Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

A MAGNIFICENT front-running ride from Danny Mullins coupled with Gavin Cromwell’s redoubtable training skills saw Flooring Porter mount a successful defence of his Stayers’ Hurdle title in great style.

The first Irish horse to notch up consecutive wins in this race since Galmoy in 1987 and 1988, Flooring Porter won in a manner befitting a divisional champion. He was polished, controlled and assured at all stages and when it really counted he had any amount to call upon.

There was a time when Flooring Porter was quite a handful and there was a question as to how he might handle the preliminaries of a packed Cheltenham as opposed to the deserted one of 2021. Here though he looked the consummate professional under Mullins who once again pulled off a front-running masterclass.

Afterwards a modest Mullins was keen to deflect the praise Cromwell’s way, but the jockey made it look easy from the front which takes some doing in the surrounds of a Cheltenham feature.

In an intriguing edition of this race where the first five in the betting were covered by a little over two points, Flooring Porter (4/1) went straight into a useful lead. Any thoughts that he might face pressure from Klassical Dream were immediately dispelled with that one dropped in at the rear of the field.

Steady tempo

Throughout the race Flooring Porter dictated a steady tempo as he enjoyed a lead of several lengths and he retained control at all stages with an ultra-cool Mullins being able to afford the luxury of taking his mount back at the top of the hill. A fascinating finish looked to be in the offing off the last bend as a host of challengers loomed up to track the leader, but Mullins was yet to move a muscle.

One by one his rivals cracked, although Klassical Dream still looked to be full of running on the run to the last. Soon though that one also had to give best and a bold jump at the last from Flooring Porter looked to have sealed another special success. The seven-year-old son of Yeats, in the colours of the Flooring Porter Syndicate (made up of Kerrill Creaven, Ned Hogarty and father and son Tommy and Alan Sweeney), went to the line well to finish just under three lengths clear of the Grade 1 regular Thyme Hill.

“Everything went perfectly to plan and he behaved himself at the start, he’s really grown up now. How cool was Danny? He jumped the third last, stacked them up and filled up his horse. As we hoped we got to make the running and he made it look easy really,” said the understated Cromwell. “That performance was just very good. There’s no reason why he can’t come back here and do it again and I’d say it will take a good one to lower his colours.

“Danny is so good with those front-runners, he seems to have a serious clock in his head and he’s a real horseman. It’s there for everyone to see and Flooring Porter hasn’t been straightforward. He’s just gone with him straight away and he’s just a proper horseman.”

Before jubilant celebrations kicked off in the winner’s enclosure Mullins stated: “I never saw them but I could hear them. Everything went to plan but big credit has to go to Gavin. I love the horse but he’s quirky and Gavin’s training is the reason we are back here again. He has done a fantastic job.

“I wasn’t too worried about the preliminaries with this horse and the more he gets into the season the less gas he has in him. Gavin brought him over early, last Saturday I think, and he came here relaxed and settled while still showing plenty of spark in the mornings.”