GRAND National-winning jockey Patrick Mullins partnered two winners in his own silks at Clonmel on Thursday, scoring with a pair of recently-bought former point-to-pointers for his father, champion trainer Willie Mullins.

The pair began with heavily supported I Walked The Line (1/1 favourite) in the Rathronan Maiden Hunters Chase, which scored on debut, his first start since May.

Racing behind the leaders, I Walked The Line and eventual runner-up Magic Sadler went clear of their rivals from the third last, with the winner finding more to score by three lengths.

Mullins reported: “He is brilliant to jump, made one mistake which was my fault - but I liked him. We finished a long way clear of the third. We have been trying to replace Billaway and I had Cause For Comment last year who didn’t quite measure up, so I got this horse and I’m hoping to make him into a Billaway-type horse.

Attracted

“Being by Walk In The Park attracted me to him, as I love those, and he is for sale to stay in the yard. Cormac Doyle, who is fairly sharp, recommended him strongly and said he was weak in his first few runs before winning a point-to-point on his fourth start.

“I’ll look to a winners’ of one hunters’ chase next and maybe aim him for the Ladies Cup at Punchestown then and afterwards to Stratford. Next year, as a six-year-old, I’d hope to work towards Cheltenham.”

Double up

Team Mullins later landed the Monroe Maiden Hurdle with King Of Aces (7/2), who raced prominently and scored by six lengths from Speculateur.

Regarding the Spanish Moon-gelding, jockey Mullins stated: “I bought this horse as I thought I might win the WillowWarm Gold Cup (Fairyhouse) on his half-brother Ile Atlantique later that same day but fell off him, which wasn’t a great start! I was a big fan of Ile Atlantique and, while he has been disappointing, is still a 150-horse.

“This fellow was very good in a point-to-point, is a fine big chasing type, and Aidan Fitzgerald recommended him strongly.

“He is quite exciting and isn’t slow. Again, he is for sale to stay in the yard and to me he could be a Thyestes or Paddy Power-type of horse down the line. I thought he might grind out a win today, but he showed gears.

“Conor (Glennon, part-owner) is a friend who came to me and asked me to buy a horse so we found this, which is his first one. He is enjoying it.”

JOCKEYS championship-leader Darragh O’Keeffe also completed a double on the day, beginning with the Henry de Bromhead-trained Radiator Springs (15/8 joint-favourite) in the Kilsheelan (Mares) Maiden Hurdle.

Likealightswitch held a narrow lead and was being pressed by the eventual winner when blundering at the final flight, which helped Radiator Springs to score by a length and a quarter.

De Bromhead reported: “I’m delighted for the lads (South Ros Racing Syndicate), who have been great supporters of ours and had Annexation with us previously. We’ve always had a bit of luck, thankfully, and fair play to Colin Bowe who recommended this mare to us. She wasn’t overly expensive, so it’s great.

“It is nice to see her back up her first run (third in Naas) for us and we’ll see what the handicapper thinks and see from there.”

O’Keeffe later landed the Lisronagh Handicap Hurdle on the Martin Fitzgerald-trained Our Uncle Jack (10/1), who may have benefited from racing on the inner and scored easily by 23 lengths from Courtbrack Boy.

Own furrow

While rivals raced wider in the hope of finding better ground, Our Uncle Jack ploughed his own furrow on the inside and made all to easily score.

Killeagh-based Fitzgerald revealed: “I walked the track beforehand and thought the inside was the best place to go, as it was deeper the more you went wide. He had been running on better ground at the end of last season, but the softer ground suits him better.

“He was always a very, very good work horse but, when he puts it together he is good, although he is only sport at this stage. He had a couple of very good runs, won at Tramore, and possibly with some luck he could have won a bumper.

“He had been a small bit inconsistent, but hopefully if we can keep him the way he is, he might pick up another one. He has age, but is lightly raced and he’ll stay going for another while.”

On the mark

O’Keeffe’s rival in the championship, Jack Kennedy, was also on the mark in the Munster Hurdle, as Santo Sospir (4/5 favourite) continued trainer Gordon Elliott’s fantastic recent form.

While racing keenly and leaning left for much of the race, Santo Sospir led after the third-last and scored readily by nine lengths from Baby Kate, with chief rival Charlus having fallen at the second last.

Elliott reported: “He is going the right way, but is still a baby and is learning. Jack said the further he went, the better he got. In fairness, he was gutsy and galloped the whole way to the line.

“He probably wants two and a half miles but, with the conditions, we decided to come here. He is down the pecking order for Cheltenham, but I’m sure there are races to be won with him and we might look for a rated novice next.”

THE John Ryan-trained The Little Yank (14/1) achieved a milestone with a low-key 100th career run during Christmas and returned to winning ways with an eighth career success, in the Tipperary Handicap Hurdle.

The veteran 11-year-old raced behind the leaders and eventually capitalised from the final-flight error of half-length runner-up Coffeys Forge, to provide jockey Aherne with a first success since turning professional last summer.

Chuffed Ryan reported: “It is great for John Aherne, and The Little Yank is a bit of a legend. He got a very bad fall one year at Listowel which ruined him, but he appears to be coming back to his best and is well handicapped if he does so. He won two bumpers, was a proper horse and Fr Shane Casey (part-owner) loves running him and my daughter Gillian is the horse’s other owner.

“He has come back down to a winnable mark recently and we’re looking forward to the summer now. He beat Ash Tree Meadow (Galway Plate winner) by nine lengths once, is a proper little horse, and not too many win over €180,000 in prize money like him.”

Claim

Jockey Gary Noonan rode out his claim in the opening Jossestown Handicap Chase, scoring on Kilbrin Rocco (15/8 favourite) for December’s HRI Achievement Award-nominated trainer Eoin McCarthy. Tracking the leaders, Kilbrin Rocco led at the last and scored by two lengths from Doyen Magic.

Regarding the Jim Curtin-owned-and-bred gelding, McCarthy reported: “His run at Limerick (runner-up last month) was lovely and solid and, if he came forward at all, he’d have won today’s race, which wasn’t the best on paper. He is a lovely straightforward horse and jumps really well. His jumping was a big asset today and he’ll stay chasing.

“Gaps always open up on heavy ground at Clonmel and Gary was very good on him. That is Gary’s claim gone and he rode his first winner as a professional for me here some years ago.”