RACING NAAS REPORT:GAGEWELL FLYER ran out an impressive winner of the Slaney Novice Hurdle at Naas yesterday in what was a mixed renewal of the Grade Two event for Willie Mullins.

Mullins was also responsible for short-priced favourite Bishopsfurze, who lost all chance when badly hampered by the fall of Si C’Etait Vrai at the fourth last.

Up front 6 to 1 chance Gagewell Flyer was still full of running under the trainer’s nephew Emmet Mullins, pinging the final flight to ease away and score by four lengths from Fists Of Fury.

Mullins said: “Gagewell Flyer is improving all the time and Emmet gets those horses jumping well. He has ridden three winners for me in the last week. He will have no problem staying three miles and we’ll look at the Neptune or the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham with him.”

Stan James gave Gagewell Flyer an introductory quote of 40 to 1 for the Neptune Investments Novices’ Hurdle in March.

Spokesman Joe Burke said: “Willie has always maintained he will improve on better ground in the spring, so having already proved capable of winning at Grade Two level on soft, he has to come into the reckoning when he returns to Prestbury Park in March. He was after all sent off as short as 14-1 for Dunguib’s Champion Bumper in 2009 so he has obviously always been well regarded.”

Bishopsfurze had not been fluent at his jumps before the interference, and Mullins added: “Bishopsfurze did today what I feared he would do the last day at Cork, as he has no respect for hurdles.”

Gagewell Flyer’s win completed a fine weekend for Mullins who also saw Barker (5 to 1) win the Holden Plant Rentals Chase at Tramore on Saturday. A Grade One winner as a novice, he failed to complete in three starts last season but looks like he has his career back on track.