WILLIE Mullins and Paul Townend teamed up for a short-priced treble headlined by the facile victory of Anzadam in the Grade 3 Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle with the champion trainer still in the dark as to the ability of the ‘could be anything’ five-year-old gelding.

Just three went to post for this two-mile event with Anzadam sent off the 1/10 favourite and he settled in behind before cruising to the front at the final flight. The son of Authorized stretched clear on the run-in to score by an effortless 11 lengths with Beacon Edge just getting the better of Laafi for the runner-up spot.

“That was a very good performance. Paul gave him a squeeze after the last and he quickened away nicely. There was no sign of him stopping,” said Mullins before adding, “he has a good engine and is climbing up the tree nicely. He could be anything. He’s in the Champion Hurdle but maybe we should wait for Aintree. That looks appealing and he’s still only five.

“The jump he put in at the third last I thought was extraordinary and showed me that we’ll have no trouble going novice chasing with him when we want. We’ll see how far we can go with hurdling.” Thoughts of a Champion Hurdle bid were later scuppered however when it emerged he had sustained an injury and will miss the rest of the season.

Donnelly double

Mullins and Townend also landed the other Grade 3 event on the card, the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase, with Dancing City. The 8/11 favourite also carries the familiar yellow and black check colours of Marie Donnelly and after making all and putting in a solid round of jumping, kept on well on the run-in to beat Bioluminescence by three and a half lengths.

“Paul said he’s so settled, he’s exactly what you’d want for a three-mile chaser. He gallops and jumps and only does what he’s asked to do,” said Mullins.

“I was very pleased with the performance in what is very, very testing ground (officially heavy). He looks like one for the Brown Advisory.” Paddy Power and Betfair cut him into 4/1 (from 6/1) for that Cheltenham Festival target.

Very pleasing

Charlus initiated the Mullins/Townend treble when defying a market drift in the Get Extra Cheltenham Places Now At BetVictor Maiden Hurdle. As short as 2/5 overnight but sent off the 10/11 favourite, the French import led at the final flight and was driven out to beat Holy See by a length and a quarter.

“That was a very pleasing first run for a Churchill off the flat. I was afraid he’d be too keen and was really pleased how he settled and jumped,” said Mullins.

“He had a couple of little setbacks earlier in the season and we’re hoping that he’ll improve enough to merit his entry in the Triumph Hurdle.

“It’s a new (Why Knot) partnership between a number of groups hatched over a social occasion. They have four or five horses mostly dual-purpose types, and our aim would be to have runners at the likes of Cheltenham and Ascot.”

Paddy Power and Betfair make him 20/1 (from 25/1) for the Triumph Hurdle.

ANSWER To Kayf finished fourth in the ‘Martin Pipe’ at Cheltenham last March and connections again have the big Festival in mind after readily opening his account over fences in the Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Novice Handicap Chase.

John Shinnick had the well-backed 7/4 favourite prominent throughout before taking command from before the last to beat Canal End by an easy 12 lengths.

“I suppose heavy ground makes a huge difference and a drop in class. It just goes to show how good those beginners’ chases are as he couldn’t get a blow in.

“We’re hoping to go to Cheltenham for the two-and-a-half-mile novice handicap chase, but I suppose the handicapper is going to give him a fair lump for that,” said Terence O’Brien, who trains the gelding for Denis O’Connor.

“The owners are thrilled and get a great buzz out of it. This has been a dream horse for them. At the end of the year an Irish National might not be out of the question.”

Ballybow (9/2), trained by Gordon Elliott for Gigginstown House Stud, seemed to relish the testing conditions in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle drawing clear on the run-in under Sam Ewing to beat Kalix Delabarriere by nine lengths.

“He’s done that very well today and he loved the ground. He’s a nice horse and can step up in trip no problem,” said Ewing of the winner.

THE TSM Racing Syndicate travelled in big numbers from Magherafelt in Co Derry to see Cave Court running in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series At Punchestown Festival 2025 Qualifier Handicap Hurdle and they were rewarded as the top-weight justified good support. Available at 8/1 in the morning and sent off at 9/2, he kept on gamely under Oran McGill on the run-in to beat Hartur D’arc by a length and a quarter.

“He’s qualified now for the final of this series in Punchestown, and we might run in a few chases so not to abuse his hurdle mark.

“He’s a class act of a horse and the wee jockey knows him well and gave him a serious ride,” said trainer Noel Kelly.

The BetVictor’s £60 New Customer Offer (Pro/Am) Flat Race was won by Champagne Jury who looked an above average sort in beating The Night Agent by five lengths.

“He’s a fine big horse and got through that ground well. He looks a big chaser in the making. We don’t have him that long, about six or eight weeks, and he should progress,” said Gavin Cromwell who trains the 8/1 winner for the Dochas Partnership. I’m not sure what we’ll do with him. A maiden hurdle might not be the worst idea, he can go chasing sooner rather than later.”