Racing/Report from Fairyhouse: It might be the height of the spring festival season but Tony Mullins is already looking ahead to Royal Ascot at the height of summer for his smart hurdler Dawn Invasion who proved the value of hard work at Fairyhouse yesterday.
"He's a horse with a lot of class but he has been a very slow learner when it comes to jumping," said trainer Mullins of Dawn Invasion after the former smart flat handicapper won the Betdaq.com Hurdle.
"We have schooled him extensively and I will talk to Paul (Carberry) about running in one of the big novice races at Punchestown," Mullins added. "But we are definitely thinking of going to Ascot. We'll get the old toppers out!"
The Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes over a mile and a half is the race Mullins has in mind for the ex-English horse who came so close to winning the Ebor last season.
"He got a fall at Naas which frightened the life out of him and was very novicey after that. He was good today but he is not a natural and he'll improve a bit when he learns more," Mullins declared.
Carberry timed his effort perfectly yesterday but ultimately Dawn Invasion had to battle to win by a length from Arch Stanton, who looked slightly unlucky after a mistake at the second last.
Davy Russell had to endure the fatal fall of Xenophon at the second last in the National, and a possible fractured wrist into the bargain, but he had been in much better form earlier in the day with a double on Essex and Randwick Roar.
Essex, who is out of an Irish Oaks winner, improved dramatically on his Down Royal form to win the opener from Definate Spectacle.
"He's a good little horse who had a cyst on a palate which meant we had to take our time with him. But we'll look at the big four-year-old race at Punchestown for him now," said trainer Michael O'Brien.
Barry Geraghty rode Star Of Bethlehem for O'Brien in the next but it was Russell who sailed through on the 20 to 1 Randwick Roar to win the conditions hurdle for Pat Doyle.
"He was fancied a bit because he did a brilliant piece of work last week," Russell said afterwards.
Nineteen-year-old rider David Boland rode his first ever winner when he guided Al Towd to victory over Well Presented in the Leinster Handicap Hurdle, while Mr Meyer just hung on from Ballynattin Buck to win the Beginners Chase.
The 22-year-old amateur Niall Halley had just his second winner when he rode Boom Economy, owned by his mother Linda Halley, to win the handicap chase.
Halley punched the air as he passed the post a length and a half ahead of Torose with Fingal Fox back in third.
"There is no plan with this horse," said Boom Economy's trainer Paul Roche. "We've had him just eight weeks from John Berry and he's won twice. If the ground stays the same he could run at Punchestown or else we'll let him off."
One lucky punter from Blanchardstown managed to win the jackpot and secure the €30,000 available off just an €8 investment but even he might have been stumped by the concluding bumper which was won by the 20 to 1 outsider Hang Seng.
The Eugene O'Sullivan-trained horse paid €73.60 on the Tote but had too much in reserve in the closing stages for Woodview, Hang Seng winning after a protracted battle.
There was a course-record Tote figure of €685,341 which beat the 2002 figure of €562,452. And there was a bookmaker turnover of €1,663,137 with €358,620 bet on the Grand National.
