WILLIE Mullins took the main spoils at Clonmel on Thursday when he reeled off three races in a row midway through the seven-race card.

Gigginstown House Stud has recently renewed their alliance with Mullins, and in the Munster Hurdle won with the trainer’s Quai De Bourbon (2/5 favourite), under Paul Townend.

The son of Inahowe faced just three rivals and while his jumping technique wasn’t brilliant, he fought off stablemate Westport Cove by a half-length. Townend was subsequently suspended for two racedays having used his whip above shoulder height.

The rider reported: “He is hard to keep concentrated, so a small field like today wasn’t ideal. He does what you make him do and, while he is a good jumper, I think hurdles are too small for him. He would have more respect for a bigger jump.

“Today’s distance was a worry, but the testing ground made up for that and it turned into a staying race. He surprised me at Naas and surprised me again by dropping to this distance and winning today, but he will be a stayer.”

Mullins had another one-two in the following Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle as his Brian Hayes-ridden Implicit (4/1) overturned 4/6 stablemate Enola, under Townend, by four lengths.

Regarding the Merriebelle Irish Farm Ltd-owned winner, Hayes reported: “I rode her in a piece of work on Tuesday and she worked very well. I don’t know what happened to her at Limerick (pulled up over Christmas), she didn’t run her race for some reason, but had a good run here when finishing third on her first run.

“I was mildly confident she might do something like that. If you took her Limerick run out of it, she was entitled to do that today, getting 8lb from Enola.

“Coming back to two miles was a big help as it allowed me to settle her as she can be keen. She is very forward and meets her hurdles on forward strides.”

Townend was back on board Mullins’ third winner, Jimmy Du Seuil (2/9 favourite) in the Monroe Maiden Hurdle with the pair winning easily by nine lengths from Answering.

The winner carries the colours of Edward Ware and had himself been overturned by a stablemate in a Thurles maiden hurdle last month. Today Townend said: “He had a nice run the first day and did the horse that beat him (stablemate Asian Master) no harm. That winner jumped well in Thurles and is a smart horse, so this horse was entitled to do that today.

“I didn’t want to light him up early, and he missed a couple of hurdles, but jumped well in the middle of the race and I took the safety option at the last.

“I think when he gets competitive, will jump much better.”

The Kay Russell-owned-and-bred Always Enchanting (9/2) continued trainer Edward O’Grady and jockey Mark McDonagh’s good recent association in the Lisronagh Handicap Hurdle, scoring readily from Robindevidastar.

McDonagh reported: “To be fair to Edward and all the team, they have her fully fit and in testing ground like this, they need to be hardened fit. She has had plenty of recent runs and has stepped forward with every run.

“She settled better the last day at Punchestown and today I kept hold of her for as long as I could. This was a weak enough contest, so was a great chance for her to get a win to her name.

“Everything fell her way today and everything now depends on what hike she gets.

“I have five winners from 20 rides for Edward this year and he has been very good to me. You won’t get better advice in this game and while he teaches me plenty, he does it without being in my ear.”

Racing began with the Gavin Cromwell-trained Money Heist following up a recent Naas success, under Keith Donoghue.

Runner-up Kilashee pressed the winner from the second last but Money Heist found plenty and won by two lengths.

“He probably jumped better than last day as he can be careful, but has loads of scope,” said Donoghue. “If anything he was going too high today, but when I needed him over the last two, he was good.

“In the past he was getting too far back in races which was the worry the last day, so I couldn’t believe he was able to sit second or third at Naas and it was the same today.

“He missed a year, so it is nice to come back and win two, and if the handicapper isn’t too hard on him, hopefully he can win again.”

THE biggest-priced winner of the afternoon was also the best-backed horse and came in the finale, the Tipperary Handicap Hurdle, as Lissen To The Lady (5/1, from 20/1 in the morning) again proved appropriately named for jockey, and new owner, Joanna Walton and Cork-based trainer Marie Harding.

Walton had succeeded in winning on Lissen To The Lady in Britain where seven other jockeys had failed, and today recorded her seventh success on the 10-year-old mare.

The pair raced with the leaders and defeated Carlas Big Jim by three and a half lengths with Walton reporting: “She was in training with Sandy Forster in the Scottish borders and owned by a distant relative Michael Walton. We got a good partnership going in the UK and, when she came up for sale in September, I couldn’t let her go.

“I thought the two and a half miles might be too short for her today, but it was heavier ground which suits her. I bought her to put in foal and while we’ll see what happens, she will probably be covered this year.

“I work with Marie, who is busy with foals at home, and she has been very kind to me.”

The following Rathronan Hunters Chase was won by Casey West (7/4 favourite), which was all-out under Tiernan Power Roche to hold the fast-finishing Dromleigh by a head, to continue the excellent run of Philip Rothwell.

The trainer reported: “I took a chance coming here so soon after Limerick and he is also way better going left-handed. I have him for two point-to-point and two hunter chases and he had finished second three times. Aintree is left-handed and I think now we are qualified to run in the Foxhunters’ Chase there.

“He’ll go back point-to-pointing now but going left-handed, over a short hunters chase trip and the fences over there, will suit. This lad has a bit of class, has to be ridden positively and while he’ll go on better ground, wouldn’t want it too quick.”