WILLIE Mullins and Paul Townend dominated Gowran’s well-attended Saturday fixture with the pair combining for four-timers and bagged the featured Grade 2 Red Mills Chase with top-class Impaire Et Passe (4/9f).

The multiple Grade 1 winner faced three rivals following 291 days off and was held up in last, unsuited by a steadying of the pace as the runners entered the home straight. While the runners sprinted over the final two fences, Impaire Et Passe showed his old talent to quicken before recording a length-and-a-quarter win over Sa Fureur.

Townend commented: “It was always going to be a tactical race and it was just a case of when the others would pull the trigger (pace-wise). I was in the wrong position, but luckily was on the best horse.

“He was good and brave at the second last when we were trapping on and he was the class horse of the race. He had won five Grade 1s, so it is no secret how good he is.”

Fulfilling potential

Mullins and Townend had earlier landed the Grade 3 Red Mills Trial Hurdle with Gigginstown House Stud’s Storm Heart, who is now two from two this season.

Held up behind the leaders, the 11/10 favourite went by leader Workahead on the run-in to beat that rival by a length and a half. Townend stated: “It was a tough performance and I didn’t know how well I was going for much of the race to be honest. When I got him out, he stuck it out really well and he got a good jump at the last when he needed it.

“He is now starting to fulfil what I thought he might do as a novice. He seems versatile ground-wise and he handles that testing ground.”

Slowly-run race

Townend had earlier steered the Rich Ricci-owned Madness D’elle (2/5f) to victory in the opening Sea Moon & Silverwave At Burgage Maiden Hurdle.

The French import was a little wayward in making the running and, whilst headed at the second last, rallied well to regain the lead before the last and went on to score by 17 lengths.

Townend said: “He was lairy and, as we were going so slow, it gave him too much time to think about it. When I got him down and started racing, he jumped fine and his experience helped.

“It was a falsely-run race. We went so slow that it was a hard race to get a handle on, but he is a grand horse.”

Alexander rules

Townend completed his and Mullins’ four-timer on King Alexander (4/9f) in the QuinnBet Beginners Chase.

A somewhat unfortunate loser at this course in Januar,y the John Ioannis Neocleous-owned eight-year-old made his luck by making the running, and kept on well from the last to win by three lengths.

“He had two good runs, so we had experience and fitness, so I was able to go out and race prominently,” said Townend.

“He has done it snugly enough, he enjoys jumping fences and he’s a nice fun horse for his owner.”

GORDON Elliott also registered a double on the day, beginning with success in the Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle with Lord Rouge (9/2). Danny Gilligan took the ride aboard the eventual winner, while Elliott’s stable jockey Jack Kennedy opted to ride Bally Free (5/6f), who finished fourth.

Tracking the leaders, Lord Rouge stayed on dourly on the run-in to head Changeyourstars close home and led by half a length on the line. Gilligan later received a four-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency.

“He toughed it out really well and Danny said he showed a good attitude,” Elliott’s assistant Lisa O’Neill reported.

“He probably still needs to learn how to race and can be off and on the bridle a little bit, but it is lovely to see him do that, as he had been very disappointing at Naas the last day. Nothing obvious came out of his Naas run, but we knew he was better than that and he was stepping up in trip today with a hood on.

New phase

Elliott completed a quickfire double in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Handicap Hurdle, as Grimaud (4/1) provided jockey Josh Williamson with his first winner since turning professional.

Racing behind the leaders, Grimaud improved to lead approaching the final flight and finished well to score by 10 lengths from Krabat.

A delighted Williamson reported: “This is a very special day and is one I’ve been waiting for, for a couple of weeks. I rode 29 winners as an amateur, had a great time and it was a great grounding.

“I got my professional licence in mid-January. Dad (Norman) always knew I wanted to turn professional, so it was just choosing the time to turn. He probably would have liked me to wait until the new season to turn, but I was running out of rides against professionals in January.

“I’m based with Gordon (Elliott) three or four days a week, go to Ian Donoghue’s and other yards too, and of course I’m open to any outside rides.”

IT was another big day for Conor Houlihan as the rookie trainer registered a first success with Nan’s Choice (5/1) in the Ronan Lawlor Memorial Bumper.

Fourth on debut on St Stephen’s Day, the Anthony Murphy-owned mare raced in midfield under Barry Stone and quickened clear inside the final furlong to score by five lengths from the Willie Mullins-trained Luciole Des Bordes (8/13f).

Houlihan, leading up the winner, reported: “I’m from Dungarvan, have been in horses all my life and grew up next to John and David Kiely, so I was bitten by the bug.

“I worked for a few seasons at Joseph O’Brien’s and I’ve been all over the world working for Will Biddick and Paul Nicholls in the UK, for Ciaron Maher in Australia and I rode a few point-to-point winners in England.

“This mare’s owner Anthony Murphy is from the same GAA club as me and, around this time last year, he asked me to work for him. I got my licence out in November and I’m delighted to get the monkey off my back, with my sixth runner.”

Well-earned win

The John Ryan-owned-and-trained Mount Frisco (8/1) showed great resolve in winning the concluding O’Driscolls Irish Careys Cottage Handicap Chase as, having been headed at the third last, rallied to regain the lead on the run-in and beat Beckett Rock by four and three-quarter lengths.

“At long last, as he had a fall at Listowel (September 2024) and had been struggling,” Ryan commented.

“He damaged nerves in his shoulder, which was difficult to repair and my daughter Gillian has done a lot of work with him. We have a good chiropractor Marie Fitzgerald and Dan King gave him a brilliant ride today.”