Punters latch onto ‘very interesting’ Willie Mullins runner as he halves in price for £500,000 Ebor handicap at York

A WILLE MULLINS horse has caught the eye of punters after it was cut from 33-1 into 16s for the £500,000 Ebor handicap at York on Saturday.

Mullins has won the 1m6f marathon twice, in 2009 with Sesenta and last year with Absurde, who set off 7-1 under Frankie Dettori.

Now his runner Hipop De Loire, a seven-year-old who moved to the Champion Irish trainers’ yard in July and was a close second on his first start for the Irish handler in Galway on August 3, is all the rage.

Mullins’ son, Patrick, said: “Hipop De Loire was second in a hurdle in Galway earlier this month.

“I think Hipop De Loire is very interesting and he’s got a great chance.

“He’s the type maybe to improve more than Jackfinbar and it’ll only be his second run for us.

“It looks to be a lucky race for us as we’ve won it twice.”

Mullins’ also has 25-1 shot Lot of Joy in the race, which, as always looks to be very competitive.

The market is currently headed by three 8-1 shots after five-day confirmations on Monday.

Epic Poet was an unlucky second in the £100,000 Duke of Edinburgh Stakes handicap at Royal Ascot, and his trainer Davide O’Meara will be gunning to go one better.

Irishman Dermot Weld’s four-year-old Harbour Wind won a Listed race last time out in June, and has never been out of the top two in all his starts.

Naqueeb, trained by Newmarket’s William Haggas, is also having a crack at the monster prize pot after achieving mixed results in Group 2 company.

Aidan O’Brien also has a good shot at the mammoth prize pot with Queenstown, whilst Hughie Morrison’s fan favourite Not So Sleepy and Andrew Balding’s Fairbanks are also in contention.

Sky Bet Ebor Handicap odds via SkyBet (five places)

13-2 Epic Poet, Queenstown
9-1 Magical Zoe
10-1 Fairbanks, Harbour Wind, Burdett Road, Naqeeb
11-1 Hipop De Loire
14-1 Relentless Voyager, My Mate Mozziem Ziggy
16-1 Onesmoothoperator, Shadow Dance
20-1 Crystal Delight, Night Sparkle, Wise Eagle
25-1 bar

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