Townend drives Golden Silver to surprise victory for Mullins

GOLDEN SILVER, owned by Violet and Archie O’Leary, sprang a minor surprise when landing the Grade 1 Arkle Perpetual Cup at Leopardstown yesterday.

He went off the 9-1 outsider of four, but there were plenty who helped themselves and clearly believed they knew more than what the form book was telling them. The seven-year-old was a 25-1 shot ante-post and that price eventually dried up. He was far from unbacked on course as well and did the business under another inspired Paul Townend drive.

Trainer, Willie Mullins, expressed his amazement at the huge gap in the prices of the winner and his stable companion, Jayo. Said Mullins: “I saw Jayo at 2-1 and Golden Silver at 25-1 and thought that couldn’t be right. I’d imagine some of the stable punters helped themselves to the 25-1.”