WILLIE Mullins’ recent hot streak continued with a treble as Zarak The Brave and Embassy Gardens both won Grade 3 events and Jasmin De Vaux impressively landing the odds in the bumper to make it 16 winners for the champion trainer in the space of five days.

Zarak The Brave proved bitterly disappointing when pulled up at odds of 1/8 last time at Tipperary, but the Galway Hurdle winner bounced back to form in the two-mile Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle.

The 2/5 chance travelled well to move alongside Telmesomethinggirl before the last and was pushed out on the run-in by Paul Townend to score by a length and a quarter.

“It’s nice to put that bad run in Tipperary behind him and we felt he’d been doing things nice at home,” said Mullins of the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned five-year-old.

“He might need a longer trip as he’s getting settled now compared to what he used to be like. I’m very pleased to get him back on track.

“He’s only in the Champion Hurdle and I’m not sure if he’ll go there. We might look at a few of the graded races at Fairyhouse over Easter.”

Winning easily

Embassy Gardens has taken really well to fences easily winning a beginners’ race at Punchestown last month and owner Sean Mulryan was on hand to greet the Shantou gelding after an impressive success in the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase.

The 8/13 favourite made smooth headway under Townend to head the front-tunning Sandor Clegane between the final two fences of this three-mile event and kept on strongly on the run-in to beat that rival by an easy 10 lengths.

“That was a really good performance and what I like about this horse is that he really loves jumping. When he sees a fence he wants to jump it and that’s a huge asset in this game,” said Mullins.

“He’s learned to settle now and is much easier to ride. He looks a natural for staying chasing and he’ll go for one of the staying chases in Cheltenham.”

The eight-year-old is now generally a 3/1 favourite for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and 10/1 for the Brown Advisory.

JASMIN De Vaux leapt to near the head of the market for Cheltenham’s Champion Bumper after a commanding debut under Rules in the Lengthen The Odds At BetVictor Flat Race.

The point-to-point winner was prominent throughout and those who sent him off the 4/11 favourite had no worries as he stretched clear for Patrick Mullins in the final furlong to beat His Nibs by an easy 15 lengths with the remainder of the 12-runner field strung out behind.

“He looks a nice acquisition for Simon and Issac and has booked his ticket on the box (for Cheltenham) after that,” said the Closutton trainer afterwards.

“It looked like there was plenty of pace on from the very beginning and horses that run around Naas in that kind of style on this (soft to heavy) ground usually end up good racehorses. I’m very happy with him.”

The Tirwanako gelding is a general 6/1 second favourite for the Cheltenham Grade 1.

Kennedy double

Jack Kennedy matched Paul Townend’s double on the day to maintain a lead of 14 (99-85) over his rival in the jump jockeys’ championship after scoring on the Gordon Elliott-trained pair Ndaawi and Cleatus Poolaw.

Ndaawi took control early in the straight to justify odds of 10/11 in the Download The BetVictor App Maiden Hurdle with Kennedy easing the Niall Earls-owned gelding right down in the closing stages to beat stablemate Barrier by two and a half lengths.

Improved

“It was a good performance and he jumped well. His form was good and we knew he’d improved from the last day. He was entitled to do that and will go for the Boodles at Cheltenham,” said the Cullentra trainer.

The Kennedy/Elliott alliance were also on the mark in the two miles, two furlongs, I N H Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle where Cleatus Poolaw (11/2) jumped to the front at the final flight before staying on strongly to beat Nas Na Riogh by eight lengths.

“He’s a grand honest horse and probably a chaser in the making. Whatever he does this year will be a bonus,” said Elliott of the Gigginstown-owned gelding. “He stays well and I’d say it would be no problem for him to step right up to three miles.”

Halo shines for Dullea

JAMES Dullea and Danny Mullins, who combined to win with Rusheen at Fairyhouse on Wednesday, successfully teamed up again as Kings Halo made all and drew clear from before the last to take the two miles and four furlongs Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Novice Handicap Chase by 18 lengths.

“He jumped and travelled and Danny was brilliant as he got the fractions right. I thought he’d gone a tad quick early on, but Danny knew what he was doing.

“The drop back in trip didn’t make any difference to him and he’ll get into better handicaps now. The lads (Kings Halo Partnership) are all from West Cork so it’s great,” said the Bandon trainer of the 7/4 winning favourite.

The Full Circle Series At Punchestown Festival 2024 Qualifier Handicap Hurdle looked wide open approaching the final flight but Millstream Lady (14/1) proved strongest in the closing stages for the father and son team of Eric and Conor McNamara, beating Miss Tempo by a length and a half.

Plenty of guts

“She’s a game little mare. She’s not over big as you can see but she has plenty of guts,” said Eric McNamara who trains the grey daughter of Arctic Cosmos for the partnership of Eamon Leahy, Seamus O’Riordan and Edward Hayes.

“That was short of two miles and three furlongs and she stays two miles and six well so we were determined to be reasonably handy the whole way and she has to be ridden towards the outer.

“She gets a bit claustrophobic when she goes around the rails. I thought he gave her a lovely ride and she did it well. We’ll probably keep her now for the Final of the Series and she might get into it off a light weight. She has a great heart and loves soft ground.”

Tom Harney, rider of 11th-placed Arabian King, was given an eight-day suspension for using his whip after his chance of winning or being placed had clearly gone.