Tag Archive for: Fairyhouse

Instit floors stablemate Allegorie De Vassy at Fairyhouse

/in /by

Instit turned over her much better-fancied Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Allegorie De Vassy to win the BoyleSports Mares Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

Allegorie De Vassy appeared to have the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways having been narrowly denied by Impervious at the Cheltenham Festival.

It would have been an easy decision for Paul Townend to choose her over Instit, given there was officially 20lb between them on ratings.

Everything appeared to be going smoothly for Townend as he tracked Instit (15-2) into the straight, but as has happened so many times in recent years, Danny Mullins had given his mount the perfect ride from the front.

Having taken over on the run to the last, Townend suddenly looked worried in front and Instit had just about regained the upper hand before Allegorie De Vassey made a jolting mistake and the race was over.

“She’s a mare that hadn’t fulfilled her potential over fences verses what I’d seen from her over hurdles,” said Danny Mullins.

“I was conscious not to set it up for Paul and save my own petrol in parts. The race mapped out perfectly for him and my filly still managed to come out on top.

“We went good even fractions for the first two miles and were able to get a breather in. A great jump at the third-last gave me a chance and of the two mistakes at the last mine was more minor which allowed me to land galloping a bit faster and got away to win nicely.

“The ground is pretty dead. We had a lot of rain over the past week but there is fantastic grass and the course is in good condition. A strong wind and a bit of sun today has left it sticky. Fairyhouse takes a good round of jumping and the best horse usually wins.”

There was a surprise victor in the Low.ie Best For Mortgage Protection & Life Insurance Hunters Chase as Annamix (18-1) won for the first time since November 2020.

Once an ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, it is fair to say Rich and Susannah Ricci’s grey has not lived up to expectations.

Even in the hunter chase sphere he has failed to hit the heights and he looked up against it adrift of odds-on favourite Ferns Lock and Mullins stablemate Billaway.

But Charlie Mullins refused to accept defeat and he powered away after the last to win by four and a half lengths. Ferns Lock faded very tamely into third.

“I knew they had gone pretty quick and I said I’d sit back,” said the winning rider.

“I felt he had a chance turning into the straight. When he passed one or two he took a hold with me again. I let him fly at the last and he kept picking up for me.

“He made a few bad mistakes and can take off from anywhere!”

Mark Walsh made the perfect comeback from his latest injury setback when winning the Tom Quinlan Electrical Maiden Hurdle on Peter Fahey’s Canal End (9-4).

Mighty Potter ‘back to his best’ for Fairyhouse recovery mission

/in /by

Mighty Potter bids to bounce back from an odds-on reverse at the Cheltenham Festival in the WilllowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

The dual Grade One-winning hurdler was hugely impressive in winning his first three starts over fences including a top-level triumph in the Drinmore Novice Chase over this course and distance in December.

After following up at the Dublin Racing Festival, Mighty Potter was a 4-6 shot for last month’s Turners’ Novices’ Chase, but hung under pressure and passed the post in third behind Stage Star.

Connections believe they have a valid excuse for that reverse, though, and are hopeful he can show his true colours.

Joey Logan, racing manager for owners Caldwell Construction Ltd, said: “He lost a shoe in Cheltenham and was very sore after the race.

“He veered right coming up the straight and was still only beaten four lengths.

“He worked the other day and we’re very happy with him. He’s in great form and we think we have him back to his best.”

Willie Mullins has claimed this prize in each of the past four years, with his two subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup heroes Al Boum Photo (2018) and Galopin Des Champs (2022) on the roll of honour.

Appreciate It returns to the Naas winner's enclosure
Appreciate It returns to the Naas winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

His chief hope this weekend appears to be Appreciate It, who was half a length behind Mighty Potter at Cheltenham, having previously placed third in the Irish Arkle.

“Appreciate It has been a little disappointing the last twice, but perhaps the way the race worked out in Cheltenham didn’t see him to his best,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father.

“I’d imagine we’ll ride him a bit differently this time and we’re hoping on Sunday he’ll start to show what we think of him.”

Appreciate It, the chosen mount of Paul Townend, is joined by five stablemates in Adamantly Chosen (Brian Hayes), Authorized Art (Danny Mullins), Flame Bearer (Sean O’Keeffe), James Du Berlais (Daryl Jacob) and Sir Gerhard.

Sir Gerhard has something to prove
Sir Gerhard has something to prove (Mike Egerton/PA)

The latter disappointed in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and while looking forward to being on board this weekend, Mullins junior admits to have concerns about the track.

He added: “Flame Bearer is starting to get the hang of things and won at this meeting last year as a novice hurdler, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run well.

“With Sir Gerhard, the last two years going right-handed in Punchestown he’s disappointed after Cheltenham, so that is probably a concern here.

“Having said that, it’s a Grade One over his distance and he has to take his chance and hopefully with that experience from Cheltenham under his belt he can fence better and run better.”

Ashroe Diamond set to sparkle for Mullins at Fairyhouse

/in /by

Ashroe Diamond leads an eight-strong Willie Mullins team into battle in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The champion trainer has saddled five of the last nine winners of the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One and appears intent on adding to his tally on Easter Sunday.

Ashroe Diamond looks the first string under Paul Townend, having won a Grade Three prize here before a late setback ruled her out of an intended appearance at the Cheltenham Festival last month.

Patrick Mullins, who partnered the six-year-old to a high-profile bumper success at Aintree last season, said: “It was unfortunate she didn’t get to run in Cheltenham, but she’s been 100 per cent since and she’s definitely the number one.

“She’s obviously won at Fairyhouse and we’d like to think on her previous form in Grade Ones behind Facile Vega and Marine Nationale she’ll be hard to beat.”

Ashroe Diamond is joined by Night And Day (Daryl Jacob), Eabha Grace (Conor McNamara), Got Glory (Jack Foley), Hauturiere (Brian Hayes), Lot Of Joy (Nico de Boinville), Nikini (Patrick Mullins) and Pink In The Park (Phillip Enright).

“Night And Day missed Cheltenham as well and she’s a very talented mare,” Mullins added.

“She ran in this last year first time out, so that shows what we think of her and hopefully she can fulfil her potential.

“Got Glory is a mare with a lot of ability, but it is going to be hard for her on her first Irish start, and I ride Nikini, who ran all right in Cheltenham but the ground could be against her.”

Magical Zoe winning at Down Royal
Magical Zoe winning at Down Royal (Brian Lawless/PA)

Henry de Bromhead would undoubtedly love to win a prize named after his recently retired stable star Honeysuckle, who dominated her rivals in this race four years ago.

The trainer’s main hope appears to be Magical Zoe, who filled the runner-up spot in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, with stablemate Rioga Choice an outsider.

Gordon Elliott’s trio of Halka Du Tabert, Harmonya Maker and Shecouldbeanything also feature, as does the Tony Mullins-trained Princess Zoe.

The latter finished fifth at Cheltenham and her trainer expects to see his Group One-winning mare in a better light stepping back up in distance.

He said: “If you take the Cheltenham run on face value, going up half a mile will be a big advantage to us, but now this is a Grade One and there’s no penalties we’re 5lb worse off with Magical Zoe.

“If the half-mile negates the 5lb we’re right in there. You have to decide whether you think it will or not and I think it will – I think the extra half-mile is crucial to Zoe.”

Connell sets sights on Irish National with Espanito Bello

/in /by

Espanito Bello has the chance to cap a fine season for trainer Barry Connell in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Easter Monday.

While Connell has enjoyed plenty of high-profile victories as an owner, he is in just his third season with a licence, enjoying a halcyon campaign from his operation in Nurney, Kildare.

Marine Nationale and Good Land have both provided the former hedge fund manager with Grade One success this season, while the former gave him his first Cheltenham Festival winner as a member of the training ranks when downing Facile Vega with ease in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Now Connell is targeting the feature of Fairyhouse’s Easter Festival with Espanito Bello – who is as short as 12-1 with Paddy Power for the three-mile-five-furlong contest following his romp in the recent Leinster National.

“The plan is to run and the only way we wouldn’t run is if the ground dried up too much. But there looks to be rain due tomorrow and a bit more again at the weekend,” said the trainer.

“He’s in good shape and on the form of his run in Naas where he was back to his very best, we’re hoping he will acquit himself really well.

Trainer Barry Connell bids for Irish Grand National success at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday
Trainer Barry Connell bids for Irish Grand National success at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday (Brian Lawless/PA)

“Easter is early this year and he did run in the race once before. That was on good ground and he wasn’t in as good form as he is now.”

The nine-year-old was raised 11lb to a mark of 151 following his seven-and-a-half-length stroll at Naas, but Connell believes the handicapper has been fair in his assessment and his charge heads to Fairyhouse in great shape.

“He’s gone up 11lb, but he was on 145 during his novice season,” explained the handler.

“In his beginners’ (chase) he beat Coko Beach by 18 lengths at Naas and then finished second in a Grade Two at Navan behind Coko Beach having made a mistake at the last. So he was 145 and he was dropped to 140. I suppose he is 6lb higher now than he was in his novice season and you would expect that with a bit of experience and age, so I think the weight allocation is fair.

“He won easily the last day and you can’t argue with the penalty he got. I think Michael (O’Sullivan, jockey) still has five (winners) left on his 5lb claim, so he is still in with a nice weight.

“I know the last few years bottom weights have been favourite, but you do get the likes of Burrows Saint and Our Duke going there and winning it and our guy is going there in great shape physically and mentally, and if he gets his ground I think he will run his race.

“We’ve only been training two and a half seasons and this is the first full season we’ve had. We’ve had three Grade One winners, a Grade Three and a Cheltenham Festival winner – if we don’t train another winner this season it will still have been a great season.”

Martin keeping an open mind on Good Time Jonny plans

/in /by

Tony Martin will wait before making plans for Good Time Jonny on the back of his scintillating victory in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The eight-year-old gave the trainer a memorable success in the three-mile Grade Three event, coming from last to first under 5lb claimer Liam McKenna.

The manner of victory was all the more remarkable, as the rider had to overcome plenty of trouble in running.

“It was an absolutely brilliant ride for a lad claiming 5lb, but then Liam is a good rider,” said Martin.

“If the horse is not travelling or not jumping, or you’re not getting a clear run, there is just no point forcing them, they won’t get home.

“He didn’t have the nicest of runs through the race. The nerve to sit and the patience he showed, it reminded me of Ruby Walsh or Davy Russell.

“He was very similar to Ruby. When the race didn’t work out, he had the patience and the brilliance to sit and let the race come to him, and not chase it.”

The Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree is among the future options being pondered, along with targets closer to home.

“He’s good, so we will just see how we are as to where we go, whether it is Liverpool, Fairyhouse or Punchestown,” added Martin.

“He will go one way or the other. I’ve been very happy with him. We’ll give him a week before making a plan.

“The horses tell us themselves. We can make a plan if we have enough time. We will see how the race affects him. All the options are there.

“We would like to get two more rolls at the dice before we let him off, but if we get one where he can show his true colours, it would be far better for him that he could do himself justice, rather than try to squeeze in two where we’d rush him.”

Tony Martin reminding everyone he is still a force
Tony Martin reminding everyone he is still a force (PA)

Martin admits he has had a few lean years, but a Cheltenham winner has certainly buoyed the yard.

“It’s hard,” said Martin. “We had bad times for a few years and were out of the place we were. If you are not keeping the ship sailing, you are not attracting owners.

“There are a few lads on side at the moment, a brilliant man gave me an order for two nice horses the other day.

“Any Cheltenham winner ranks high. It’s like when you are playing golf at the Masters, or soccer in the European Cup, Cheltenham is really the be-all and end-all in National Hunt racing, similar to Royal Ascot or the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on the Flat. Of course you rank it highly.”

Princess Zoe poised for Easter assignment at Fairyhouse

/in /by

Tony Mullins will keep Princess Zoe over jumps for the time being as he feels there is more money to be made than by running her on the Flat.

Runner-up to Subjectivist in the Ascot Gold Cup in 2021 and winner of the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at the Berkshire track last April, the popular eight-year-old made a winning start to her hurdling career, dead-heating with Ladybank at Punchestown in January.

Thrown into the deep waters of the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham for her second attempt in this sphere, Danny Mullins’ mount finished a creditable fifth to You Wear It Well after a mistake at the final flight.

Mullins was far from disappointed with the popular grey’s four-and-a-half-length defeat.

He said: “We were delighted. I suppose that her second run over hurdles, when she really came off the bridle going to the second-last, there was a little lack of experience, but it was a good run.

“She needs further. We were caught between two miles or a full three miles in the Albert Bartlett.

“We decided that with the Albert Bartlett, which we had her entered for, we felt in the last couple of weeks it had turned out to be a good race, but I don’t know. Was it?

“The three (miles) would have been extreme for her second run over hurdles, so we went for this race (two miles and one furlong), and now I’d love to see what would have happened if we went the other way!

“We wanted to ride a bit handier and Danny said he was as close as he could be without coming off the bridle early on.

“We didn’t want to put her off the bridle early. She came into it nicely and it was just the lack of experience coming to the last.”

Owners Paddy Keyhoe and Philomena Crampton are now exploring options as they are keen to continue her racing career.

While they have not ruled out another run in the Ascot Gold Cup, in which she finished a six-and-three-quarter-length sixth to Kyprios last June, connections are keen to see how far she can go over hurdles.

“The owner has said to me he has no interest in breeding, which suits me fine,” said Mullins. “He wants to race her as long as she is safe and sound.

“She had a few cuts and scrapes, but we are hoping that she’ll run on Easter Sunday at Fairyhouse – there’s a €100,000 mares’ novice (Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final).

“Just looking at that race, she would be 5lb worse off with the main protagonists (You Wear It Well and Magical Zoe), who carried penalties at Cheltenham but wouldn’t in a Grade One.

Tony Mullins may keep Princess Zoe hurdling for the time being
Tony Mullins may keep Princess Zoe hurdling for the time being (PA)

“That puts us 5lb worse off, but I think we’ll negate that with the extra half-mile, as it is over two and a half miles.”

For winning the Sagaro, Princess Zoe added £45,368 to her prize-money haul, which stands at over £420,000, but found herself subsequently beaten four times by Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios.

“We’ve been looking at going on the Flat again. I’m sure she will, but she can win more money over jumps and I feel with a lot less opposition,” said Mullins.

“It is hard to believe, but the race is a €100,000 on Easter Sunday, the Punchestown mares’ novice is worth a €125,000, the Galway Hurdle is €300,000 and there is no Kyprios and the like to take on – and he’s the best stayer I’ve ever seen.

“What he did at Longchamp was breathtaking. He ran around like the Benny Hill Show and still won by 23 lengths!

“We haven’t dispensed with the idea (of a Gold Cup) but we feel there is so much money over jumps – which I can’t believe I’m saying, as this has never happened before – with less opposition.”

Irish National bid not ruled out for Lord Lariat

/in /by

Last year’s winner Lord Lariat and the veteran Captain Cj could represent Dermot McLoughlin in his bid for a remarkable third successive victory in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Based less than five miles from the track, the County Meath handler saddled 150-1 shot Freewheelin Dylan to claim the traditional Easter Monday feature in 2021 and repeated the feat last spring as 40-1 chance Lord Lariat secured the lion’s share of the huge €500,000 prize fund.

McLoughlin’s father Liam claimed Irish Grand National glory as a jockey in 1962 when partnering Kerforo for legendary trainer Tom Dreaper, who won the race on a record 10 occasions including seven renewals on the spin in the 1960s, with chasing greats Arkle and Flyingbolt among the victors.

Dreaper’s son Jim won the staying prize four times in 1970s, with Brown Lad winning three – and speaking at the launch of this year’s renewal at his yard on Tuesday morning, McLoughlin junior admitted to have his name on the roll of honour is a dream come true.

Lord Lariat and Patrick O’Hanlon winning the Irish Grand National
Lord Lariat and Patrick O’Hanlon winning the Irish Grand National (Niall Carson/PA)

“I worked for Jim Dreaper for 15 years and there was plenty of good horses there going for the Irish National at the time,” he said.

“My father rode the winner of it and I remember a lot of people coming to talk to him about Arkle and Flyingbolt back in his day, so I got wrapped up in the Irish National and never forget being taken there from a very early age every Easter Monday.”

McLoughlin’s celebrations were relatively muted two years ago, with Irish racing taking place behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he was able to enjoy his 2022 success with his family and friends.

He added: “It was always an aim of mine just to have a runner in the race, let alone a winner. We’ve been blessed to have two winners and I got serious satisfaction out of both.

“Last year was great as we came home and there were plenty of neighbours and plenty of staff and it was great for everyone.”

Lord Lariat has run three times since last year’s triumph – finishing fourth behind Galvin in a Grade Three at Punchestown, sixth in the Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse in December and seventh over hurdles at Leopardstown on Monday on his return from a three-month break.

A tilt at the Randox Grand National at Aintree on April 15 appears his more likely target this time around, but McLoughlin is not ruling out the possibility of him instead turning up at Fairyhouse earlier that week.

“At the moment, Lord Lariat is Aintree-bound. The lads that own him want to have one go at it, but that could change and I might swing him back to Fairyhouse,” said the trainer.

“I gave him a run on Monday and I thought he ran very well actually. That will hopefully leave him spot-on, although he might get another run or a racecourse gallop and school somewhere.

“We’re happy with the weight in the Irish Grand National (10st 4lb) and everything else, so we’ll see what happens.”

Dermot McLoughlin's string on the gallops
Dermot McLoughlin’s string on the gallops (Alan Magee/PA)

McLoughlin has two other entries in Captain Cj and The Echo Boy, but the latter has little prospect of making the cut at the very bottom of the weights.

Captain Cj, who was off the track for well over two years before finishing down the field over hurdles at Gowran Park last month, is also well down the order of entry – but does have the opportunity to pick up a penalty that would move him up the list if he can win this weekend’s Leinster National at Naas.

“I think the handicapper has been too generous with Captain Cj – he mightn’t get in now,” McLoughlin continued.

“He had leg trouble and missed a year and then we were ready to go again and he then got suspensory trouble. He’s a good horse, but unfortunately just ran into trouble.

“He’s getting on now and it’s not straightforward, but he’s sound at the moment and we’ll see how he runs on Sunday and go from there.”

McLoughlin admits taking on the likes of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott for top honours is a difficult task, but one he relishes rather than fears.

He said: “It’s like footballers or golfers – we all have to compete.

“I enjoy taking on the bigger lads. We’ve had well handicapped horses (for the Irish Grand National) in the last couple of years and things came right.

“Every day you go out you’re taking on Willie and Gordon and Henry (de Bromhead) and a few others, but we just have to compete at the level we can and when we hit the spring and the ground changes we seem to hit form, so long may it continue.

“It isn’t easy in any game – sport in general is tough.”

Conflated has been allotted top-weight for the Irish Grand National
Conflated has been allotted top-weight for the Irish Grand National (Niall Carson/PA)

With Irascible not qualified, a total of 83 horses are in Irish Grand National contention.

At the head of the weights on 11st 12lb is the 168-rated Conflated, who is first bound for next week’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He is one of 19 entries for Gordon Elliott along with the likes of Galvin (11st 9lb), Fury Road (11st 5lb), Delta Work (10st 13lb) and Coko Beach (10st 11lb).

Gold Cup contender Stattler (11st 7lb) is the highest-rated of 14 Willie Mullins-trained possibles, while Venetia Williams’ Royale Pagaille (11st 4lb) and Dan Skelton’s Ashtown Lad (9st 13lb) are a couple of interesting potential challengers from Britain.

Ireland’s National Hunt handicapper, Sandy Shaw, said: “It’s a fantastic entry and high quality race. There’s 17 horses rated 150-plus and there’s multiple Grade One winners in it.

“The question none of us can answer at this stage is what is going to run. There’s a lot of horses at the top end that are in the Aintree National as well and it’s difficult to know what is going to be top-weight.”

Now Where Or When in frame for Irish National bid

/in /by

Now Where Or When could return to Fairyhouse for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National following his fine performance in the Bobbyjo Chase.

Stuart Crawford’s eight-year-old – who was sent off 33-1 for the Grade Three contest – was rated some 30lb inferior to the winner Kemboy but ran a career best to finish just a length and a half behind Willie Mullins’ ever-popular Grade One winner in third.

The son of Where Or When holds an entry for the Bar One Racing Leinster National at Naas on March 12, but having shown a real liking for Fairyhouse throughout his career, Crawford suggests the Easter Monday marathon that is the feature of the track’s Easter Festival on April 10 is a more likely target.

He said: “The horse has been a wee bit unfortunate this season – he’s had one or two targets and for whatever reason he’s ended up missing them. So he’s kind of been on the go for a little while and crying out for a run.

“We knew he was a wee bit wrong at the ratings, but Fairyhouse is a track he has won at a couple of times and always ran well so we were happy to let him take his chance.

“We were maybe a little bit unfortunate at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival, he missed the start and never really got into the race there, but hopefully there is a big day in him.”

Now Where or When ridden by jockey Sam Ewing on their way to winning the Start Your Free Trial Now at racingtv.com Handicap Chase at Down Royal
Now Where or When ridden by jockey Sam Ewing on their way to winning the Start Your Free Trial Now at racingtv.com Handicap Chase at Down Royal (Brian Lawless/PA)

On future plans, he continued: “He has an entry for there (Leinster National), but ultimately we would love to come back to Fairyhouse at Easter and that would probably be the target.

“He’s on the verge of whether he would make the cut for that, but he will definitely be given an entry and we will see where we are.

“So far he has proven to be a good jumper and he stays well so it will be worth giving him a shot at it anyway.”

Kemboy shows flame still burns brightly at Fairyhouse

/in /by

Multiple Grade One winner Kemboy rolled back the years with a heartwarming victory in the tote Fantasy Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding was the highest-rated chaser in training after winning the Savills Chase, the Aintree Bowl and the Punchestown Gold Cup under a retiring Ruby Walsh a few seasons ago.

He has found victories harder to come by since, with his most recent achieved in the 2021 Irish Gold Cup, but made the most of having his sights lowered in this Grade Three contest.

Kemboy proved he retains plenty of ability by finishing second in both the Down Royal Champion Chase and the Savills Chase earlier this season and had far less on his plate than when sixth behind esteemed stablemate Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup three weeks ago.

Allowed to dominate in front in the hands of Paul Townend, the 11-year-old dug deep once challenged and had just enough in the tank to see off Vanillier, who ran a fine trial for the Grand National, by a half a length.

“That was good, I thought a drop in grade at this stage of his career was probably no harm,” said Mullins of the 15-8 favourite.

“He was careful at some of his jumps and then got some really good jumps. He jumped well when it mattered over the last.

“The dry conditions were a huge help to him. I might try to pick out another race like that. The Imperial Call Chase at Cork (April 9) might be a possible.

“The Aintree Bowl is a possibility, but you are running up against Grade One horses there and we might be as well off keeping below the radar. That’s his first win for two years and I’d prefer to keep him in a lower grade at his age and be competitive.

“Then we could try to finish up at Punchestown where he had a great day with Ruby Walsh, if he could roll back the years maybe he could do it again.”

Zenta returns to the Fairyhouse winner's enclosure
Zenta returns to the Fairyhouse winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

A couple of significant jumping errors were not enough to prevent Zenta from making a successful Irish debut for Mullins in the Grade Three Norman Colfer Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle.

The Auteuil winner was the 4-9 favourite to strike Grade Three gold on her first start for owner JP McManus and she travelled strongly in the slipstream of the front-running Hypotenus for much of the extended two-mile contest.

She was far from fluent at the second-last and the last flight of hurdles, but was still good enough to score by three lengths. Betfair left her odds for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham unchanged at 20-1.

Mullins said: “She jumped super and then things just fell apart but I think she will improve. She’s essentially a good jumper and it was just maybe being in front.

“She’s a nice mare and I think she’s going to improve. She’ll head for the Triumph Hurdle, I’d imagine.

“If she just keeps her jumping together she’s going to win lots of prizes.”

“She’s one we have been looking forward to. We sort of had to rush her preparation to get her ready for this but we felt she needed it if she was going to go across the water.

“She passed the test, she didn’t pass it with flying colours but she passed it.”

Mullins’ pair dominate Bobbyjo Chase line-up

/in /by

Willie Mullins’ duo of Kemboy and Carefully Selected headline the tote Fantasy Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

The pair, both 11, head the market for the Grade Three contest, run over a trip that just exceeds three miles and a furlong.

Perennial top-level poerformer Kemboy has made two Grade One starts this term, finishing second to Conflated in the Savills Chase and then coming home sixth in the Irish Gold Cup earlier in the month.

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said of the bay: “Kemboy has been dropped in class with no penalties.

“The conditions of the race should suit him very well, hopefully the ground won’t be too slow for him. He’s been in good form since Leopardstown and he should run very well.”

Willie Mullins' Kemboy
Willie Mullins’ Kemboy (Niall Carson/PA)

Carefully Selected is Aintree-bound for the Grand National in April, with the Bobbyjo recognised as a trial for the big race and named after the 1999 winner.

Mullins’ gelding landed the Thyestes Chase at Gowran when last seen, another pointer to the National, and will look to gain even more experience at the weekend as he is lightly raced for his age.

Mullins said: “For Carefully Selected this is a great Grand National trial, he gets in with no penalties either.

“He’d prefer slower, softer ground. That will suit him well, the trip will suit him well, he came out of Gowran in good form.

“We’re trying to get a run and some experience into him before Aintree, so this race suits perfectly for him.

Carefully Selected at Cheltenham
Carefully Selected at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

“He knows the track – a big, galloping track should suit him.

“We’d be expecting big runs from the two of them.”

Also involved is Martin Brassil’s Longhouse Poet, another who is National-bound and returns to fences having been run three times over hurdles this season so far.

Gordon Elliott is set to run Pencilfulloflead, third in the Thyestes, and the Gigginstown House Stud-owned grey Farclas.

Enjoy D’Allen will represent Ciaran Murphy’s stable, with Gavin Cromwell’s Vanillier, Paul Gilligan’s Glamorgan Duke and Stuart Crawford’s Now Where Or When completing the field of nine.