Rest of the card

“BITTERSWEET doesn’t even cover it.” That’s what the Mulryan family said after Cousin Kate landed the opening racing of the Dublin Racing Festival to further advertise the talents of the late Hugh Mulryan, who tragically passed away last summer.

The aspiring bloodstock agent sourced the daughter of Augusta Kate for €50,000 as a three-year-old for father Liam, who undeterred by Dan Skelton’s poor review of her potential, sent her to Denis Hogan and headed to Leopardstown with three wins from seven starts.

Sent off 13/2 for the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle, the Maxios mare raced prominently under in-form conditional Michael Kenneally and led on the turn for home.

In command approaching the final flight while others barged around behind her, she kept on well on the run-in to deny Dameauscottlestown by three-parts of a length.

Eoghan Finegan, who finished third aboard Whimsy, was suspended for two days for careless riding.

Denis Hogan later earmarked the Mares Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham as a potential target for his progressive mare, adding: “She’s on the improve and with these fillies when they start to go this way you just don’t know where they’ll end up.”

Jennifer Mulryan, sister of the late Hugh, contemplated: “It’s like as if he’s with us,” while sister Eva added: “I think he’s looking down saying ‘I’ll show ye what I’m capable of’, because he had a great eye.”

Pot landed

As with all of Sunday’s winners, Emmet Mullins and Paul Byrne are dreaming of Cheltenham Festival glory with Backmersackme, after landing the O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Leopardstown Handicap Chase under Sean Bowen.

The seven-year-old was sent off at 14/1 for the Grade 3 worth €150,000, having disappointed at the track over Christmas, after finishing second in a valuable Cheltenham chase in October. Supporters had cause for concern when niggled along at different stages on the back straight, but he travelled well when it mattered and turned for home behind the leaders.

Leaping into the lead at the final fence, the chesnut kept on well to win by a length. Aidan Kelly, who finished second aboard the Padraig Roche-trained Win Some Lose Some, was suspended for three days for using his whip with excessive frequency and two days for using excessive force.

“I was flat out for the majority of the race,” Bowen reported. “I thought two miles and five furlongs would be too short for him, but I suppose on that ground he outstayed them.”

Mullins concurred, saying: “I suppose over the trip, the slower ground helped. I think ground-wise he’s fairly versatile. He had a tongue-tie on today as well, so that probably helped with the slower ground.

“The plan was the National Hunt Chase over three miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham. He was 125 today and that’s a 145 limit, so that should be still on the cards. He’ll have a bit more weight now, but we’ve a great pot behind us so we can’t complain.”