Punters on a loser over horse with no name

But since 1996, one name has dominated the roll of honour. County Carlow handler Willie Mullins has saddled the winner of four of the past five renewals, from Wither Or

Which and Florida Pearl to Alexander Banquet and, last year, outsider Joe Cullen.

It came as no surprise to hear he fancied one for 2001. But which one?

Entries close for Cheltenham's bumper a week today. Contenders must not have raced more than four times, but prior to next Monday they must have finished fourth or better in a bumper staged under British or Irish NH rules.

But when did a lack of solid evidence ever stop frenzied ante-post activity? The punting public needed a hero.

It looked like they'd found one when the Mullins-trained

Davenport Milenium trotted up by seven lengths at Leopardstown 17 days ago, staying on strongly despite testing ground.

But it was less his performance than what his trainer said that sparked a massive chain reaction.

"I have another one at home who is faster. He beat Davenport Milenium in a gallop," Mullins is on record as saying, but declined to name the beast.

Unusually, Cashmans responded by offering the winner at 12-1, yet with 'Unnamed (WP Mullins)' trading at 8-1. The hunt for his true identity began.

"I didn't mean to create this frenzy. I'm not in the habit of making large statements. It kind of slipped out after Davenport Milenium won and everyone jumped on it," Mullins now says.

"I've had people who vaguely knew me, and plenty who didn't, phoning me up and asking the horse's name.

"Every time we had someone round the yard, they asked which horse was 'the one'."

Days after Davenport Milenium's victory, one punter walked into Cashmans' Cork office and asked for a price about Bassett Tiger - an unraced, Mullins-trained bumper horse. Asked whether this horse was 'the one', he assented. Quoted 8-1, he promptly put IR£1,000 on it.

But Mullins then dropped a heavy hint that the Cork punter had got it wrong. "I'm still not going to name the horse," he tantalised.

"Bassett Tiger is good enough to go to Cheltenham, but so are all four unraced horses I entered at Fairyhouse."

Punters deduced the mystery horse was one of this trio - Hedgehunter, Ixion and Ultimate Accolade - although stablemates One Night Out and Summer In Siberia had since also recorded comfortable bumper successes, the latter particularly impressive.

Then last Friday, Belfast bookmakers Sean Graham unveiled the wonder horse.

A trickle of bets - none of them huge, but snowballing in effect - had been placed on Ultimate Accolade, a Gowran Park bumper starter the following day.

Opening at 12-1, this five-year-old was 9-1 to win and beat allcomers at Cheltenham without even stepping outside his yard.

Then, sent off the 1-2 favourite on his debut, he got turned over. A typical case of hype over matter. For good measure, Hedgehunter was also beaten the following day, albeit under an inferior ride. Both now trade at 20-1, so those punters on the unnamed bandwagon have got stung at 8-1.

"It's the old story - trainer says he's got four better at home," said Ladbrokes PR officer Mike Dillon. "It's a rare phenomenon for unraced horses to be backed in jumps racing. Cheltenham's Bumper is a recent innovation. But it happens a lot on the Flat.

"We get punters backing a yearling or even a foal to win the Derby, say, and all we have to go on is the breeding.

"But Cheltenham is so much of a pilgrimage for the Irish that they're always looking for a dark horse to back - and half the time it isn't there. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing."

But it can also be a profitable thing. Dillon recalls many small punters struck it rich when correctly predicting Lammtarra would win the 1995 Derby before he'd even run.

William Hill equivalent David Hood took several bets at 50-1 about a Henry Cecil-trained filly for the 1997 1,000 Guineas. Later named Sleepytime, she won.

Trainers are often reluctant to reveal the name of their fancied horses, sometimes for fear of the price collapsing before yard or owner can get on. Mullins has a different explanation.

"I'm not a gambler myself and I'm not keen on gambling owners. I didn't say which I thought was best because it wouldn't have been fair on other owners with dreams for their horses.

"You also run the risk of it blowing up in your face, which is where I am now," said Mullins.

"Besides, every horse is out there with a chance and what a horse does in work at home doesn't always translate to the racecourse.

"The very best often save their best for the track. I thought it was Ultimate Accolade, but now Davenport Milenium could be my best shot at Cheltenham after all."