Leading National Hunt trainer Willie Mullins enjoyed a Christmas to remember as he trained an unrivalled 17 winners over the Christmas period. The Bagenalstown based trainer is enjoying his golden spell in the training ranks.
It all kicked off on St Stephen’s Day as Cheltenham and Punchestown festival bumper winner Cousin Vinny got the traditional 4-day Leopardstown Christmas festival off to a winning start. As the favourite backers were never worried as he easily strolled to an eight length success in the Durkan homes maiden hurdle at 4/9.
Cork-born apprentice Paul Townsend is the form rider at present and he also enjoyed a memorable Christmas. The Munster youngster rode six winners over the Yuletide period (four for Willie Mullins ).
Townsend’s success rate also included a treble on day two of the Tramore festival on New Years Eve.
He partnered Irish Invader to hold the challenge of Savitha following an exciting climax to the Paddypower Poker.com handicap steeplechase.
However, the highlight of the Christmas festival at the Foxrock venue was the exceptional performance of Hurricane Fly aboard Townsend in the Paddy Power Future champions novice hurdle on day two of the Leopardstown festival.
Mullins described his top novice as a “serious machine” following an emphatic performance and he is now quoted as low as 7/2 favourite with some firms for the Ballymore properties novice hurdle.
Hurricane Fly is part of a strong pool of talent of novices from the Clossuton stable as Cousin Vinny and Mikael D’Haguenet are also strongly fancied for the novice hurdles at the Cotswold.
David Casey partnered Financial Reward to an impressive success in the €55,000 Guinness Greenmount Park Novice Steeplechase at the opening day of the 4-day Limerick Christmas festival.
Financial Reward was completing the second part of a double for Willie Mullins on day one of the Munster based venue festival as Quiscover Fontaine ridden by Willie’s nephew Emmet landed the Sporting Limerick hurdle at 13/8 favourite.
Willie Mullins has been a master of the Cheltenham festival bumper having landed the race on the past six occasions featuring horses of the calibre of Florida Pearl, Alexander Banquet and Missed That and he’ll certainly have a strong hand to be play at the Cheltenham bumper once more in March.
Quel Esprit was mightily impressive in running out a 13 length winner of the Paddy Power Christmas bumper flat race ridden by son Patrick and the duo maintained their recent dominance of the bumper races as they landed further odds-on success at Fairyhouse, Cork and Naas respectively.
Cranky Corner cruised to victory in the Fairyhouse bumper on New Years Day, while Quinola Des Obeaux and Quadrillion easily recorded 15 length victories in their respective bumpers at Cork and Naas last weekend.
The master of closutton recorded a double on day three of the Leopardstown festival as Kempes ridden by Ruby Walsh landed the Orchard Stillorgan maiden hurdle, while Imperial Hills under Townsend landed the Star best for racing coverage handicap hurdle and is almost certain to double up in next Sunday’s pierce handicap hurdle in Leopardstown.
Patrick teamed up for uncle Tom to ride Desie Dan to victory in the Foxrock flat race, while Patrick’s cousin Emmet gave The Biscuit Club a very patient ride as he produced a late run to overcome subsequent Naas winner Lurgan and land victory in the two mile Ryans event cleaners maiden hurdle on day three of the Limerick festival.
Willie was strangely out of luck on day 4 of both Leopardstown and Limerick.
His nearest chance of victory came when Deutschland came to grief while on course for victory in the beginners chase.
That particular race saw the Margaret Mullins trained Travino make a welcome return to action as he ran a superb race in his first racecourse outing since the 2006 Punchestown festival.
Amongst the leading rank throughout, Travino was badly interfered with following the last fence pile up involving the falls of Deutschland and AsktheMaster and lost significant momentum.
The last fence drama allowed Back on the Road trained by Arthur Moore at 33/1 to sneak a shock victory ahead of Horner Woods, with Travino over a length away in third.
Paul Townsend partnered Watchurhouse to a comfortable success in the 2 mile guillimene maiden hurdle as the Cork youngster partenered a treble having ridden Indian Spring and Burren Bob to success.
Fixed Fee and Quinola Des Obeaux provided Mullins with a double at Cork last Saturday as Sports Line was touched off by Darby’s Turn at 33/1 ridden by Emmet Mullins to give Waterford trainer Henry De Bromhead a shock victory in the Blakcwater maiden hurdle.
However, the country’s leading jumps trainer recorded a treble at Naas last Sunday.
Mikael D’Haguenet followed his impressive pre-Christmas victory over Pandorma at Navan with a cosy success in the Goffs Slaney Novice hurdle.
Jayo is now quoted at 20/1 for the Arkle giving Ruby Walsh the first part of another double with an impressive victory in the Irish Stallions novice steeplechase, whie Quadrillion was an easy winner giving the father and son combination of Patrick and Willie another winner in the bumper.
A whirlwind Christmas to remember and plenty more to look forward.
