EMMET Mullins completed his first treble at Cork on Sunday, a sequence that was headlined by the exciting chaser Cape Gentleman in the Grade 3 Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth EBF Novice Chase.

The Margaret O’Rourke-owned Cape Gentleman (100/30) finished third in this summer’s Galway Hurdle and today maintained a two-race unbeaten chase record when impressively making all under jockey Brian Hayes, to beat Run Wild Fred by 14 lengths.

“He jumped great again and handled the ground,” Mullins said of his winner. “It was good to get that second run into him now, for that bit more experience, and he’s probably entitled to go on to Fairyhouse now for the Drinmore. Hopefully if he puts in another performance of jumping like that, he’ll take beating wherever he goes.”

Major win

Emmet was earlier on the mark with another Hayes-partnered winner, Crowns Major in the opening Paddy’s Super Enhancements Maiden Hurdle.

Owned by Mullins, Crowns Major was a premier handicap winner at the Galway festival this summer and the Japanese-bred gelding scored readily by seven lengths from Figurehead on Sunday.

Following the race Mullins said: “I was a bit worried about the ground but that is a great start. It wasn’t his Derby today and I told Brian (Hayes) to teach him as much as he could. He jumps well and had schooled well at home and came through nicely.

“He was a bit green in front going to the last but hopefully there is plenty more in the tank.

“He was rated 96 on the flat, jumps well and will get an entry for the Royal Bond. Being as slick as he is (over hurdles) is a huge asset to have with that pace and he is exciting.”

Mullins, who trained his first winner in June 2015, completed his hat-trick in the concluding Irish EBF (Mares) (Pro-Am) Bumper with the Bug Racing Syndicate owned Agritime (30/100f).

Ridden by the trainer’s cousin Patrick Mullins, the daughter of Mountain High made all and comfortably beat Reine Machine by three and three-quarter lengths.

The winning trainer was understandably pleased with his day’s work and he said: “That’s my first treble and there weren’t too many times when we had enough runners to have had one.

“She is a nice mare, loves that ground and she found a nice opportunity. All she could do was win and Patrick was complimentary of her and has advised to take a crack at the listed mares’ bumper at Navan in November.

“We’ll see how that goes before we go hurdling.”

Braeside best for Elliott and Kennedy in Cork National

CHELTENHAM Gold Cup-winning jockey Jack Kennedy added the Cork Grand National to his CV as he steered the Gordon Elliott-trained Braeside to win the PaddyPower-sponsored Grade B contest, on what was the gelding’s first start since February.

The son of Presenting was in touch with the leaders throughout the three-and-a-half-mile contest, led at the second last and in the end stayed on well for a three-length win over Screaming Colours.

The 16/1 winner carries the colours of KTDA Racing and following the race Kennedy reported: “He travelled and jumped great and did it well. He loved that ground and the further the better for him. He jumps for fun and is a grand staying horse. The one worry I had coming here was fitness maybe, but he proved me wrong and did it well.”

Small yard

There was a big win for a small yard in the Listed Paddy’s Reward Club EBF Novice Hurdle as the Matty Tynan-trained, Kate Hassett-owned Chicago Time (5/1) gained a second win at Cork in October for jockey Sean O’Keeffe.

The son of Shirocco scored by three and three-quarter lengths from Ballywilliam Boy and following the race Tynan stated: “That is unbelievable, and great for our yard and the Hassetts. It is good for racing to see a small lad winning these races.

“We were hoping for a good run as he was running consistently all the time. We weren’t sure if we’d handle the heavy ground and we ran him over two miles, two and a half miles and now three miles and it is hard to keep doing it all the time, but he still does it.

“We’ll give him a well-deserved break now and we’ll go for the Connolly’s Red Mills Series Final at Punchestown in April.”

Nolans have long-term Cheltenham target for Jeremys

ANOTHER of the day’s winners with a notable long term target is the Paul Nolan-trained Jeremys Jewel (1/2f), who landed the Paddy Power Onside App (Mares) Maiden Hurdle under jockey Bryan Cooper, and for owner Philip Byrne.

Afterwards Nolan’s brother and assistant James reported: “She always moved like a nice-ground filly but we had to take our chance and it was a fact-finding mission as regards ground.

“Bryan said he’d rather ride her in a good race over two miles (than this race’s two and a half miles) and while he said she was too keen, she was just too good for them. She is a good filly and jumps very fast.

“Please God, and with all things being well, she is one for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. I know we are shooting for the stars a little bit, but that is her long-term plan.”

Perry Owen’s win in the WhatOddsPaddy Handicap Hurdle aided in the subsequent sale of the Noel Meade-trained gelding, who beat runner-up Capture The Action by a length under Sean Flanagan.

After the race Flanagan reported: “I think the key to him is soft ground and he is quite hardy. We bounced out, made the running and he travelled and jumped super.

“He had a super run in the Lartigue and battled really well late so I knew he’d battle well. He just didn’t travel well for me early in the Lartigue but I was quite confident he would come home well today.

“He is a tough horse and all he was looking for was that slow ground. He is on the sales tomorrow so he should sell well.”

Four-year-old Perry Owens was indeed sold, to Tomas Janda for €25,000, at the Goffs Horses-In-Training Sale the following day.