WILLIE Mullins has his team in rare order ahead of this weekend’s top-class action at Fairyhouse and the champion trainer made it 21 winners in 21 days with a double which was completed by the classy-looking Gauloise in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.
This Kenny Alexander-owned daughter of Samum won her only start in France when triumphing on the flat at Lignieres but that run came all the way back in April 2019. However, this four-year-old didn’t look any way rusty for either her to action or her first outing over jumps.
The manner in which the 4/5 favourite quickened up to put the result beyond doubt between the last two flights was particularly impressive and she finished with five and a half lengths to spare over Global Equity whose previous form included a listed placed effort in bumpers and a Grade 3 third over hurdles last December.
“We were very pleased with how she quickened after the second last, she put the race to bed quickly and hurdled the last like a handicapper. She looks like she will be well able to move up in grade,” said the trainer.
Configuration
The card began with a notable change to the track configuration at Thurles with the often tricky second last fence repositioned to a point before the turn into the straight having previously confronted runners shortly after they turned in.
However, there was still a reassuring constant at work in the two-and-a-quarter-mile beginners’ chase where the odds-on favourite Franco De Port (8/15) struck for Mullins and Townend.
The latter was getting reasonably animated on the turn for home as he looked to subdue Whatsnotoknow but he need not have feared as the Bruton Street V-owned gelding was in charge before the last and went on to score by six and a half lengths.
The victorious five-year-old was running for the first time since pulling up in the Coral Cup and this represented a heartening start to his season.
“He jumped nicely. He showed me a lot last season but disappointed me at Cheltenham and Limerick over Christmas. Maybe over fences he can now go all the way and fences seem to be settling him much better,” remarked Mullins.
Austin success
The only other chase on the card went to the Willie Austin-trained All The Chimneys who was recording the eighth success of his career and his first since February 2019 in the handicap chase over the same trip as the beginners’ chase.
This Tadhg Hogan-owned gelding lined up off a succession of placed efforts and he went to the front for Trevor Ryan well before the last and kept on well to defeat Presenting Point by five and a half lengths.
“He’s been running brilliantly and back in his own grade today he travelled and jumped well and I thought he had the race under control from before the last. The blinkers sharpened him up today,” remarked the winning rider.
THERE was also a nice type on show in the four-year-old maiden hurdle where the promising Gua Du Large (5/6) improved on his debut second to Queens Brook last month.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge took over the lead from the Mullins-trained front-runner Gjoumi after two out and was left to come home alone when the latter, who wasn’t done with at the time, crashed out at the final flight.
This left Rachael Blackmore’s mount to finish some 23 lengths ahead of the 125/1 shot Landa Beach.
The winning rider picked up a one-day careless riding ban.
“He is a nice horse and hopefully he will keep progressing. He is a baby still and this is all relatively new to him. He’ll probably go for something over Christmas,” reported de Bromhead who trains the son of Kapgarde for Brian Acheson’s Robcour.
Bridge obliges
On a terrific day for favourite backers, Capilano Bridge became the fourth odds-on short to oblige in the last of the day’s maiden hurdles.
This Hugo Kane-owned gelding had run with credit on his five outings over the last 12 months and was a deserving winner after overcoming a pronounced tendency to jump out to his left.
Even though he gave away plenty of ground, Ricky Doyle’s mount still enjoyed a straight forward five and a half-length triumph.
Winning trainer Conor O’Dwyer has now struck with five of the 15 horses that he has run over jumps this season.
“He’d like to get a lead and he’d like to go further and he can go a little left at times but not usually as pronounced as that,” reflected O’Dwyer. “We’ve always thought a bit of him and a well-run race over two and a half miles could be ideal for him.”
AFTER showing definite signs of promise on his first three handicap runs, the Eoin Doyle-trained Listenheretomejack (9/1) came good in the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over two miles. The Martin Walsh-owned and bred five-year-old moved to the head of the field for Donagh Meyler before the last flight and saw off She’s Commanche by two and three-quarters of a length. The winner could return to action over the Christmas period.
The card concluded with a 16/1 winner as Ballyshannon Rose returned from 348 days off to land the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over an extended two-and-three-quarter-miles. Paddy Kennedy went to front with three to jump on the Fiona Hughes-owned daughter of Doyen who maintained an unfaltering tempo to hold off the top-weight A Girl Like Me by one and three-quarter lengths.
The winner, who is ridden out by her trainer each morning and could return to action at Limerick on Tuesday, was making her first appearance since contesting a Fairyhouse maiden won by Monkfish.