f that race well and he might move up to two and a half

Michael van Gerwen fully deserves to win more world titles after collecting another trophy at the Grand Slam of Darts, says Wayne Mardle. The world no 1 rarely looked in danger of losing his crown since the start of the tournament and retained the trophy with a 16-8 victory over James Wade in Sundays final.Van Gerwen has amassed a growing collection of silverware during his hugely successful career, but has won the PDC World Darts Championship on just one occasion in 2014. Michael van Gerwen admitted he was not at his best despite a comfortable win over James Wade Sky Sports expert Mardle admits that Van Gerwen will be hard to stop when the sports top competition starts next month, if he maintains his dominant form.I think it will just be a travesty. Ive said this before, hes too good to win one, Mardle told Sky Sports. Hes so dominant now, it would take a?Barney-like performance this year to stop him. Wayne Mardle on Michael van Gerwen We know no-one deserves anything, no-one deserves to be given a world title, but hes been unlucky. Hes played Phil [Taylor] in a final, hes played an inspired Gary Anderson when he got beaten in the semi-final. An inspired Raymond van Barneveld.Hes so dominant now, it would take a Barney-like performance this year to stop him. Those performances are not always there from everyone, are they? Wade was disappointed with his performance against Van Gerwen Wade briefly held a 3-1 lead over Van Gerwen and moved to within three legs during a brief rally, but Mardle never felt that Mighty Mike was under serious threat at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton.James didnt play particularly well, so Michael did enough, said Mardle. I didnt think at any point Michael was going to let that slip. From 11-8, he ran out the winner without dropping another leg. Hes just so dominant, he really is. Also See: MVG retains Grand Slam title On Sky TV Grand Slam of Darts recap MVG sets up Wade final Willie Mullins may have one eye on a first British champion trainers title but he has no intention of relinquishing his crown as King of Punchestown, when next weeks Festival gets underway. At last years Punchestown Festival, Mullins won an incredible 16 of the 37 races (43.2%) and he looks set to be well-represented throughout this years five-day meeting, running from Tuesday April 26 to Saturday April 30.The Punchestown Festival has been a happy hunting ground for us in the past and it produces some memorable races every year. Its a great opportunity for the public to see the cream of the crop from Cheltenham and Aintree go head-to-head on Irish soil, said Mullins. Punchestown always produce lovely, safe ground for the end of the season and the prize money is top-class, hence we always try to send as good a team as we can assemble each year.While Mullins is still finalising plans for some of his big guns, one thing is for certain - he has his eyes set on being leading trainer once again next week, something he has achieved at 13 of the last 15 Punchestown Festivals.The most exciting young chaser in training, Douvan, will not be taking up an entry at Sandown this weekend and instead heads to Punchestown next Thursday, April 28, for the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase. The six-time Grade 1 winner was successful at both Cheltenham and Aintree.Douvan looks the most likely of mine to go for the Ryanair Novice Chase. Hes in great nick, said Mullins.Annie Power, for many the best mare since the great Dawn Run, is set to appear in Fridays Grade 1 BETDAQ Punchestown Champion Hurdle on the back of her breathtaking victories in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and Aintree Hurdle at Liverpool. Ruby Walsh celebrates victory in the Champion Hurdle on Annie Power Although she holds other entries, the BETDAQ Champion Hurdle is Annie Powers main target, said Mullins. Itll be just over three weeks since her win at Aintree so that falls nicely and she came out of the Aintree race well. She has won the Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle at the Festival for the last two years. Sempre Medici will go for the Champion Hurdle as well.Meanwhile, another potential mare out of the ordinary could be on show in Saturdays Grade 1 AES Champion 4YO Hurdle. Apples Jade, a 41-length winner at Aintree, is more likely to go for that contest than the Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle the same day.Apples Jade is in the Mares Champion too but this race is probably the best option for her. She has come out of Aintree well. Voix Du Reve could go as welll, said Mullins.Mullins has won all three runnings of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle and he hopes that Cheltenham winner Limini can enhance that record.Limini looks to be the obvious one for this race - shes well but there are others with chances in this too like Lets Dance and Myska.Theres also a possibility that Vroum Vroum Mag might go there, depending on what happens with her this weekend, added Mullins.Next Tuesday, Mullins confirmed that Yorkhill will bid to complete a Cheltenham/Aintree/Punchestown treble when lining up in the Grade 1 Herald Champion Novice Hurdle.Yorkhill would look to be my best chance in this race. He seems fine after what might have appeared to have been a hard race at Aintree, and hell head my team. We have a number of others engaged but hes the number one, he said. Yorkhill will bid for a big-race treble at Punchestown Those at the moment likely to start in Tuesdays Grade 1 BoyleSports Champion Chase include last years winner Felix Yonger and Twinlight.Twinlight is very well and will definitely run - it will be his fifth run at the Punchestown Festival - but well have tto see after that.dddddddddddd Felix Yonger won this race last year so he could return to defend his title, said Mullins.In Tuesdays Grade 1 Growise Champion Novice Chase, Mullins is hopeful that Outlander can make amends for a fall at Cheltenham and subsequent defeat at Fairyhouse.Outlander will probably run in the Growise Champion Novice Chase, added Mullins. He was going well at Cheltenham before falling and was a close second at Fairyhouse. Prior to that he was unbeaten in three runs this season and finished third to Nichols Canyon in a Grade 1 hurdle at Punchestown last year. He could well be joined by Roi Des Francs. Shaneshill is not out of it either but it depends whether we decide to stick to hurdles with him or go back over fences.Mullins is likely to have at least a couple of runners in the sensational Grade 1 Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday.The Cheltenham Gold Cup second and third, Djakadam and Don Poli, look set for a rematch with the winner Don Cossack. Ryanair Chase winner Vautour is a likely starter if not travelling to Sandown on Saturday.Djakadam and Don Poli are being lined up for the Gold Cup as things stand. Vautour and Sir Des Champs are possibles for Sandown but if they dont go there they could come into this race as well, he said.Mullins will field a strong team in Wednesdays Grade 1 Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle.Bellshill, who won the Attheraces.com Champion Bumper at Punchestown last year for us, will probably lead the team in the three- mile novice hurdle, he added. Looking down thorough my entries Arkwrisht, Stone Hard and Burgas are all possibles, as are previous course winners Thomas Hobson and Balko Des Flos so well have a few in that race.Stable stalwart Thousand Stars, a Grade 1 winner at Auteuil in November, is set to run in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle on Thursday, April 28.Thousand Stars is a definite runner, all going to plan, said Mullins. This will be his seventh Punchestown Festival and hes been a tremendous servant. He would have two Champion Hurdle wins there only for Hurricane Fly and he was third in another two Champion Hurdles won by The Fly. He won another Grade 1 for us on his last start and were looking forward to running him. Annie Power is in here but shes more likely to run in the Champion Hurdle. Nichols Canyon is a possible as are Shaneshill and So Young.Mullins has no less than 16 entries for the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle on Friday, April 29.He said: Petit Mouchoir, who was only beaten a neck in an Aintree Grade 1, has come out of that race well and he might move up to two and a half miles in this contest. We have a lot of good choices for this race and well really have to wait until closer to the day. Noel Fehily (L) riding Buveur DAir clears the last on his way to victory from David Mullins (R) riding Petit Mouchoir at Aintree Few victories last year brought Mullins more pleasure than when his son Patrick partnered Uncle Junior to win the FBD Chase for the La Touche Cup. The now 15-year-old, who also won the race in 2012, is set to bow out next week over Punchestowns famous banks course.Were really looking forward to bringing Uncle Junior again, continued Mullins. The La Touche Cup will be his swansong - hes going to be retired afterwards - but hes won two of them already and wed love to see him go out on a high.Looking at the rest of the week, Mullins added: Between the various handicaps and bumpers at the Festival we hope to have a formidable team next week. Sky Tickets Fast, secure racing tickets: Exclusive racing offers near you Also See: Live results service Full racecards Get Sky Sports ' ' '