances of winning the race, which is being contested by just four horses:
“I don’t think he underperformed at Cheltenham, I just think he’s learning all the time, and maturing and racing better. He’s learning how to settle over fences, which he didn’t do over hurdles.
I thought in Aintree he settled well, and jumped well, and he’s becoming more the finished article. It’s taken him a while.
Looking at Il Etat Temps, he’s not a traditional big, staying chaser, but I think as he goes further in trip, he’ll be better. He’s only about 16 hands, but he’s able to perform to a Grade One standard and beat those horses.
I just thought when I saw him walking round the parade ring at Aintree, I’ve never seen a horse move so well. The way he was striding out just at a walk, covering so much ground, hugely impressed me before the race. The break he got after Cheltenham, he just relaxed. He was so relaxed in the parade ring.
Does he not perform as well at Cheltenham? He obviously performed well twice in Leopardstown and then now in Aintree, so maybe just a flatter surface does do it for him and maybe a little better ground as well, though it was soft enough in Aintree. “
