Money pours in for Willie Mullins runner ahead of massive clash with Gordon Elliott in blockbuster Grade 1

WILLIE MULLINS and Gordon Elliott are all set to lock horns in what promises to be a pulsating Group 1.

But the money is pouring in for the former in what will be a huge Cheltenham Festival trial.

Can Ricci land another Grade 1 with a hugely promising novice hurdler?PA

Mullins has entered five runners in Sunday’s Lawlor’s of Naas at the Irish track of the same name.

In-form Elliott, whose big wins over Christmas included Grade 1s with Irish Point, Caldwell Potter and Found A Fifty, has three currently in the novice hurdle.

Henry de Bromhead, who achieved the Holy Grail of Festival wins in 2021, has one, as does Thomas Mullins.

The 2m4f Grade 1 is worth more than £50,000 to the winner.

But to punters the race is big because it will signal where horses are likely to run in March.

Elliott’s hugely promising Bective Stud-owned Firefox is the 7-4 fav for Sunday.

He is as short as 5-1 for the Ballymore – with the intermediate trip appearing to suit more than the 2m Supreme, for which he’s 16-1.

But with Mullins’ Ile Atlantique on the drift, cash has flown in for the Rich Ricci-owned Chapeau De Soleil.

The six-year-old son of Soldier Of Fortune is into as short as 7-2 from 7-1.

Elliott’s other entry Croke Park is weak, out to 11-2 from 5s, while De Bromhead’s An Tobar, third behind Grade 1 scorer Farren Glory, is 8-1.

Mullins also runs Mystical Power, who boasts an amazing pedigree being by Galileo and out of Annie Power.

Owned by racing powerhouses Ricci, JP McManus and John Magnier, the five-year-old is around 8-1.

Mullins also has 10-1 Lecky Watson and 16-1 Readin Tommy Wrong (16s) while Elliott could saddle 25-1 Jigoro.

Thomas Mullins will almost certainly have the outsider of the bunch if he runs Fascile Mode, who’s currently 100-1.

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