Forgotten Willie Mullins star Impaire Et Passe nearing return

February 5, 2026

Forgotten Willie Mullins star Impaire Et Passe is nearing a return to the track with his spring target revealed.

The eight-year-old hasn’t been seen since he was brought down in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival last year.

Daryl Jacob explained the horse’s absence, former retained rider to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede from 2014 to his retirement in 2024, who now advises and represents the double green outfit.

“Impaire Et Passe is grand and he likes the nicer ground and at the moment it’s all a bit too soft and mucky for him. We want to have a nice spring with him so we want to keep him fresh and well for then.

“Good ground is key to him, he enjoys that and he’ll have options at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown

“He’s anything from two and a half to three miles and I think he will definitely stay, but I imagine he would start off over the intermediate trip and then work his way up.

“We would be hoping we could get him to Cheltenham and something like the Ryanair could be right up his street. Those spring festivals are where we want him racing really.”

The son of Diamond Boy was spotted working at Punchestown after racing on Wednesday alongside high-profile stablemates like Kopek Des Bordes.

IMPERIOUS.

Impaire Et Passe gives Willie Mullins and Paul Townend the perfect start at Aintree – he wins the EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase 🥇#ITVRacing | #TheOpeningShow | @WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend pic.twitter.com/bjkFpSaDSr

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 3, 2025

Impaire Et Passe Ryanair Chase odds could begin to shorten

On his only career trip to Prestbury Park, Impaire Et Passe walked away in glory three years ago when landing the Turners Novices’ Hurdle from stablemate Gaelic Warrior in second.

In 2026 those two could meet again in the Ryanair Chase if connections of Gaelic Warrior opt for that route instead of a tilt at the Gold Cup.

A fabulous novice chaser last season, Impaire Et Passe was excellent in winning the top-level Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree and the form has worked out nicely with Nicky Henderson’s Jango Baie close behind him.

Mullins had previously mentioned the John Durkan Chase as a target for the five-time Grade 1 winner to start the campaign but the current National Hunt season hasn’t been short of rainfall and this horse is known to put his best foot forward in the spring.

He thoroughly enjoys that time of year, also an Aintree Hurdle champion in 2024 and alongside the Ryanair he also holds an entry in the Gold Cup.

Jacob mentioned he could start off at an intermediate trip and work his way up, giving the impression the Aintree Bowl could be on the agenda after Cheltenham.

Impaire Et Passe is available at as big as 20/1 for the Ryanair at the time of publishing.