TO general relief after all the rain, Taunton went ahead on Wednesday. That was the first ‘result’ for locals and the second came when Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh landed the Listed totepool Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle with 10/11 favourite Myska.

Kept wide, Myska moved through to head Jessber’s Dream before the last and survived a mistake before pulling clear to score by five lengths.

It was Mullins’ first winner with his first runner at the track and he was understandably delighted because this was a valuable contest by Taunton standards and there were several previous winners in the field. Myska had learned from her easy Thurles victory, where she was a little slipshod at one or two of the obstacles.

irish conditions

“It looked like Taunton in Ireland, very Irish conditions!” the trainer said when contacted on the telephone.

“We’ll try to up her in grade now and head towards the mares’ novices’ race at Cheltenham. I think she’ll settle better in a faster-run race and she’ll probably always be a hurdler. She’s very well-bred (by Presenting and bred by Ken Parkhill) and will have a career in the paddocks after racing.”

She runs in the colours of the Supreme Horse Racing Club.