Racing Review- Mullins scores success in Sligo and Leopardstown

On a night when his principal focus was on the Flat at Leopardstown, the rampant Willie Mullins picked up a more bread-and-butter type contest at Sligo when Ivana d’Alco broke through on her second start under rules on Thursday.

The winning point-to-pointer was stepping up in distance to 2m5f in this maiden hurdle. Placed at 3-1 in the market, she raced a bit freely on the lead but had enough gears where it mattered to score by over a length with the in-form Brian Hayes in the saddle.

Ethical Diamond put a couple of sub-par performances earlier this year behind him with a battling success in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday last.

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Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf hero, also joint-winner of the Horse of the Year title, eked out a short head margin from track specialist Green Impact at the end of the 12-furlong test.

Ethical Diamond was ridden by Ryan Moore with Dylan Browne McMonagle committed to ride Endorsement for Joseph O’Brien in the same race.

Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: “He had to work a bit harder than we thought he might but that’s racing. We will look forward to the Breeders’ Cup and work back from there. There is a race at Kentucky Downs, a million-dollar race over a mile and a half in September that we might look at next. The ground is usually quite firm there, so I think that might suit him.”

Slieverue trainer Eoin Griffin was among the winners at Wexford on Friday when Splashing Out took the 2m1f handicap hurdle under Peter Smithers.

The 6-1 chance made every yard of the running and was not extended to go in by six lengths in the colours of JP McManus.

The first of two bumper winners for Willie and Patrick Mullins over the weekend arrived via Get It Girl on Friday at Wexford.

This six-year-old mare was making her first start since last October. A 4-1 chance, she won by two lengths having raced prominently throughout.

Father and son were at it again not 24 hours later when promising French import Alicious led all the way on debut at odds of 7-4 favourite by a length and a half.

Jockey Chris Hayes also won the final two races at the Curragh on Sunday, sparked by Mint Man for Pat Murphy who trains near Castlecomer. He won the sprint handicap for older horses by half a length at 5-1.

Harpy Eagle was a good result for Dunnamaggin trainer Ray Cody and his nephew jockey Paddy Cody when the gelding notched the first win of his career.

In the colours of Gillian Cody, Harpy Eagle lengthened to a three-lengths success at odds of 4-1 at Wexford on Saturday.

Making his first start since January, Clay Pigeons hinted at a bright future when proving too strong in Roscommon’s maiden hurdle over just short of two miles last Tuesday.

Brian Hayes partnered the odds-on 8-11 chance to collect readily by over three lengths.

Representing his trainer father, Willie, Patrick Mullins said: “He’s not short of speed but his jumping is a bit steady. He will go up in trip now – I think there will be a big race in him on nicer ground somewhere.”

Racing Diary

Today (Wednesday): Gowran Park (first race 2.22pm).

Thursday: Tramore (first race 5.11pm).

Friday: Cork (4.53pm), Tramore (5.05pm).

Saturday: Dundalk (1.15pm), Tramore (4.50pm).

Sunday: Curragh (1.35pm), Tramore (1.45pm).