Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Preview: Patrick Mullins’ Thoughts on Sea Of Sands
As the prestigious Club Godolphin Cesarewitch approaches, all eyes are on Sea Of Sands, the six-year-old favourite trained by the renowned Closutton team. With Patrick Mullins in the saddle, Sea Of Sands is currently the 7/2 favourite for this year's Cesarewitch, and anticipation is building for Saturday’s thrilling marathon race.
Despite having his first Flat run for the team, Sea Of Sands has already impressed. Mullins guided him to an emphatic maiden hurdle victory at Listowel last month, his first race in over 776 days. That win has set high expectations for the upcoming Cesarewitch.
Reflecting on the Listowel race, Patrick Mullins shared his insights during a Sporting Life video update. "He was doing some good work at home, and the very soft ground suited him that day," Mullins remarked. "He ran keenly, which isn't uncommon for an ex-Flat horse making their hurdles debut, but his performance was still excellent. Despite some novice jumping and keen running, he won easily, which highlights his incredible potential."
The key challenge for Sea Of Sands is the "bounce factor", given his extended time off before Listowel and the short turnaround of just 18 days between races. While an official rating of 100 is promising, Mullins admits that the quick return to the track after a long lay-off could pose difficulties.
"It’s not ideal to come back after such a long break, but that's how things worked out," Mullins explained. "We wanted to give him a prep run before the Cesarewitch, so I looked after him towards the end of the race at Listowel. I didn’t push him too hard, but my main concern is the bounce factor—how he’ll handle the short break after such a long layoff."
As Sea Of Sands prepares for Saturday's Club Godolphin Cesarewitch, racing fans are eager to see if he can live up to his favourite status. With his exceptional talent and Mullins’ expert guidance, Sea Of Sands is poised to be a serious contender in one of the season's most anticipated races.
