Big race gamble: Emmet Mullins Greatwood runner slashed into 9-2 from 12-1 📉

Emmet Mullins is a man familiar with big gambles as his horses are the subject of many. It’s very difficult to ignore a substantial market mover trained by him as it’s often justified. This becomes doubly difficult when he sends one to Britain to plunder a major prize. The Grand National-winning trainer is preparing to unleash one such runner in the valuable Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday. Having been available at 12-1 yesterday, the horse in question’s best price is less than half of that. Check out our free tips page for daily content across British and Irish racing.

Greatwood Handicap Hurdle

Thousand Tears (9-2, William Hill) is the subject of this major market move. A seven-year-old son of Recital, this horse only switched to the Mullins yard in July. He had one start on the flat at Galway six days after joining and finished ninth of 18 runners. It has been almost a year since the horse has been seen over hurdles.

Rather interestingly, the horse has been bought by Paul Byrne who owned The Shunter before he was purchased by JP McManus. That horse also won this race back in 2020 and was also well supported in the market. This smells like a plot and judging by the strength of the market support, many are under the same suspicion.

On his bare form, it’s hard to see him winning a race of this quality. His two hurdles wins have come over 2m4f, one in a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle and the other in a run-of-the-mill Killarney handicap off 109. Racing off 129 here, he has it all to do, especially having not won since July 2021. Emmet Mullins is sure to have a trick or two up his sleeve however and we know he can prepare one for this race.

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