Racing Post’s experts weigh in on whether your new favorite mystical power is the ultimate champion

Is new favourite Mystical Power your idea of the Supreme winner? But what did our experts make of the action?

Curiously for one so well-bred, Mystical Power has seemingly always been overlooked at Closutton. He won his bumper at Ballinrobe and started off over hurdles at Galway in the midsummer, so perhaps that has something to do with it. If he ran in his part-owner Susannah Ricci’s colours, I have no doubt he’d have more supporters, too. Nevertheless, he shows all the signs of a horse who is going to improve.

He was slightly keen, his jumping sharpened up throughout the contest, and he’s a powerful stayer, which is what you need in the Supreme. I thought he was beaten when he came under pressure around the final bend, but he soon swamped his rivals and hit the front travelling smoothly under Mark Walsh. Admittedly, the quality of the form can be questioned, but this year’s novices don’t look an exceptional bunch and given his connections and expected improvement, the 9-2 for the Supreme actually looks quite good value. He could go off much shorter on the day. I can see him shortening significantly given the Annie Power connection and he clearly has a huge engine. With the extra experience, that is not impossible and going a stride quicker could help his hurdling, although there has to be at least as much a chance it will show up any flaws in his technique even more obviously. I wonder if he might prove a real ‘Marmite’ horse on the preview circuit. If you do like him, I think he’ll be shorter than 9-2 on the day. The race may just be a little too much too soon. It was hard not to like his turn of foot though, and given Willie Mullins’ impressive record with jumpers going on the Flat, I’d be fascinated to see if he does end up being campaigned as a dual-purpose horse.

I don’t have a strong fancy in the Supreme, but the value for me at this stage would be No Flies On Him at 33-1. He probably doesn’t have the speed of Mystical Power, but I was impressed with his jumping and professionalism on his hurdling debut on Boxing Day. He’s a lovely each-way shout in an open race.