Rest of card
TO say this was an unprecedented day in the life of Willie Mullins says much about the magnitude of the day’s events but in sending out a six-timer on the one card the trainer took his previously remarkable feats at this meeting to a new high.
It is hard to believe that at the start of Tuesday’s card Mullins trailed Gordon Elliott by over €500,000 in the trainer’s championship and just 14 races later the reigning champion had moved ahead of his great rival to the tune of almost €50,000. Truly this was a performance for the ages from Mullins and it was a day that contained so many highs.
Bellshill now looks a Gold Cup horse for next season, and the Champion Bumper highlighted the depth of novice hurdling talent that the trainer will unleash next winter, but pride of place goes to Paul Townend.
Appropriately it was he who got the ball rolling for Mullins when he teamed up with Pravalaguna in the Louis Fitzgerald Hurdle. The jockey was patience and coolness personified aboard the mare and was quite happy to bide his time and wait for an opening to appear between the leading trio on the run to the last flight. When that gap arrived the 11/4 shot duly slipped through to take charge and she galloped on strongly from the last to defeat Not Many Left by eight lengths.
“It’s fantastic for Paul. It just shows the mettle of the man that he was able to bounce back from yesterday and give the mare a ride like that,” declared Mullins. “Paul is a popular guy and I think that showed in the reception that he got.”
Townend commented: “The reception meant a lot. I am trying to put yesterday behind me now and move on. We have a job to do today, which is the mentality I came with. Thankfully, that winner takes a bit of weight off of our shoulders. I have commented on it (Tuesday) and don’t want to say any more about it.
“I have a lot of good people behind me, which means a lot in this game. Racing is good as a lot of people rally around you. Pravalaguna had a good run the last day when she stuck at it well. The step back up to two and a half today suited her. I guess things fell right for her.”
The jockey was also on board Patricks Park (11/2) whose victory in the €100,000 Guinness Handicap Chase pushed Mullins ahead of Elliott for the first time since the winter.
In bagging a second valuable handicap of the season, the Bowes Lodge Stables Partnership-owned gelding had to dig deep for the duration of the straight. From the turn-in he seemed sure to be picked off by the strong-travelling Blast Of Koeman but that one jinked slightly at the last and this led to his jockey Philip Enright having to ride a finish without his irons. Despite his rival’s best efforts, Patricks Park gamely kept going to hold on by a neck.
“I didn’t expect to be in front on Saturday, let alone on Wednesday, it’s been a fantastic day,” observed Mullins. “On the last day everything that could go wrong did with Patricks Park, it was a complete disaster, but everything went right today. Paul said the horse was idling but kept pulling out more when they came to him.
“I thought he was beaten maybe at the second last but he just kept pulling it out. The Galway Plate would be a possibility but he does like some dig in the ground.”
The six-timer was brought up by the Patrick Mullins-ridden Colreevy in the Grade 3 Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares Flat Race. After being seventh in the bumper at Cheltenham, the Flemensfirth five-year-old made no mistake as she stepped back into mares-only company. The Flynn family-owned 7/4 favourite moved past Black Tears to take charge of this race over a furlong from home, finishing with five and a half lengths to spare.
Prince Garyantle (25/1) made an impressive return from six months off the track in the Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle. Just over a year ago the Matthew Smith inmate won his first race off a rating of 80, and he was 41lbs higher in the weights this time, but his progress up the ranks remains unchecked on this evidence.
The Adam Short-ridden pacesetter was pressed by the English raider Man Of Plenty before the straight but he was much too strong for that opponent and went on to register a resounding eight and a half-length triumph.
“I was worried fitness might catch him out but he’s a horse who has just kept improving,” reported Smith, who trains the eight-year-old for the Home And Dry Syndicate. “The plan after this week was to go chasing so we have that option and he could always go back on the flat too. I’m delighted for the lads that own him and especially one of them who hasn’t been that well since January.”
Moment Of The Day
The day belonged to Willie Mullins, who moved past 200 winners in a season for the first time in his career, but it also one that Paul Townend will surely cherish as he bounced back from Tuesday’s disaster with a tremendous treble.
Acting Stewards
J.G. Moloney, R. Dore, J. Rearden, R. Martin, P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
GOOD THYNE TARA (W.P. Mullins): On her first start since November, this mare showed up well to take third in the conditions hurdle won by Pravalaguna. There will surely be more to come from her following this outing and she could be set for an industrious summer.
Series win
AS well as landing the final of the Adare Manor Opportunity Series, jockey Adam Short was also the overall winner of the season-long series having held an unassailable lead going into the final race. Gordon Elliott headed the trainers’ standings.