Unibet Morgiana Hurdle (Grade 1)
A RACE that he has dominated like no other fell to Willie Mullins for the ninth year in succession but not in the order expected as the year-absent Saldier shocked his odds-on stablemate Klassical Dream.
In recent years the Morgiana has served up its share of surprises with Faugheen beaten at 2/5 last year and at 1/6 in 2015 and, in 2014, Jezki came up short at 8/13.
After a brilliant novice campaign that was headed by his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle triumph, Klassical Dream was an overwhelming 2/5 favourite for this four-runner affair as he looked to stay unbeaten since joining the champion trainer.
However, the star turn was instead his Susannah Ricci-owned and Danny Mullins-ridden stablemate.
Although he was the 7/1 outsider of his trainer’s representatives, Saldier had legitimate claims.
He won at the top level as a juvenile hurdler and, when he last ran 53 weeks previously, was in the process of giving the subsequent Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen a real race when falling at the last in a Naas Grade 3.
Broken nose
A badly broken nose sustained that day kept this five-year-old off the track since, but the considerable absence has clearly done nothing to dull his powers.
As the runners filed into the straight, Klassical Dream looked to be getting the better of a resurgent Petit Mouchoir but the latter was coming back at the favourite nearing the final flight while Saldier arrived with a sweeping charge on the outer.
The son of Soldier Hollow touched down in front at the last and went on to score by a length and a half from Petit Mouchoir, who possibly ran his best race for two and a half years.
Klassical Dream was a length away in third with Sharjah a further six lengths back in fourth.
Grade 1 material
“We’ve always liked the winner but it was just whether he would come back from his injury.
“His nose was in bits but we decided not to have it operated on and let nature take its course. We had the same trouble with Briar Hill and operating on him didn’t work,” said Mullins.
“His run at Naas a year ago showed us he could be Grade 1 material and he quickened up well there and won like a nice horse.
“Klassical Dream was just too keen. I think he’ll improve from that, and a stronger gallop will help.
“Sharjah needed the run and he’d want better ground,” added the champion trainer.
THE bold decision to send the 2015 Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen over fences at the age of 11 was rewarded with a victory in the Naas Oil Beginners Chase over two and a half miles.
The nine-time Grade 1 scorer was an ultimately commanding and comfortable seven-length winner over Walk Away but this doesn’t quite convey the merit of his effort.
The strongly supported 8/11 favourite got the first ditch badly wrong and Paul Townend did well to keep the partnership intact, and Faugheen also nodded on landing at the third last. Those two incidents might have put paid to a lesser horse but not so Faugheen who showed that much of his old ability remains intact as he was back in front before the last and then strode clear in the imperious fashion which characterised many of his earlier career successes.
“The engine certainly seems to be there and I’m happy to get that out of the way. We’ll see how he comes out this before making plans,” reflected Willie Mullins of the Susannah Ricci-owned gelding.
Talent
Mullins then took the wraps off one of his brightest novice hurdling talents in last season’s Cheltenham bumper second Blue Sari and the 3/10 favourite duly landed the Kildare Now Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles.
The J.P. McManus-owned gelding looked to do everything at his leisure on his first try at this discipline and seemed sure to succeed from the turn-in.
The Bosses Oscar closed to within half a length at the line but this doesn’t reflect the Mark Walsh-ridden winner’s level of superiority. The four-year-old might be seen out next at Christmas with his trainer believing a stronger run race over a shorter trip will suit him well.
600 wins
As expected, the day concluded with a four-timer for Mullins as The Big Getaway won the Goffs (Pro/Am) Flat Race to make it 600 career winners for Patrick Mullins. This strapping five-year-old showed lots of ability to take second on both his runs last season and he was found an easy assignment for his comeback.
The Marie Donnelly-owned gelding had this race sewn up when moving to the front half a mile from home and Patrick Mullins could afford to sit motionless at all stages as the 2/9 favourite eased to a seven-length triumph over the newcomer Torygraph.
A hurdling career is the plan for a horse who the trainer believes is one of the biggest that he has ever had through his hands.
HENRY de Bromhead’s Notebook impressed on his successful chasing debut at this track last month and he more than delivered on that initial promise to record a decisive triumph in the Grade 2 Elliott Group Craddockstown Novice Chase.
The Rachael Blackmore-ridden 11/4 chance, who was among three runners in the race for Gigginstown House Stud, looked as though he was going to be given a stiff test by Eclair De Beaufeu turning for home but he brushed that one aside in commanding fashion after two out.
The six-year-old son of Samum then kept on strongly to defeat the 151-rated Moon Over Germany by seven lengths. In victory the winner has staked his claim for the two-mile Grade 1 novice chase at Leopardstown in a month’s time.
“It’s nice to see him back up what he did last time and I’d say fences make a big difference to him. I’d love to keep him at two miles but I’ll speak to Michael and Eddie (O’Leary) about plans,” stated the trainer.
Likeable
Just over two months after making his racecourse debut the very likeable Anything Will Do took his tally over jumps to three wins from four starts in the two-mile novice hurdle for horses rated 130 or lower.
This Annus Mirabilis Syndicate-owned four-year-old belied his relative inexperience with a career-best effort under Oakley Brown who got his mount to the front on the run to the last. Joseph O’Brien’s charge then kept on nicely on the run-in to hold the Grade 3-placed Popong by half a length.
Treacysenniscorthy, who struck at 50/1 over fences at Listowel, went in again at an appreciably shorter price when justifying 4/1 favouritism in the three-mile handicap hurdle.
Kevin Brouder was on board the front-running seven-year-old who was travelling notably well before the turn-in and knuckled down well after a clumsy jump at the last to hold Walking On Glass by one and three-quarter lengths.
Robert Widger trains the winner for his wife Paula and he indicated that his charge could return to Punchestown on Tuesday for a rated novice chase.
Paul Lake enjoyed a moment he will cherish forever more as he teamed up with Jimmy Finn’s Turbo (14/1) to land the Up The Yard Challenge Race for stable staff.