Fun Fun Fun and Regent's Stroll set for Super Sunday at Exeter
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sun 9 Feb 2025
By Graham Clark
Leading amateur rider and breeder Patrick Mullins believes Fun Fun Fun can enhance her position as one of his favourites by solving the mystery in the newly created Agatha Christie Mares’ Novices’ Chase on Super Sunday (February 9th) at Exeter.
The seven-year-old mare will bid to give trainer Willie Mullins his second winner at the track in the newly created £40,000 Listed contest, which is named in honour of the famous author, who was dubbed “The Queen Of Crime”.
It will be the second time that Fun Fun Fun has appeared at the Devon course having given Mullins a breakthrough winner at the track 12 months ago when landing the Listed novices’ hurdle on the same card.
The daughter of Martaline made the perfect start over fences last month under Grade One-winning rider Mullins when seeing off seven rivals in a two and a half mile mares' beginners chase at Naas.
Fun Fun Fun was slick at Naas (Healy Racing)
And although Mullins will be replaced in the saddle by J J Slevin, he will be watching the extended two miles and one furlong race with interest back home in Ireland having bred the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned mare.
Mullins said: “She jumped brilliantly on her chasing debut at Naas. She is not very big, but she was good at her fences and I think she will be a better chaser than she was a hurdler.
“She is very tough, but she is her own worst enemy as she wants to do too much, too early in a lot of her races. I think fences will bring out the best in her as they settle her better.
“She won around Exeter at this meeting last year and it was either this or the Opera Hat at Naas against the likes of Dinoblue and Allegorie De Vassy so it made sense coming here.
“Her pedigree is all stamina, but she was too keen over hurdles. However, I think over fences the more racing she does, the better she will settle. Over fences, I can't see the drop back in trip being any problem.
“We bought her dam in foal as someone else chose the covering so we can’t take all the credit, but we are very lucky to have her as the first one.
“She is one of my favourites and she has a couple of relatives coming along behind her, but I’m getting great support out of following her.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be there as I will be riding at Navan so I’ll be watching on the television, but we are expecting a big run.”
Regent’s Stroll seeks to get back on track
Paul Nicholls believes the Listed trustatrader.com Novices’ Hurdle is a ‘nice spot’ for Regent’s Stroll, above,to get his career back on track after surrendering his unbeaten record on his Grade One debut on his most recent start.
The six-year-old, who is part owned by former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, blotted his copy book when proving too keen to do himself justice upped to an extended two and a half miles in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December.
However, Nicholls feels Regent’s Stroll, who was purchased by his current connections for £660,000, a world record price for a Jump horse in training, can atone that defeat by making the most of a drop in both class and trip.
Nicholls said: “He was still learning at Newbury and it just didn’t happen for him. He was very keen when going down to post. We held him up over that extended two and a half mile trip and it didn’t really work.
“Harry (Cobden) said to me that his race was run at Newbury before the tapes went up. He has just got to learn to settle and get more experience into him. I always thought this race was a nice spot for him.
“He was right on edge in the stable beforehand at Newbury. When he ran in his bumpers last season he was asleep as he didn’t quite know what was going on.
“It won’t hurt dropping back down in trip around somewhere like Exeter as he won over two miles at Newbury first time out so it won’t be a problem. We have done a bit more with him since and I’m very happy with him.”
And should Regent’s Stroll find the back of the net in the extended two mile contest Nicholls admits he could follow in the hoofprints of Noland, who went on to win the 2006 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival following his victory in this race.
Nicholls added: “I probably would have liked to have got at least another run or two into him, but we can’t change that now.
"Ultimately his long-term career is going to be a chaser so I’m just getting some experience into him.
“I can’t wait until he goes novice chasing in the autumn as that will be his job. He is obviously a smart horse that will keep getting better, but he has got to learn to relax.
“Whether we find another small race and then go to Aintree or whether we go for a Supreme I’m not sure. I’ve won this race before with Noland and then gone and won a Supreme. You wouldn’t rule anything in or out.”
Pony Soprano will do better over fences
Among those taking on Regent’s Stroll in the extended two-mile test is previous course winner Pony Soprano, who will be flying the flag for Grade One-winning trainer Dan Skelton.
And with the six-year-old having finished third in the Grade Two Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park on his last start Skelton, who won the race in 2022 with Lac De Constance, believes the gelded son of Blue Bresil should be well suited to this test.
Skelton said: “He was good at Exeter on his debut over hurdles, but he didn’t do a lot wrong when he was beaten over two and a half miles in the Grade Two at Sandown Park.
"Even though Harry (Skelton) eased him near the end it was still a good run.
“Put it this way I wouldn’t be going two miles around Ludlow with him, but two miles around Exeter is acceptable as the layout of the track lends itself to that.
“I’m not over egging the pudding with him as a hurdler as I would be more interested with him in what he can do as a chaser.”
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