Willie Mullins bites back at punters after they claim he ‘bottled’ running superstar horse Gaelic Warrior

WILLIE MULLINS has hit back at punters after they claimed he ‘bottled’ running superstar horse Gaelic Warrior against Marine Nationale.

The showdown was set to be the highlight of day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday.

PA

Punters had been hoping to see Gaelic Warrior take on Marine Nationale[/caption]

Master trainer Mullins had hinted at dropping Rich Ricci’s stunning chaser into the two-mile Irish Arkle against last year’s Supreme Winner.

But Gaelic Warrior, owned by Rich Ricci, was missing from the final declarations when they came out on Thursday morning.

It led to a surge of comments from fed-up punters on social media.

Some claimed Mullins had ‘bottled’ the almighty clash – while others were frustrated the horse wouldn’t run after Mullins hinted that he would.

But the 17-time champion trainer told the Racing Post the reasoning behind his late switch, something he has built up a reputation for over the years.

He said: “Horses change. Plans change. We try to work it the way we think is best going forward.”

Mullins said one way to avoid this confusion in future would be for him to ‘say nothing’.

But he reiterated his belief that plans are always fluid and can change from one day to the next depending on what the horse shows him on the gallops at home.

It means Barry Connell’s unbeaten Marine Nationale – who win the Supreme at last year’s Cheltenham Festival – will be up against just five others.

Three of those belong to Mullins in Facile Vega, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah.

While Gordon Elliott saddles Found A Fifty and Senecia runs for Vincent Halley.

Gaelic Warrior will instead line up in the 2m5f Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Sunday.

There was more disappointment for punters with the news the highly-touted Salvator Mundi would not run in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

Mullins had suggested the Triumph Hurdle chance, owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, was not showing the signs he’d liked to have seen in the build-up to the race.

And it means now he is likely to miss Cheltenham, with the Donnelly’s other runner, the Nicky Henderson-trained Sir Gino, heading the market.

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