RACING:WILLIE MULLINS continued his domination of the Irish National Hunt season when claiming a one-two in the MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown with Final Approach and Call The Police.
The winner – owned by the managing director of MCR, Douglas Taylor – was having only his fourth run over hurdles.
Backed from a morning price of 14 to 1 into 6 to 1, Paul Townend crept around the inside rail before hitting the front well before the last, beating his stable companion by two lengths with Mutadarek third and Northern Alliance fourth. “It was fantastic. It’s not often a plan comes together like that. Paul got there a bit soon but made up his mind and won well,” said Mullins. “His last run gave some encouragement because he shaped as if he was going to win, but just got tired.
“In races like that you need to get all the breaks. He’s not a big horse so we’ll probably just stay handicapping. This was probably his Derby. Emmet (Mullins) gave Call The Police a good ride to finish second too.”
Taylor added: “I bred Final Approach myself and hoped to sell him originally but got stuck with him! His previous trainer Kevin Prendergast said there was a big pot to be won with him and his dam, College Fund Girl, is currently in foal to Yeats.”
There was a shock in the Tote Pick Six Killiney Novice Chase where Jessies Dream was beaten by Magnanimity (9 to 4). The winner was given quotes for the RSA Chase ranging from 66 to 1 with Stan James to 16 to 1 with William Hill.
Jessies Dream had given Gordon Elliott his first Grade One winner in the Drinmore but the 7lb penalty he carried for that win proved too much. In truth, if he had jumped the final fence with more momentum he probably would have reeled in the Dessie Hughes-trained and Davy Russell-ridden winner. Hughes said: “I don’t think he likes being in front because he’s a lazy sort of horse but he did it well. He warmed up to it. At Leopardstown when you jump the last it is a long way up that hill so I hadn’t given up. He’s 100 per cent honest.
“We’ll go for the Dr PJ Moriarty Chase next and he will have an entry in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham. He’ll go for the decent staying novice chases, but he doesn’t like good ground.”
Hughes then doubled up with Rare Bob (10 to 1) in the Toe Pick Six Every Sunday Leopardstown Handicap Chase. A Grade One-winning novice, he made every post a winning one under Paddy Flood who will have had a great time on the exciting jumper. A crack at the Grand National could now be on the cards.
“He was really sparkling. He was in good form before the race and I was hoping he’d be allowed to make it,” said Hughes. “I think the blinkers had an effect, especially with him being out on his own in front, and that’s the way we wanted to ride him today.
“He could be a National horse. He won that off 145 so he won’t have too much weight, especially if Denman runs. I didn’t have a runner in the National for 25 years and this year I could have four with Black Apalachi, Vic Venturi and In Compliance in there too.”
Noel Meade was also in double form with the Tony McCoy-ridden Rahan De Marcigny (7 to 2) in the www.thetote.com Beginners Chase and Across The Bay (20 to 1) in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle. “Every time he ran in chases I fancied him because he works so well, but he was pulled up at halfway in the Paddy Power Chase,” said Meade of the latter.
“Today though, after he jumped the second hurdle, he seemed to prick his ears and say to himself ‘these aren’t too big!’ and away he went. We’ll aim him at the Pertemps Final now.”
Dermot Weld’s Waaheb (11 to 8 favourite) looks to have a huge future after a stroll in the www.leopardstown.com (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race under Robbie McNamara. Weld won the race 12 months ago with Hidden Universe and thinks this one could be just as good.
“I think he’ll make a very nice hurdle horse and a chaser but he’s still very immature. I think we’ll go to Limerick for the championship bumper there then we’ll leave him off for the summer and go jumping next autumn,” said Weld.
