Willie hopes Clay Pigeons will take flight at Catterick

WILLIE Mullins' name may not be one of the more regular sights on a Catterick racecard but it feels foolish to ignore his Clay Pigeons in the concluding Racing Again December 28 Open National Hunt Flat Race.

- By ADAM MORGAN

Willie Mullins

The Closutton handler saddled his first winner in Britain for the campaign when Il Etait Temps won the Tingle Creek and while this is at the completely opposite end of the scale, when the Mullins battalion board the ferry they are not doing so for the day out.

The five-year-old was a bumper winner for Mullins' nephew Emmet back in April and it is interesting connections have opted to stay on the level rather than taking up a Newbury hurdles entry on Wednesday.

Bollin Neil is another more accustomed to being spotted on the level, but he is no stranger to an appearance at the North Yorkshire track.

Trained by Tim Easterby, eight of the nine-year-old's 12 victories have come at this venue, including twice over the course and distance when venturing over timber.