Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Willie Mullins has won the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles a record six times and has saddled the winner in five of the past six years, including three times with Allaho. 

This year, the master trainer not only relies upon Appreciate It, who is back to defend the title he won so convincingly last year, but he has a further three horses in the race courtesy of James Du Berlais, Gentleman De Mee and Hercule Du Seuil. Here is a guide to each runner, including Jack Foley's Monbeg Park, with the race, run over an extended two and a half miles, due off at 3.20 on Racing TV.

Trainer: Willie Mullins. Jockey: Paul Townend. RaceiQ Jump Index: 7.3. Best odds: 10-11.

Appreciate It looked a star in the making when winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle by 24 lengths in 2021, but he has failed to add another Grade One success to his CV despite some decent efforts.

Although he has just turned 12, the son of Jeremy actually put up one of the best performances of his career last time out, only finding subsequent Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury too strong when giving him 10lb at this track over 2m6f.

He signed off last season with a decent second behind Gaelic Warrior in the bet365 Oaksey Chase at Sandown too, just three weeks after he was brought down in the Grand National.

Connections have campaigned this horse as a stayer on several occasions, but he has never won over further than 2m5f and this intermediate trip looks just right for him.

He would also not be inconvenienced by any lack of rain, as he led home a Mullins 1-2-3 in this last year by six lengths on good ground. Whilst he undoubtedly sets the standard on recent form, he does have a 5lb penalty to shoulder for last year's victory, which makes the race somewhat more intriguing.

Trainer: Willie Mullins. Jockey: Simon Torrens. RaceiQ Jump Index: 7.9. Best odds: 12-1.

An admirable performer, Hercule Du Seuil has won nine of his 19 races under rules but looks the stable's fourth string here, especially since he carries a 3lb penalty for his Grade Three win over Blood Destiny at Killarney in the spring and arrives here having been pulled-up at Leopardstown over Christmas.

That said, he was never expected to win the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase last time out, having been sent off at 33-1 against the likes of Solness, Marine Nationale and Majborough.

This step down in class obviously makes things easier and the step back up in trip probably does too, for all he has only run over this far twice before (with one victory).

In a race weak on obvious pace angles, it would be no surprise to see Simon Torrens send this horse forward early on, however he is yet to win at this level over fences and is likely to find a few too strong at the business end of the race.

Trainer: Willie Mullins. Jockey: Mark Walsh. RaceiQ Jump Index: 8.0. Best odds: 5-1.

This race is beginning to look like a veterans chase isn't it? The combined age of all five runners is 50, and here is the first of two ten-year-olds.

He is the equal to Appreciate It on official ratings (157) and escapes a penalty, so emerges as the best horse in the race in the eyes of the handicapper, but yet he finds himself as big as 5-1 for this race due to his recent form, or lack of.

A remote sixth at Tramore on New Year's Day, where the trip would probably have stretched him even on a going day, he began the campaign with another lifeless display when trailing home last of four in the Clonmel Oil Chase, 42 lengths behind runaway winner Il Etait Temps on what was his seasonal debut.

At his best, however, he would be an odds-on chance for this contest, having been rated 167 at his peak and with having emphatically won both the Maghull Novices' Chase and Dublin Chase in 2022 and 2023. He also won the Topham in April (ahead of the re-opposing James Du Berlais), so you do not have to go too far back for decent efforts.

He does have work to do with the favourite on recent evidence, but this return to better ground and a step back down in trip should, at least, see him produce an improved performance, and he has been the most solid jumper throughout his career according to RaceiQ.

Trainer: Willie Mullins. Jockey: Danny Mullins. RaceiQ Jump Index: 6.8. Best odds: 6-1.

The second ten-year-old in the race, he is the top-rated runner by 1lb with an official mark of 158 and shaped better than the bare result when finishing last of the three runners in the Howden Graduation Chase at Ascot last time out. He was beaten less than two lengths by the odds-on favourite Firefox and was conceding 3lb to the talented winner Iroko, and found himself short of room despite the small field.

He had previously been outclassed in the John Durkan when beaten a long way, although he stayed on quite well in that race to finish sixth and he wasn't helped by several jumping errors in that race, something which has became a bit of a habit. 

His tally of just two chases wins from 18 attempts is not encouraging either - his Grade Three win at Punchestown in the spring is his only Graded success, although he finished a very close second on two occasions in a couple of Grade One hurdles at four.

He does get his ideal trip and ground here, but there are risks attached.

Trainer: Jack Foley. Jockey: Jordan Gainford. RaceiQ Jump Index: 7.7. Best odds: 14-1.

Jack Foley and Donnchadh Doyle's son of Walk In The Park could only manage 14th in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown last month, but the writing was on the wall for many early on in that race after a standing start and he finished halfway down the 28-runner field conceding weight to most rivals.

The blinkers he wore for the first time there are kept on here and it will be interesting to see how he is ridden by Jordan Gainford, as he is a proven stayer and has largely been seen over three miles of late.

His best piece of recent form was in October, where he got within a length and three-quarters of Heart Wood in the Grade Three BetVictor Chase at Punchestown over 2m7f.

That form looks better now, with the winner having since ran out an impressive winner at Tramore on New Year's Day in a decent contest.

The nagging concern is whether Monbeg Park will be quick enough for this race, plus he is still yet to get his head in front at this level.

Several of these have something to prove and, despite his age, the defending champion APPRECIATE IT looks a worthy favourite based upon his mighty effort behind Affordale Fury last time. Stable companion Gentleman De Mee has disappointed so far this season but is a solid jumper and this shorter trip should be to his liking. He can give the selection most to think about.

1 APPRECIATE IT. 2 GENTLEMAN DE MEE. 3 JAMES DU BERLAIS. 4 MONBEG PARK. 5 HERCULE DU SEUIL.