WILLIE Mullins continued a remarkable run in the Suir Blueway Chase at Clonmel on Tuesday when Bachasson returned from a long absence to give the champion trainer a sixth straight win in the race.

The classy chaser had been over two years on the sidelines before going to post 4/7 favourite for the two-and-a-half mile contest.

Paul Townend gave the dual Grade 2 winner a confident ride as he produced him to dispute going to the second last.

The Catherine O’Connell-owned 12-year-old went on before the last and only had to be shaken up to record a cosy seven-length success.

Townend said afterwards: “Fair play to the lads (the O’Connell family) for the patience they have shown, but they always did with all their horses.

“He is the horse of a lifetime really. He has given them great days, and today he just really enjoyed getting taken back and there’s plenty of life still in him.”

First winner

The Closutton team were also celebrating earlier on the card but this time for rookie trainer Steve Jones, who sent out his first winner when Criminal Mischief landed the Fourmilewater Maiden Hurdle.

Sean Cleary-Farrell, carrying the colours of owner/breeder Patrick Mullins, got a good tune from the Shantou gelding as he chased down front-running favourite Skradin close home.

Cleary-Farrell sat tight when his mount was untidy at the second last and conjured a strong surge from the 18/1 shot to get up for a three-quarters-of-a-length success.

Patrick Mullins said of the winning trainer: “Steve does a lot of driving for us and a lot of our younger members of staff live in digs with his family. He also pre-trains a few horses for us.

“This horse’s grand-dam was my first ever ride and that’s why we persevered with him.

“He is a good-looking horse but we basically didn’t have space for him in Closutton and couldn’t keep him sound, so I asked Steve to take him. He has done a wonderful job keeping him sound and has been slowly improving.

“Steve is from England and moved to us eight years ago. He pre-trained True Self for us but only has a handful of stables. It is a great winner for him.”

Reddington is looking Great

JOHN Reddington feels he’s getting the hang of race-riding at 50 years of age after Great Universe ran out an impressive winner of the bumper.

The Universal gelding ran a remarkable race to finish fifth at Punchestown last month after starting tailed off and he was supported from 25/1 into 8/1 on Tuesday.

He behaved better at the start this time and having been in rear early took close order at halfway.

Owner/jockey Reddington sent the Martin Brassil-trained gelding into the lead at the two pole and he pulled clear over a furlong from home to record an easy 25-length win over Talk In The Park.

Reddington, from Bohola in Co Mayo, was partnering his first domestic winner since 2013 but had been on the scoresheet over in England in January.

He said afterwards: “The more he races, the more settled he is getting. The horse is a machine and I don’t even know how good he is - that ground shouldn’t suit him but he got through it.”

He added: “The more I ride, the more I find things happening slower and you don’t panic as much. It takes an awful long time to learn how to race-ride but I’m enjoying it now and am starting to understand it.

“I’ve nothing against Netflix but I’d rather be doing something like this rather than lying in front of the telly! “I started race-riding 12 years ago and I’m very lucky to have Martin (Brassil) and am so happy for him.

McLoughlin again

IN-form trainer Dermot McLoughlin was on the mark again as Bocelli’s Voice opened his account in the Knocklofty Maiden Hurdle.

Michael Molloy gave the Mahler gelding a well-timed ride as he produced the 5/2 shot to challenge two from home and go on at the last for a two-and-a-quarter length win over Mister Twist.

It was a second career success for the jockey and he said afterwards: “He picked up and did it well. He had three good runs in maidens and that was a step down today and he was entitled to do it.

“He’s my second winner. They’re hard to get on, but it’s nice to get an opportunity like that. He’s a nice horse and I think he’ll do another job, hopefully.”

He added: “I’m from Rathfarnham and I’m with Dermot every day and have been there a while. I’m grateful to him and the owner (Con Smyth) for giving me an opportunity because it’s the only horse the owner has with us.”

Bal De Rio also benefitted from a patient ride when taking the opening Nire Valley Claiming Hurdle for Denis Hogan and the Premier Racing Club.

Daniel King produced the 9/2 shot with a strong surge on the run-in to get up and beat stablemates Boothen Boy and Knocknagappagh by a length and the same.

King said afterwards: “I got a lovely lead into the race and he travelled well. To be fair to him when I asked him after the last, he galloped all the way to the line.

“It is fairly heavy out there but he got through it well. If he is claimed he will be a nice horse for somebody for the summer and he is a consistent horse.”

THE fences proved a real test for the novices in heavy ground and Johngus ran out a wide-margin winner of the Kilmanahan Beginners’ Chase.

Sean Aherne’s charge disputed early before a bad mistake at the second fence and a few more errors on the way around.

Philip Enright challenged on the 4/1 shot two from home though and was left in the lead there, after the exit of Rowley Bowley Boy, going on to beat a leg-weary Clounts Pride by 17 lengths.

Johngus, a point-to-point winner , was opening his ‘track’ account at the 25th attempt and the winning owner/trainer said: “He finally got his head in front and he seems to be better at that trip. He wants soft ground so won’t run in the summer.”

The Philip Rothwell-trained Royal Rhythm was the only horse to win from the front as he ran out a gutsy winner of the Cannonwood Handicap Hurdle. Paddy O’Hanlon had a willing partner in the closing stages as he was joined two out by Pana To Milan. The 9/2 shot held the late charge of Tingarran Express by three-parts of a length for owner John Leckey.