Racing: Willie Mullins among winners at Punchestown as eyes now turn to Kilkenny for Thyestes
At Cork on Friday, Danny Mullins rode a winner for Bandon trainer James Dullea
Having sent out three winners at the course a day earlier, Willie Mullins was among the winners again at Punchestown on Monday where the Paul Townend-ridden Magic McColgan landed the near two and a half-mile mares’ maiden hurdle.
Owned by Kenny Alexander, the 11/8 favourite momentarily looked in a spot of bother when jumping particularly badly to her left at the final hurdle, but she picked up again for the former champion jockey to beat the Pat Foley-trained 18/1 shot Miss Mini Bee by two and a half lengths.
Trainer Pat Murphy landed a double at Dundalk on Tuesday afternoon where his winners were ridden by Leigh Roche and Luke McAteer. He took the six-furlong handicap with the 11/2 chance Fly To Glory at Dundalk on Tuesday afternoon. Owned by the Bajan Invasion Syndicate, the six-year-old made light of being drawn in the widest draw and he made all the running under Roche to beat the Michael Mulvany-trained Velvet Skies, a 17/2 shot, by half a length. A head was the winning margin as Signor Ferrari held on to take the 10-furlong handicap in the hands of Luke McAteer to complete the Murphy double. The Dorothy Heffernan-owned 11/2 chance led early in the straight to beat the Jamie Flynn-trained 100/30 favourite Storm Eric, a winner at the track four days previously.
While their 5/6 favourite Bunting finished runner-up to Henry de Bromhead’s Beckett Rock in the two-mile conditions’ hurdle, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend later landed an odds-on success as the five-year-old Funiculi Funicula ran away with the two-mile maiden hurdle at Clonmel on Wednesday. Owned by Michael O’Riordan and Seamus Hennessy, the 4/7 chance came home all of 17 lengths clear of the Tara Lee Cogan-trained 100/1 shot Hitak. Falcon Park added to his success at Punchestown on New Year's Eve when taking the two-mile handicap hurdle for Paul Hennessy and conditional jockey Niall Prendergast. The 9/1 chance, a nine-year-old, got the better of the Philip Rothwell-trained 16/1 shot Robindevidastar by three lengths.
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend shared two more winners at Fairyhouse on Thursday. They won the two-mile maiden hurdle with the HOS Syndicate-owned French import Kiss Will. At odds of 4/11 favourite, she made all the running and hardly saw another rival as she beat Henry de Bromhead’s 8/1 shot Costacurta by 13 lengths. The 10/11 favourite Fishery Lane completed the doubles as he took the two and a half-mile maiden hurdle in convincing fashion. Fifth in the bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last March, the Bryan Drew-owned six-year-old made much of the running and saw off the challenge of the Gordon Elliott-trained 10/1 chance in the straight to win by four and a half lengths.
At Cork on Friday, Danny Mullins rode a winner for Bandon trainer James Dullea as the 14/1 shot Kings Halo took the two and a half-mile handicap chase. The 10-year-old notched up his fourth career success when racing to a three-length success over John Ryan’s 22/1 chance The Little Yank in the colours of the Kings Halo Partnership.
The 11-year-old Appreciate It led home a 1-2-3 for Willie Mullins when winning the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles on Sunday. Closing on the leaders after the penultimate fence, the 6/1 chance led on the run to the last under Sean O'Keeffe and pulled away to beat the Danny Mullins-ridden 11/2 chance Classic Getaway by an easy six lengths with the Paul Townend-ridden 7/4 favourite Blood Destiny two and a half lengths away in third place.
Upcoming Fixtures
Down Royal – Tuesday, January 21 (First race 12.40pm)
Gowran Park – Thursday, January 23 (First race 1.03pm)
Dundalk – Friday, January 24 (First race 5pm)
Fairyhouse – Saturday, January 25 (First race 12.47pm)
Naas – Sunday, January 26 (First race 1.05pm)